Merlin the Artist
It was he who painted roosters and hens
He who, since he was not altogether unfoolish,
and by whom, verily, foolish men were not able to be guided to more serious topics
who spake thus, the artist, to the fool that
He had sent away his servants and his hangers-on;
through these deeds he wished that his charges be set far away.
When you will no longer be ignorant of this, have fear
until you hasten a true rooster into the paintings,
you whom they make to bewonder pennies:
Let you not sorrow at having been driven from a foolish master.
cf. p42.
Merlinus Artifex - GIODARNO BRUNO
Est qui depinxit gallos gallinaceos
Qui, quoniam non est omnino imprudens,
quo non sic gravius deprehendi possint
Tractus inepti, de inepto artista:
Servulos ordinavit, et amiculos;
Per quos vult naturales procul abigi.
Hoc cum non ignoraveris, timeto
Dum verus gallus in pictos approperas,
Qui faciunt mirari auriculatos:
Ne importuno ministro abactus, doleas.
Comment: This was really hard to translate! Poetry is challenging.
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Merlin is a trickster figure. He tells those who could not extract greater things from his lessons that he sent away his servants and friends; counting on these fools to do the same.
Therefore you who have heard this, let you be afraid until you manage to make the drawn images real, you who are driven to accept nuggets of wisdom, don't be surprised when a fool (following Merlinus' advice) dismisses you.
Bruno probably knew of Merlin as a wizard's name. I think he means that his astounding memory techniques lead some (the patron Henry III) to regard him as a wizard. He is not, but those who thought him such (his antagonists in the Church?) persecuted him for being such. He mocks them for being fools and says that wise people of any intelligence should not be suprised or sad when said fools send them away.