"Epicurus at Leontium" - Ludwig Gottlieb Portman, c. 1802-1803


    A Dutch illustrator. The caption reads:

    ; maar ontdek er de Spooren van het geluk niet - Epicurus


    ; but do not discover the Traces of Happiness. - Epicurus


    I have a Dutch friend, perhaps he is willing to provide a better translation.

    “If the joys found in nature are crimes, then man’s pleasure and happiness is to be criminal.”

    Presuming that is not part of a book or larger context, the inscription almost looks as if it was intended to be a quotation, but the translation doesn't really make much sense. Maybe" traces" is "limits" (?) but the "do not discover" doesn't seem appropriate.

    I did some digging on this piece today since I figured I'd upload it to the gallery. It's from a Dutch Almanac from 1803. "Almanak, van vernuft en smaak, voor het jaar MDCCCIII" (Almanac, of ingenuity and taste 1803 Volume 1). While reading through it, I discovered an 8.5 page long section titled "Epicurus bij Leontion" which is just the same as the illustration. Since I cannot read Dutch I don't know what the text says, however it appears to be a casual reading of the subject of the philosophy. Once I get a translation down from my Dutch friends I'll post it here.

    “If the joys found in nature are crimes, then man’s pleasure and happiness is to be criminal.”

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