MAGDALENA
Life's youth is Venus (ah, lamentable pleasure),
Far too pleasing, dark Magdalene, to me.
Alas, I saw myself in a terribly frightful mirror:
Oh! When Christ turned his face to me.
Let them come to see Venus, see also this:
The pomp of pride shall suddenly fall.
C.R. made it 1609.
Translation Notes: Venus is often used as a metaphor for love or beauty. Magdalene refers to Mary Magdalene, a biblical figure symbolizing penance and redemption.
Page Summary:
The text is a meditative contemplation on youth and beauty, referencing Venus and Mary Magdalene. It contrasts the allure of earthly pleasures with spiritual transformation. The engraving was made in 1609 by C.R.