One of the emblems of Alciato is devoted to Ianus so that we might aspire to be as discerning as he is, looking prudently both ahead and behind.
Alciato XVIII: Prudentes
![](http://media.bestmoodle.net/alciato/A21a018_200.jpg)
Iane bifrons, qui iam transacta futuraque calles,
Quique retro sannas, sicut et ante, vides:
Te tot cur oculis, cur fingunt vultibus? An quod
Circumspectum hominem forma fuisse docet?
![](http://media.bestmoodle.net/alciato/A21a018_200.jpg)
Iane bifrons, qui iam transacta futuraque calles,
Quique retro sannas, sicut et ante, vides:
Te tot cur oculis, cur fingunt vultibus? An quod
Circumspectum hominem forma fuisse docet?
This image comes from a 1621 edition of the emblems, and you can also read an English translation online. For help with the Latin, here is the poem presented in an easier-to-read format, with the word order rearranged (the word order in poetry often serves the sound more than the sense), and with the phrase segments clearly marked:
Iane bifrons,Below you can see some more images from other editions of Alciato's Emblemata:
qui calles
iam transacta et futura,
et qui sannas vides
retro sicut et ante:
cur te fingunt
tot oculis, tot vultibus?
An quod
forma hominem docet
circumspectum fuisse?
1591:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiu6xvUPvfsV9L0w88a_HbYVLVAQCkzp7G-Tw-6QwVVpU4yQi0AwBC7CXBM6a6PItYgqgB7wvSX9vXQaNhgshG-A5DWpKgUngr98KPKbma5RpT7p3mmiY7gTZDAAC_HCXm-dQ72JVkgE2i/s400/A91a018.jpg)
1567:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2JPcz2lZN0jRMQNlsznhzzdh0UDPZ8P0sWJctWSwTWsOTCe5nUt9p3y-RHOWKIUlNbYZCTwu1TAUmaxMWqyTR2JQLbkhS27wmcKMWGD-6JdVs7GMD66M08u1x0rgGUHj1qTvMkW0IF_sc/s400/A67a033.jpg)
1546:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbmGVglt00UNhgAs2GnMamzoG1XLZv2lKpTZN7_5Qm9kan2Aned6iThZRDCGhFMbKAj7SVa5pEJMihQpFET6RQt58uLG4TkhTMNQWEkzkcPpYCrz6Ypm7f7XtbTnO1_5ldeX4VexLpq7Op/s400/A46a008-1.jpg)
1615:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtbmnnFe7nQToRtWSKqru_DCcTtQL51Ap78tWsDc041JI88Jv069BZ25VFxnTjVaKPmbp1CS7KlssyIavh0y6hnAO0HUA_qiqm49fvs7bALBGl-hJA4awKHUAJwOFDZTn-6njpsBTMJi2C/s400/A15a018.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpRawvDApJtcnL053I5x0alBa99OeGkqD_yvJiV7NXQ3DXLO5mkhukSDwnEXxtV6IcF9SXxF2ws-ZkiwCff2TsnGcNb_sKbQVhk_r7qhtX4_-1iTSKlSs4gfDdS7GW-bDjKVWes85zPwI/s400/Screen+shot+2011-12-31+at+2.47.35+PM.png)