Hypnerotomachia: The Strife of Loue in a Dreame
legges, (her vesture of silke beeing blowne about with the winde, vppon
her virgineall partes) discouered themselues. If I might haue seene
them, I do imagine that they did looke like the finest flower of
_Peloponesus_, or like the purest milke, coagulated with Muske.
By all which most delectable thinges, tyed and bounde in the harde and
inextricable knots of vehement loue, more vneasie to vndoe then that of
_Hercules_, or that which _Alexander_ the great did cut in sunder with
hys sworde: and amorously masked in rowled nettes, and my subdued heart,
helde downe withe grieued cogitations and burning desires, leading mee
whether they would, I founde in it more pricking torments then faythfull
_Regulus_ in Aphrica. So that my sorrowing spirites exasperated with an
amorous desire and extreame vexation, continually burning in my panting
breast, coulde by no meanes bee asswaged, but with supping vp of
continuall sobbings, and breathing out of their flying losse. And thus
drowned in a mist of doubts, and seeing me vyolently taken in her loue,
I saide thus to my selfe.
O _Poliphilus_, howe canst thou leaue at any tyme thy inseperable loue,
kindled towardes thy sweete _Polia_, for any other? And therewithall,
from this Nymph, thus close and fast bounde, more strongly then in the
clawes of a Creuise or Lobstar, endeuouring to vntie my selfe, I found
it no easie peece of worke, so that I coulde not choose but greeuously
binde my troubled hart, to the loue and affecting of this by all
likelihoodes, hauing the true shape, sweete resemblance, and gratious
behauiour of my most beloued _Polia_. But aboue all thinges, this came
more neere vnto mee and grieued me worst, howe I should bee assured that
shee was _Polia_. Wherevppon, from my watry eyes, the salt teares
immediatly tryckling downe, it seemed vnto me a hard & contemptuous
matter, to banish from my forlorne and poore heart, his olde soueraigne
Lady and Mistresse, and to entertaine a newe, strange, and vnknowne
Tyrannyzer.
Afterwards, I comforted my selfe again, with thinking that peraduenture
this was shee, according to the sacred Oracle and true speech, of the
mighty Queene _Eleutherillida_: and therefore, that I should not shrinke
or stoope vnder my burthen; for if I were not greatly deceiued, this was
shee indeede. And hauing made thys amorous and discoursiue thought and
swasiue pr[ae]suppose, abandoning all other desires whatsoeuer, I onely
determined with my heart and minde, to come backe againe to this noble
and excellent Nymph; in whose great loue I beeing thus taken, with
extreame compulsion, I was bolde with an vnaccustomed admyration,
dilligently to looke vpon her rare shape, and louely features, my eyes
making themselues the swallowing whirlpooles of her incomparable
beautie: and they were no sooner opened, hotly to take in the sweete
pleasure of her so benigne and conspicuous presence, but they were
strengthened for euer, to hold with them solaciously agreeing, the
assembly of all my other captiued sences, that from her and no other,
I did seeke the mittegation and quenching of my amorous flames. And in
this sort we came, whilst I was thus cruelly wounded by exasperating
Loue, somewhat vppon the right side of the spacious fielde.
In which place, were set greene trees, thicke with leaues, and full of
flowers, bearing fruite, rounde about the place and seate of such
variable and diuers sorts, neuer fading but still greene, giuing great
content to the delightfull beholder.
The gallant and pleasant Nymphe there stayed; and I also stood still:
Where looking about, by the benignitie of the fruitfull playne, with
halfe my sight, because I coulde not altogether withdrawe the same from
the amorous obiect; I behelde very neere vnto vs, a certaine shewe of an
inuyroning company, tryumphing and dauncing about vs, of most braue and
fine youthes, without beardes and vnshorne heares, but that of their
heads bushing, curling, and wrything, without any art or eff[ae]minate
crysping: crowned and dressed, with garlands and wreathes of diuers
flowers, and red Roses, with leauye Myrtle, with purple Amaranth or
flower gentle, and Melliot: and with them a great company of yonge
maydes, more fayre and delicate then bee to bee founde in Sparta; Both
kindes apparelled very richly, in silkes of changable collours, hyding
the perfect collour; some in Purple & Murry, and some in white curled
Sendall, such as [Ae]gipt neuer affoorded, and of dyuers other collours:
some Tawney, some Crymosen, others in Greene, some in Vyolet, some in
Blewe, Peach collour, Peacocke collour, perfectly engrayned, as euer
Corica coulde yeelde: and powdered and wouen with golde, and edged and
hemmed about With orient Pearle and stones set in pure golde; some in
gownes, and others in hunting sutes.
And the most of the beautifull Nymphes, had their fayre haire smoothly
bounde vppe together, and thrise rowled about, with an excellent
finishing knot; Others had their vnstable & wauing tresses, spreading
downe ouer their fayre neckes. Some, with aboundance of haire, cast vp
ouer their forheades, and the endes turning into curles, & shaddowing
ouer the fayrenes of the same: so as Nature and not Arte, shewed her
selfe therein a beautifull mistresse; With fillets and laces of golde,
edged with orient Pearle, and others in Caules of golde, wearing about
theyr slender neckes, rich and precious Carkenets and, necklaces, of
Pearles and stone, and depending iewelles. And vppon theyr small eares,
did hange dyuers precious stones, and ouer the variable dressings of
theyr heades, before in two Hemycicles, were set shoddowes of oryent
Pearle and stone, in flowers of hayre.
All which excellent ornaments, together with theyr most elegant
personages, were easily able to alter, any churlish, vile or obstinate
heart.
Theyr fayre breastes, in a voluptuous and wanton sort, were bare to the
middest of them: And vppon their prettie feete, some wore sandalles,
after the auncient manner, beeing soles, and the foote bare fastened to
the same, with a small chaine of golde, comming vp betwixt the great toe
and the middle, and the little toe and the next, about the heele ouer
the instep, and fastening vppon the vpper part, betwixt the toes and the
instep, in a flower. Others hauing straight shooes, claspt vppon the
instep with flowers of golde. Their stockings of silke; some of Purple,
some of Carnation, some of parted collours: such as _Caius Galicola_
neuer first brought vp. Others wearing Buskins, vppon the white swelling
calfes of their legges, and laced with silke; some butned wyth golde and
precious stone.
Their fore-heades most fayre, and beautified with the moueable wauinges
of theyr crysping hayre couered ouer with a thinne vayle, lyke a Spiders
vvebbe. Theyr eyes byting and alluring, more bright, than the twinkling
starres in a cleere ayre, vnder theyr circulate brees: vvith a small
nose, betwixt their rounde and cherry cheekes: their teeth orderly
disposed, small and euen set, of the collour of refyned siluer: vppon
the rest, betwixt their sweet and soft lyppes: of the collour of
Corrall.
Many of them carrying instruments of Musique, such as neuer were seene
in _Ausonia_, nor in the handes of _Orpheus_: yeelding in the flowring
Meadowe & smoth playne, most delightfull sounds, with sweete voyces and
noyces of ioye and tryumphing: and to increase the glory, amorously
stryuing and contending one with an other, vvith solacious and pleasant
acts, accompanied with faire speeches and friendly aspects. And in this
place, with a most delectable applause, I behelde foure Tryumphes, so
precious and sumptuously set foorth, as neuer any mortall eye hath
seene.
_Poliphilus in this prescribed place, did beholde foure tryumphing
Chariots, all set with precious stones and iewelles, by a great number
of youthes, in the honour of Iupiter._
The first of the foure marueilous tryumphant Chariots, had foure rounde
wheeles, of Perfect greene Emeralds of Scythia; the rest of the Chariot
did amase mee to beholde, beeing made all of table Dyamonds: not of
Arabia or Cyprus, of the newe Myne, as our Lapidaries call them: but of
India, resisting the harde stroakes of yron and steele, abyding the hote
fire & striuing therwith, mollified onely with the warme bloode of
Goates, gratefull in the Magicall arte; which stones, were wonderfully
cut of a Cataglyphic explicature, and set very curiously in fine golde.
Vppon the right side of the Chariot, I sawe expressed, the
representation of a noble Nymph, with many accompanying her in a
Meddowe, crowning of victorious Bulles with garlands of flowers, and one
abyding by her very tamely.
The same Nymph, vppon the other side was also represented, who hauing
mounted vp vppon the backe of the Bull, which was gentle and white, he
carryed her ouer the sea.
Vppon the fore-ende I behelde _Cupid_, with a great number of wounded
people and Nations, marueiling to see him shoote into the ayre. And in
the hinder part, _Mars_ standing before _Iupiter_, mourning because the
boy had shotte through his impenetrable Brest-plate, and shewing the
wounde, and with the other hande, holding out his arme, he helde this
worde _Nemo_.
The fashion of this Chariot was quadrangulat, of two perfect squares,
longe wayes, of sixe foote in length and three foote in height, with a
bearing out coronice aboue and vnder the plynth: and about the same a
plaine, in breadth two foote and a halfe, and in length fiue foot and a
halfe, bearing towards the Coronice, all ouer scally, with precious
stones, with an altered congresse and order of collours, variably
disposed. And vppon the foure corners, were fastned foure coppies,
inuersed, and the mouth lying vpward vpon the proiect corner of the
Coronice, full of fruites and flowers cut of precious stones, as it were
growing out of a foliature of golde. The hornes were chased neere their
mouth, with the leaues of Poppy, and wrythen in the belly: the
gracylament & outward bending, ioyning fast to the ende of the plaine,
and breaking of in an olde fashioned iagged leaf-worke, lying a long
vnder the backe of the Coppisse, and of the same mettall. Vpon euery
corner of the Plynth, from the Coronice downeward, there was a foote
lyke a Harpies, with an excellent conuersion and turning vppon eyther
sides of the leaues of Acanthus.
The wheeles, aboue the naues and axeltrees, were closed within the
Chariot, and the sides thereof vnder the Harpies feete, bent somewhat
vpward and growing lesser, turned rounde downward, wherevnto the
furniture or trace to drawe it by, were fastned: and where the axeltree
was, there vpon the side of the bottom of the Charriot, ouer the naue of
the wheele, there came downe a prepention ioyning to the Plynth, twise
so long as deepe, of two foliatures, one extending one way and the other
an other way: and vpon the middle thereof and lowest part, was a Rose of
fiue leaues, in the seede whereof, the ende of the axeltree did lye.
Vppon the aforesaide Playne, I behelde the ymage of a fayre white and
tame Bull, trymmed and dressed with flowers, in manner like an Oxe for a
Sacrifice. And vppon his large and broade backe, did sit a princely
virgine, with long and slender armes, halfe naked; with her handes she
helde by his hornes. Her apparell was exquesite of greene silke and
golde, marueilously wouen, and of a Nymphish fashion, couering her body
and girded about her wast, edged about with Pearle and stone, and a
crowne of glittering golde vpon her fayre heade.
This Triumph, was drawne by sixe lasciuious Centaures, which came of the
fallen seede of the sausy and presumpteous _Ixion_: with a furniture of
gold vpon them, and a long their strong sides, like horses, excellently