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Blundell’s School, Keats Medal

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Tiverton, England, 1778. Grimshaw I, 23. Davis & Waters 274/534. Silver. Diameter 40.2mm, 32.0 grams. Engraved by Lewis Pingo (signed above obverse exergue line). Obverse: DETURI DIGNIORI (let it be given to the more worthy), around Athena, the goddess of wisdom, seated right and facing left, placing a wreath on the head of a kneeling student. Reverse: IN PATRIAM POPULUMQ FLUXIT (It flowed onto the nation and the people), apparently referring to wisdom, above and around a picture of the school building with a shining sun above; below the exergue, PETRUS BLUNDELLVS FVND DON MDCIV (Peter Blundell Founding Gift 1604). In original round, red leather case of issue.

Provenance:

Christopher Eimer

The legend, "Detur Digniori", which means "let it be given to the more worthy" references the inscription Detur Pulchriori (let it be given to the more beautiful) that was inscribed on the golden apple Paris awarded to Venus. This motto was later used on the earliest of the Boston Latin School medals. The reverse legend "In Patriam Populumq(ue) Fluxit" is roughly translated as "It flowed onto the nation and the people", apparently referring to wisdom. Both of these legends contain subtle warnings, however. The golden apple set off a chain of events that led to the Tojan War and destruction of Troy. The reverse legend is a portion of a longer quotation from an ode of Horace (Book III, Ode 6) "hoc fonte derivata clades in patriam populumque fluxit" or "from this spring flowed the disaster which poured upon our country and people". In other words, be careful of the unintended results of such awards!

Item record created Oct. 15, 2008.
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item record in VRA Core 4.0