Two Aphorisms: The Candle-Flame and the Drunkard's Wine
Paired moral sayings on self-consuming fire and vengeful wine
The page carries two short moral aphorisms written in Leonardo's mirror-script, with no accompanying diagram. The first likens light to fire set upon a candle, which consumes itself as it burns the wax. The second says that the wine drained by a drunkard takes its revenge upon the drinker. Together they form a paired reflection on consumption and its cost.
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Aphorisms on the self-consuming flame and the avenging wine
The flame is described as fire set upon the candle: in consuming it, it consumes itself. The wine drunk by the drunkard is said to avenge itself upon the drinker. The two lines make up a compact moral allegory on excess and self-destruction.