a 





Figure 12. -Empress Maria TheresAj to whom Father 

 Borghcsi is stated to have presented his two astronomical 

 clocks. The coin bearing her portrait is in the Museum 

 of History and Technology. 



upholding the globe of the world, inscribed with the 

 zodiac, over his head. The lower right corner fea- 

 tures the figures of two noblemen apparently examin- 

 ing and discussing an orb upon a table, the significance 

 of which is not clear. 



THE INSCRIPTIONS 



Beginning with the uppermost part of the frontis- 

 piece, there are nine inscriptions in Latin on the dial 

 plate. The topmost is Franc/sirs I sit plan. Dominator 

 aeterrws. The phrase has reference to Francis I, who 

 was Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, from 1745- 

 1765, and husband of Empress Maria Theresa of 

 Austria. The phrase may be translated as '"May 

 Francis I be the eternal ruler by favor of the planets" 

 or more simply "Long Live Francis I, Emperor." " 

 Although the dial plate of the Borghesi clock is in- 

 scribed with his name, the records indicate that the 



i* The abbreviation in the inscription "pLan" is difficult to 

 interpret According to Father F. X. Winters, S.J., it may 

 represent "sit planetis" or "sit planetarum." The use of an 

 abbreviation was nei essary to prevent the addition of another 

 i' ii' i I "i M. which would have disturbed the formation of the 

 chronogram desired. Literally, "sit planetis" moans "May 

 he be eternal ruler by [or through] favor of the planets," while 

 "sit planetarum" is to be translated "May he be eternal ruler 

 of the planets." lather Winters considered both versions 

 somewhat overexaggerated and proposed that the best trans- 

 lation might be "Lon« Live Francis I. I.mperor." 



Figure 13. — Portrait of Francis I, Emperor of the Holy 

 Roman Empire, to whom Father Borghesi's astronomical 

 clock in the Museum of History and Technology appears 

 to have been inscribed. 



clock was presented to Maria Theresa. Francis I 

 may have already died before the presentation was 

 made. 



From the left to right over the tableau of the Holy 

 Trinity is the phrase "Lavs sacrosanctae Triad i Vni 

 Deo, et Deiparae" (Praise [be] to the most Holy 

 Trinity, to the one God, and to the Mother of God). 



Within the upper left and right spandrels is inscribed : 



Isthaec, Signum grande apparvit in Coelo * sancta 

 Dei genilrix amicta sole * Illibato pede Lvnae et ser- 

 pentis nigra premens Cornva * bis senis pvlcherrime 

 Coronata syderibvs * Tempe indesinenter clavsa. 

 scatvrigo signata * Cedrvs in I.ibano. Cypresvs in 

 Monte Sinn * Mater pvrae Dilectionis sanctaeqve spei 

 * Chara patris aeterni proles, Verbi Mater, sponsaqve 

 procedentis ,: , gratiae et gloriae cirevmdata varietate 



This inscription is a eulogy to the Virgin Mary as- 

 sembled from the texts of Holy Scripture. In addi- 

 tion, each lemma, contained within asterisks, carrie 



44 



11 I I I TIN 2-Ki: CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE MUSEUM OF HISTORY AND TECHNOLOGY 



