Hypnerotomachia: The Strife of Loue in a Dreame
_Perfer scintillam qui coelum accendis & omnes._
This _Monosticon_ was grauen in Latine letters in a square table before
the faces of their supreame maiesties, the rest as is described.
This mysticall triumph was drawen by sixe spotted beasts of yealow
shining colour, and swift as the tygers of _Hyrcania_ called Leopards,
coupled togither with withes of twined vines, full of tender greene
leaues, and stalkes full of greene clusters. This chariot was drawen
very leisurely.
Vpon the middle of which plaine there was placed a base of golde by the
lowest diameter, one foote and three handfuls high, the lataster or
lowest verdge round and hollowed, in the middle vnder the vpper sime or
brimme in forme of a pallie with nextrubs, rules and cordicels: the
vpper plaine of this base was euacuated, wherein rested the traines of
the fower eagles standing vpon the plaine, smooth superficies of the
base, which were of precious [Ae]tite of Persia, of the colour of a
sakers plume. And these stood with their shoulders one opposite against
another, and their pounces of gold fastened and sticking in the said
base, euery one surueying with their wings, and the flowering tips of
their sarcellets touching one another. Ouer these as vpon a nest, was
placed this maruellous vessell of [Ae]thiopian Hyacints cleere and
bright, _Celso inimicus, Comiti gratiosus_. This vessell was crusted with
emeralds and vaines of diuers other pretious stones, a worke incredible.
The height thereof two foote and a halfe, the fashion in maner round,
the breadth by diameter one foote and a halfe, and the circumference
consisted of three diameters. From the heads of the eagles the bottome
or foote of the vessell did ascend vp one triens, and a border going
about the thicknes of a hand, from which border to the beginning of the
belly of the vessel, and to the bottome of the foote with this hand
breadth, was a foote and a halfe. Vpon this stood the forme of the
vessell aforesaid one handfull and a halfe broader, which halfe handfull
was distributed to the border, about the brimme of foulding leaues and
flowers standing out from the hyacinth. The diameter two quarters & a
halfe. Vnder this border there did stick out round about certaine
proportions like walnut shels, or the keele of a ship, somwhat thicke
and broade at the vpper end, and lessing themselues to nothing belowe.
From thence to the orifice it did rise vp two quarters and a halfe,
furrowed with turning champhers, and an excellent sime: and in steed of
eares to take vp the vessell by, it had two lips standing out and
turning in round like the head of a base viall.
Vnder and aboue the borders, the vessel was wrought with turned gululs,
vnduls, and imbossings, and with such lineaments were the borders
wrought, both vnder and aboue. Vppon the border in the necke of the
couer, were two halfe rings, suppressed in the border by transuersion,
one of them iust against another, which were holden in the biting teeth
of two Lysarts, or byting Dragons of greene emerauld, bearing out from
the couer. They stoode with their serpentlike feete vpon the lower part
of the couer vnder the necke, betwixt the which and the lower vessell,
was one quantitie, and from his vpper gracilament descending, he ioyned
with the turned in sime of the circumferent lymbus or verdge, where they
did closely byte togither. This couer to the necke was made in skalie
work of _Hyacinth_, except the vaynes of smaragd, for the little
dragons, their bellies and feetes fastening to the skalie couer. These
little dragons one against an other, their brests and throtes hollowing
out from the border and the couer, and their tayles turning vpwards
againe, did serue for the eares of the couer, iust ouer them of the
lower vessell.
The lower turning about, where the couer did close with the vessell
being of two parts, ioyned togither with an excellent foliature, halfe a
foote broad, as if they had bin inseparable.
The bodie of this vessell was all run ouer with a Vine, the stringes and
vaines whereof, and small curling twists, were of Topas, farre better
then is founde in the Ilande Ophiadis, the leaues of fine smaragd, and
the braunches of Amethist, to the sight most beautifull, and to the
vnderstanding woonderfull contemplable. The subiect vessell appearing
thorough the same of Hiacinth so round and polished, as any wheele can
send foorth: except, vnder the leaues there was a substaunce left,
which helde the foliature to the vessell of Hiacinth, passing ouer and
separated from the subiect. The hollowed and bending leaues with all the
other lapicidariall lineaments, were performed with such an emulation of
nature as was woonderfull.
Let vs nowe returne to the circumferent brim of the pretious vessell.
In the smooth partes whereof, vppon eyther sides of the tayles of the
Lysarts, I behelde two hystorials woorthy of regard, ingrauen in this
sort. Vpon the foreside of the vessell, the representation of _Iupiter_,
holding in his right hande a glistering sword, of the vayne of the
[Ae]thiopian Chrysolits: and in the other hande a thunder bolt of shining
Rubie. His countenance sauour of the vaine of Gallatits, and crowned
with stars like lightening, he stoode vpon an aultar of Saphyre. Before
his fearefull maiestie, were a beuie of Nymphs, seauen in number,
apparrelled in white, proffering with their sweete voices to sing, and
after transforming themselues into greene trees like emeralds full of
azure flowers, and bowing themselues downe with deuotion to his power:
Not that they were all transformed into leaues, but the first into a
tree, hir feete to rootes, their armes and heads into braunches, some
more then other, but in a shewe that they must followe all alike, as
appeared by their heads.
Vpon the other Anaglyph, I did behold a merrie and pleasant maiesticall
personage, like a yoong fat boye, crowned with two folding serpents, one
white, and the other blacke, tied into a knot. Hee rested delightfullie
vnder a plentifull vine tree full of ripe grapes, and vpon the top of
the frame there were little naked boies, climing vp and sitting aloft
gathering the ripe clusters: others offering them in a basket to the
God, who pleasantly receiued them: other some lay fast a sleepe vpon the
ground, being drunke with the sweet iuice of the grape. Others applying
themselues to the worke of mustulent autumne: others singing and piping:
all which expression was perfected by the workman in pretious stones, of
such colour as the naturall liuelinesse of euery vaine, leafe, flower,
berrie, body, proportion, shape, and representation required. And in
this imagerie, although it was very small, yet there was no defect to be
found in the least part belonging thereunto, but perfectly to be
discerned.
Out of this former described vessell did spring vp a greene flourishing
vine, the twisting branches thereof full set with clusters of grapes,
the tawny berries of Indian Amethyst, and the leaues of greene Silenitis
of Persia: Not subiect to the change of the moone, delighted of _Cupid_.
This tree shadowed the chariot: At euery corner of this triumphant
chariot vpon the plaine where the vessell stood, was placed a
candlesticke, of excellent workmanship, vpon three feet of red corrall,
well liked of the ruder sort, resisting lightening and tempests,
fauourable and preseruatiue to the bearer: The like were not found vnder
the head of _Gorgon_ of Persia, nor in the Ocean _Erythreum_. The steale
of one of the candlesticks was of white corrall, beloued of _Diana_, of
a conuenient length, with round knobs and ioints, in height two foote.
Another was of most fine stone _Dionisias_, hauing spots growing from a
blackish to a pure red, the same pounded smelleth sweetly. The third was
of perfect _Medea_ of the colour of darke gold, and hauing the smell of
Nectar. The fourth of pretious _Nebritis_ from a blacke growing to a
white and greene. Out of the hollowed steales whereof, there ascended vp
a pyramidall flame of euerlasting fire, continually burning. The
brightnes of the works expressed through the reflexion of the lights,
and the sparkling of the pretious stones were such, as my eies dazeled
to behold them.
About which heauenly triumph, with a maruellous and solemne pompe,
infinite troups of Nymphs, their faire and plentifull tresses falling
loose ouer their shoulders, some naked with aprons of goates skins and
kids, others with tymbrels and flutes, making a most pleasaunt noise, as
in the daunce called Thiasus, in the trieterie of _Bacchus_, with green
leaffie sprigs and vine branches, instrophyated about their heads and
wasts, leaping and dauncing before the triumphs: immediately after the
triumphs followed an olde man vpon an asse, and after him was led a
goate adorned for a sacrifice: And one that followed after carrieng vpon
hir head a fanne, making an vnmeasurable laughter, and vsing furious and
outragious gestures. This was the order of these _Mimallons_, _Satirs_,
and seruants to Bacchus, bawds, _Tyades_, _Naiades_ and such as followed
after.
_The Nymph doth shew to Poliphilus the multitude of yoong
Louers, and their Loues, what they were,
and in what sort beloued_
It is verie hard for a man to accommodate his speech to apte termes,
whereby he may expreslie declare the great pompe, indesinent triumph,
vncessaunt ioie and delightful iettings aboute these rare and vnseene
chariots, and being once vndertaken, it is as vneasie to leaue off:
besides the notable companie of yoong youths, and the increasing troups
of innumerable faire and pleasant Nymphs, more sharpe witted, wise,
modest, and discreet, then is ordinarily seene in so tender yeeres, with
their beardles Louers, scarce hauing downy cheekes, pleasantly deuising
with them matters of Loue. Manie of them hauing their torches burning,
others pastophorall, some with ancient spoiles vppon the endes of
streight staues, and others with diuers sorts of Trophes vpon launces,
curiouslie hanging, caried before the mystical triumphs, with shouting
resounds aboue in the aire. Some with winde-instruments of diuers
fashions and maner of windings, sagbuts and flutes. Others with heauenly
voices singing with ineffable delights, and exceeding solace, past mans
reason to imagine: within them passed about the glorious triumphs,
turning vpon the florulent ground, and green swoord, a place dedicated
to the happie, without anie stub or tree, but the fielde was as a plaine
coequate medowe of sweete hearbes and pleasaunt flowers, of all sorts of
colours, and sundry varieng fashions, yeelding so fragrant a smell as is
possible to speake of, not burnt with the extreeme heat of the sunne,
but moderate, the ground moystened with sweete ryuers, the aire pure and
cleane, the daies all alike, the earth continually greene, the spring
neuer decaieng but renuing, the coole grasse with variable flowers like
a painting, remaining alwaies vnhurt, with their deawie freshnesse,
reseruing and holding their colours without interdict of time. There
grewe the fower sortes of Violets, Cowslops, Melilots, Rose Parsley or
Passeflower, Blew bottles, Gyth, Ladies seale, Vatrachium, Aquilegia,
Lillie conually, Amaranth, Flower gentle, Ideosmus, all sorts of sweete
pinks, and small flowring hearbs of odoriferous fragrancie and smell,
Roses of Persia, hauing the smel of muske and Amber, and innumerable
sorts of others without setting, but naturally growing in a woonderfull
distribution, peeping out from their greene leaues, and barbs very
delightfull to behold.
In this place I might see goodly braue women as the Archadian _Calisto_
the daughter of _Lycaon_, with the vnknowen _Diana_. The Lesbian
_Antiopa_ daughter to _Nycteus_, and mother to _Amphion_ and _Zeteus_