Sine Cerere et Baccho friget Venus

*Mikrokosmos* emblem book, 1579: "Venus is left shivering in front of a makeshift fire while Bacchus and Ceres wander away".^[1]

Sine Cerere et Baccho friget Venus, (Latin, 'Without Ceres and Bacchus, Venus freezes'^[2]) or Sine Cerere et Libero friget Venus,^[3] is a quotation from the Roman comedian Terence (c. 195/185 – c. 159 BC) that became a proverb in the Early Modern period. Its simplest level of meaning is that love needs food and wine to thrive. It was sometimes shown in art, especially in the period 1550–1630, in Northern Mannerism in Prague and the Low Countries, as well as by Rubens.^[4]

It has been suggested that the concentration of images by the Haarlem Mannerists reflects the patronage of the powerful brewers of Haarlem.^[5]

^ Bull, 218–219
^ Or 'grows cold', 'chills' etc
^ Liber was an alternative Roman name for Bacchus, as the older local wine god for Rome
^ Bull, 218–219
^ Santos, especially p. 21 onwards

[1] Bull, 218–219

[2] Or 'grows cold', 'chills' etc

[3] Liber was an alternative Roman name for Bacchus, as the older local wine god for Rome

[4] Bull, 218–219

[5] Santos, especially p. 21 onwards

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