Hypnerotomachia: The Strife of Loue in a Dreame
in all members. Hemigliphic apeare but halfe.]
Then comming to the myddle fronture of the great and excellent woorke,
I sawe one sole large and marueylous porche worthy of great estimation,
proportioned according to the huge quantitie of the rest of the whole
work, which was placed betwixt and continued in building from the one
and the other of the mountaines hare lipped, and aboue arched, whose
space betwixt as I doe coniecture was in measure sixe furlongs, and
twelue paces. The top of which mountaines were perpendicularly equall
eyther of them touching the azur'd skey. At the sight whereof I imagined
with my selfe and deuised to thinke with what yron instruments, with
what labour of mens hands, and number of workmen, such a piece of woorke
could bee by great strength framed, with much paine layde together, and
a long time in finishing. There then this woonderfull frame willingly as
it were ioyned hands and vnited it selfe with the one and the other
mightie mountaines, by meanes whereof, the foresaid valley there had an
end, that no man could go further forward or backe againe, but to enter
in by this broade, large, and wide open porche.
Vpon this massie frame and mightie woorkmanship, which I take to be in
heigth from the roofe or top to the foote, fiue parts of a furlong, was
placed a high and woonderfull Pyramides, after the fashion of a square
poynted Diamond, and such incredible workemanship that could neuer be
deuised and erected, without inestimable charge, great helpe, and long
time. So that I thought the excellencie thereof vnthought vpon, to bee a
myrrour, the sight whereof was able to dasell any humaine eyes, and
quaile the rest of the spirituall sences. VVhat shall I say more? for so
far as the reache of my capacitie will afoorde me leaue, in this sort I
briefely describe the same.
Euery side or quarter of this foure squared frame, wherevpon the foote
of the Pyramides did stand, did extend themselues in length six
furlongs[A], which in compasse about euery side [ae]quilatered of like
bredth, dooth multiplie to 24 furlongs. Then lifting vp the lynes on
high from the foure corners, so much as euerye corner is distant in
length from another, meeting in the top, so as the Perpendicular line
may fall iust vpon the center of the Dyagon, stretching from both
corners of the plynts or square foote, iust and conueniently ioyned
together doe make a perfect pyramidall figure. VVhich immence and
woonderfull forme, with a maruelous and exquise Symmetrie and due
proportion mounting vp laboursomly foote by foote, conteyned 1410.
degrees or steppes, taking away 10. degrees to make vp the head and
gracilament of the Pyramides in whose place was set a huge Cube or foure
square stone of forme like a dye, sound and firme of a monstrous
thicknesse and incredible weight to bee carryed so high. And of the same
stone of _Paros_ as were the steps: which cube and square stone was the
Basis and foote set vnder the Obilisk, which I haue in hand to describe.
[Sidenote A: A furlong is 16. pole euery pole being 16 foote.]
This mightie big stone sharpe topt, sliding downe the extream part from
corner to corner, flat sided by the Diameter, was fower paces, at euery
equall distant corner, whereof was the foote of a harpie of moulten
mettall, their steales and clawes armed. Firmlye and stronglie set in
with led, in euery corner of the Cube, or foure square head of the
Pyramides, meeting together ouer the Diagonike line. Of proportioned
thicknesse in heigth two paces. Which thus closing and mette together,
made the socket of the great Obelisk: which Socket was beautified with
leaues, fruites and flowers, of shining cast mettall, and of conuenient
bignesse. VVherevpon the weight of the Obelisk was borne. The breadth
whereof was two paces, and seauen in heigth, artificiously sharping of
the stone of _Thebais_ called _Pyrus_. Vpon the smooth plains whereof,
pure and bright shining as a looking glasse, were moste excellently cut
_Aegiptian Hyerogliphs_.
Vpon the pointe of which Obelisk, with great arte and diligence, was
fastned a copper base, in the which also there was a turning deuise
infixed: whervpon did stand the shape of a beautifull nimph framed of
the aforesayd matter, able to amaze the continuall diligent behoulder.
Of such a proportion as the common stature might be considered and
perfectly seene, notwithstanding the exceeding heigth thereof in the
ayre. Besides the greatnesse of the figure or image: it was a woonder to
thinke how such a weight should bee carryed and set in such a place and
so high. Couered with a habite blowne abroad with the winde, and shewing
parte of the naked substance of the legges and thighes: with two wings
growing out from the shoulder blades, and spred abroad as if shee were
readye to flye, turning hir fayre face and sweete regarding countenance
towardes hir wings. The tresses of hir haire flying abroade the vpper
part or crowne naked and bare. In hir right hand she held from hir sight
a copie or horne stuft full of many good things, stopped vp, and the
mouth downewarde, hir left hand fastned and harde holden to hir naked
brest. This Image and stature was with euery blast of wind turned, and
mooued about with such a noyse and tinkling in the hollownes of the
metaline deuise: as if the mynte of the Queene of England had being
going there. And when the foote of the phane or Image in turning about,
did rub and grinde vpon the copper base, fixed vpon the pointe of the
Obeliske, it gaue such a sound, as if the tower bell of Saint Iohns
Colledge in the famous Vniuersitie of Cambridge had beene rung: or that
in the pompeous Batches of the mightie _Hadrian_: or that in the fift
Pyramides standing vpon foure. This Obeliske in my iudgement was such,
as neyther that in the _Vaticane_ in _Alexandria_ or Babilon, may bee
equally compared vnto it, but rather esteemed far inferiour. It
conteined in it such a heape of woonders, as I could not without great
astonishment looke vpon it. As also consider the hugenesse of the worke,
the excessiue sumptuousnesse, the straunge inuention, the rare
performance, and exquisite diligence of the woorkeman. With what art
inuented? with what power, humaine force, and incredible meanes, enuying
(if I may speake it) the workmanship of the heauens, such and so mightie
weights should be transported and carryed into the skyes? with what
Cranes, winding beames, Trocles, round pullies, Capres bearing out
deuices, and Poliplasies, and drawing frames, and roped tryces, therein
being vnskilfull, I slip it ouer with silence.
_And heere on the other side followeth the figure._
Let vs returne then to the huge Pyramides, standing vpon a strong and
sound plynth or foure square foote, fourteene paces in heigth, and in
length sixe furlongs, which was the foundation and bottom of the
weightie pyramides, which I perswaded my selfe was not brought from any
other place, but euen with plaine labour and workemanship hewen out of
the selfe same mountaines, and reduced to this figure and proportion in
his owne proper place.
Which great quadrant and square woorke, ioyned not fast to the
collaterate and sidelying rockes, but was betwixt spaced and seperated
on eyther sides tenne paces. Vpon the right hand as I went of the
aforesaid plynth or square sheame, there was most perfectly carued the
vyperous head of the fearefull _Medusa_, in a most furious and rigorous
forme to looke vpon, and as it were yelling out: with terrible eyes
cauernate, and hollow skowling vnder ther ouerhanging browes with a
wrympled and forrowed forehead and gaping wide open mouth, which being
hollowed with a dyrect waye from the Catill, and vppon stone by a
mediane lyne perpendicular to the center of the far shewing Pyramides,
made a large enterance and comming vnto it, at which opening mouth,
compassed with fowlded haires of vnrepartable curiousnes artificiall
cunning and costly woorkmanshyppe the assending the turning stayers
shewed them selues, and instead of tresses of haire platted with laces,
I saw fearefull vypers and winding serpents growing out from the scalpe
of the monstrous head confusedly twysting together and hissing, so
liuely portrayed and set foorth, that they made me afrayde to behould
them. In their eyes were placed most shining stones, in such sort, as if
I had not beene perswaded and knowne that they were stones indeed,
I durst not haue drawne neere them.
And the aforesayde entrie cut out of the firme stone, led to the scale
and compassing passage in the center, with winding steps tending to the
highest parte of the stately Pyramides, and opening vpon the outside of
the catill or cube: vpon the which the shining obeliske was founded. And
among the rest of such notable partes that I beheld, me thought that
this deuise was woorth the noting, because the artifitious and most
cunning architect with an exquisite and perspicuous inuention, had made
to the stayres certaine loopes or small windowes, imbracing the
bountifull beames of the sunne correspondently on three parts, the
lower, the middle, and supreame: The lower taking light from the higher,
and the higher from the catabasse or lower with their opposite
reflexions shewing a maruellous faire light, they were so fitly disposed
by the calculate rule of the artificious Mathematrician, to the
Orientall Meridionall and Occidentall partes of the ayre, that euery
houre of the day the sunne shined in, and gaue light to the whole scale,
the same loopes or windolets in diuerse places symmetrially and
definitely dispersed and set.
To the aforesaid entrance thorow the open mouth of _Medusa_, I came by a
long gallorie to a salying scale or downe going staire opening at the
foot and pauement of the building vpon my right hand against one of the
collaterall and side-lying mountaines, betwixt which there was out of
the stone and open space cut out of tenne paces vp, into the which I
ascended boldely without resistance, and being come to the beginning of
the staire in the aforesaid mouth by innumerable steppes and degrees,
not without great wearines and disinesse of head, by often turning
about, I came to so incredible a height, that my eies would not suffer
me to looke downe to the ground insomuch, that me thought that euery
thing below vpon the plaine had lost his shape, and seemed vnperfect. In
the opening and comming out of this circulate and turning assence many
pillars of fused and molten mettall were aptly disposed and surely
fixed: the inter-space betwixt euery one and other one foote, and in
height halfe a pase, railed and ioyned togither aboue with a battelled
coronet al along the said pillar, and of the same metall compassing
about the opening of the staire, lest that any comming foorth vnawares
should fall downe headlong, For the immesurable height thereof woulde
cause a giddines in the head, and bring a staggering to the feete: vpon
the plaine of the obeliske there was infixed a table of brasse fastened
and soldered in about the height of a man, with an ancient inscription
in Latine, Greeke, and Arabike, by the which I plainely vnderstoode that
the same was dedicated to the Sunne, and the measure of the work wholy
set downe and described, the name of the Architector noted on the
obeliske in Greek letters.
+LICHA SOLIBIKOS LIOODOMOS O:RTHOSEN ME+
_Lichas Libiicus architectus me erexit_.
Lichas a Libian architector set me vp.
Let vs returne and come backe to the consideration of the But and
tessell or square, subiect and vphoulder of the Pyramides in the fronte
and foreside whereof I beheld ingrauen a _Gigantomachie_ and combate
betwixt Giauntes, the onely enemie to vitall breath, surpassinglie well
cut, with the quick motions and liuelie agilities of their large and