II. - Schloss Schwetzingen

II.
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II. Schwetzingen – A Prince Elector’s Eighteenth-Century Summer Residence
In Rostgaard, 1764, p. 159 no. CCCCXVI,
translation “Qui petit totum, praeterit
totum” and note, “In ambitiosos; cum non
adipiscuntur illud honoris fastigium, pro quo
tamen obtinendo omnia bona consumserunt.”
Another possible translation would be “What
you want wholly you will lose wholly.”
“VERSCHWIEGENHEIT ERWIRBT LIEBE”
(“Discretion wins love.”)
Literally: “Discretion earns her followers’
love.” Variations of the saying reappear in the
collections of al-‘Askarî, al-Bakrî, Abû ‘Ubaid
und Maidânî. 13 It is ascribed to al-Aktham, an
ancient Arab sage associated with numerous
legends. In Erpenius, 1614, p. 60 no. XVIII; in
the 1775 edition on p. 30 with a translation,
“Taciturnitas conciliat suis amorem” and an
explanation ascribed to Maidânî but untraceable
there, “Meidan: Nempe amorem aliorum
erga se, siquidem (taciturni) eo ipso tuti sint.
Adhibetur in commendatione paucitatis
sermonis.”
“DER NEID RUHT NIEMALS” (“Envy never
rests.”)
With a variation of the last word (râha instead
of marâha) in Erpenius, 1614, p. 54 no.
LXXXV, with a translation, “Inudiae nulla est
quies.”
“LIEBE DEN FLEIS, ER IST EIN GROSER
SCHAZ” (“Love diligence, it is a great treasure.”)
Literally: “Acquire industriousness, for it is a
great treasure.” In Erpenius, 1614, p. 74 no.
XXVII, translation by Scaliger: “Aquire diligentiam,
ea enim est thesaurus magnus.”
“OHNE HOFFNUNG GELINGT KEIN WERK”
(“Without hope nothing will succeed.”)
Literally: “Without hope the work will come to
harm.” In Rostgaard 1764, p. 170 no. CCCCL-
VII, with a translation, “Si (non esset) spes,
irritum esset opus.” 14
13 (13) For example Abu l-Fadl Ahmad Ibn Muhammad
al-Maidânî, Madjma’ al-amthâl, I. II, Beirut 1961, I. p. 557. A
variation in Abû ‘Ubaid al-Qâsim Ibn Sallâm, Kitâb al-amthâl,
ed. ‘Abdalmadjîd Qatâmish, Beirut 1980, p. 43 no. 34. Cp.
Riad Aziz Kassis, The book of proverbs and Arabic proverbial
works, Leiden 1999, p. 150.
14 The word al-amal “hope” is divided; the last word is badly
written and barely identifi able as al-’amal “work”. Cp. Fig. 1 p.
55 and Fig. 2 p. 59.
“FLIEHE DIE FAULHEIT, SIE BRINGT
SCHADEN” (“Avoid laziness, it is harmful.”)
In Erpenius, 1614, p. 74 no. XXVIII, translation
by Scaliger, “Recede a pigritia; quia ipsa
est plena damno”. More mistakes – ab‘ud for
ub‘ud and mumtali‘a for mumtali‘u.
The Inscriptions of the Cloister
Entrance Pavilions
The execution of the two barely-vocalized
inscriptions on decorative plaques on the
exterior of the eastern entrance pavilion was
neither expert nor careful; letters that should
have been written together have been separated,
and there are unnecessary strokes. The
two sayings could not be traced so far.
“WEGEN DER ROSE BEGIEST MAN DIE
DORNEN” (“For the sake of the rose one
waters the thorns.”)
Rose und tulip motifs are common in Islamic
art and were associated with “Ottoman” taste.
In literature the rose is often associated with
the prophet Muhammad. As a symbol of wisdom,
beauty and purity it is a motif common
to many religions and civilizations. 15
“lN DEN SOMMERTAGEN SEY DER AMEISE
GLEICH” (“On summer days be like an ant.”)
Fuchs and Reisinger interpret the sayings in
the context of a monastery and garden, and
the monkish rule of “ora et labora”: Gardening
and diligence are called for on the side facing
the kitchen garden, contemplation is required
on the one facing the cloister16 – the inwardfacing
plaque of the eastern entrance pavilion
reads:
“REDEN IST SILBER SCHWEIGEN GOLD”
(“Talk is silver, silence is golden.”)
This very common piece of wisdom is in
Rostgaard, 1764, p. 63 no. CXXV, translated
“Loqui est argentum, tacere est aurum” and
characterized as an enconium silentii. The
15 In the Christian tradition it is among the insignia of the
Virgin Mary; among Freemasons, the mystic rose is a symbol
of enlightenment encountered during the last stage of the
spiritual quest. Cp. Daniel Béresniak, Symbole der Freimaurer,
Wien 1998, p. 80.
16 Carl Ludwig Fuchs/Claus Reisinger, Schloß und Garten zu
Schwetzingen, Worms 2001, p. 176.