Pallas and Bacchus by Alciato
Prudence is increased by wine
Vino prudentiam augeri.
Andrea Alciato, 1531. Book of Emblems, Emblem 23.
Caption: «This temple Father Bacchus and Pallas both possess in common, each of them the true off-spring of Jove: she split Jove’s head, he his thigh. To her we owe the use of the olive; but he first discovered wine. They are deservedly joined together: for he who, in his sobriety, hates the Vine shall feel no aid from the Goddess.»
- First published in Andrea Alciato’s 1531 Emblematum Liber as Emblem 23 (under the motto "Vino prudentiam augeri" / "Prudence is increased by wine"), this iconic woodcut illustrates a sacred temple shared jointly by Father Bacchus and Pallas Athena. The accompanying verse highlights their shared divine heritage as the direct offspring of Jove—Athena born from his split head, and Bacchus from his thigh—as well as their crucial gifts to humanity: the olive and the vine. Alciato presents the striking idea that these two seemingly contrasting deities are rightfully united. The verse explicitly warns that anyone who, in rigid sobriety, despises the Vine will find no help or favour from the Goddess of Wisdom, asserting that true prudence is not a cold, unyielding state, but one enriched and enlivened by divine inspiration and joyful vitality.
- Symbolically and spiritually, the emblem offers a profound reflection on the Neoplatonic harmony of opposites (coincidentia oppositorum) within the human soul. Athena represents rational intellect, sober judgment, and moral restraint, while Bacchus embodies enthusiasm, creative warmth, and the vital life force. In isolation, intellect risks becoming sterile and detached, while unguided passion devolves into chaos; united, however, they foster true spiritual enlightenment and holistic wisdom. The "wine" in this context symbolizes divine fervor and spiritual joy that liberates the mind from rigid dogmatism, allowing wisdom to flourish fully. Spiritually, the emblem reminds the viewer that the elevation of the human soul requires both the clear light of reason and the animating fire of spiritual passion, demonstrating that wisdom reaches its highest expression when intellect is warmed by joy and inspiration.
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