Hypnerotomachia: The Strife of Loue in a Dreame
languages this epygram.
This noueltie worthie to be manifested, and secret riddle often to be
read ouer, was not knowen to me, so as I rested doubtfull what the
interpretation of this sophisme should signify, not daring to trie the
conclusion. But stricken with feare in this dark vnlightsome place,
notwithstanding the dimme burning lampe, I was more desirous to beholde
and peruse that triumphant porch and gate as more lawfull to remaine
there than other-where. Whereupon without more adoe, I determined to
leaue this place vntill another time, that I might more quietly at
lesure looke vpon the same, and to prepare my selfe to beholde the
woonderfull worke of the gate: and thus descending downe I issued foorth
of the vnbowelled monster, an inuention past imagination, and an
excessiue labour and bolde attempt to euacuate such a hard substance
ouer that other stones be, the workemanship within as curious as that
without. Lastly, returned cleane downe, I beheld in the Porphire laste
along the sides notably insculpt and grauen these hierogliphies.
First, the horned scalpe of an oxe, with two tooles of husbandry fastned
to the hornes.
An altar standing vpon goates feete, with a burning fire aloft, on the
foreside whereof there was also an eie, and a vulture.
After that a bason and an ewre.
A spindle ful of twind, an old vessel fashioned with the mouth stopped
and tied fast.
A sole and an eye in the bale thereof and two branches trauersed one of
Oliue, an other of Palme tree.
An Anchor and a Goose.
An olde lampe, and a hand holding of it.
An ore of ancient forme with a fruitefull Oliue branch fastned to the
handle.
Two grapling yrons or hookes.
A Dolphin and an Arke close shut.
These hierogliphies were passing well cut on this manner.
Which ancient maner of writing, as I take it, is thus to be vnderstoode.
_Ex labore Deo natur[ae] sacrifica liberaliter paulatim reduces
animum Deo subiectum. Firmam custodiam vit[ae] tu[ae], misericorditer
gubernando tenebit, incolumemque seruabit._
Letting passe this most excellent rare, strange, and secret deuise and
worke: _L_et vs returne againe to the prodigious horse, whose head was
leane and little, of a small proportion and yet fitting the body, which
seemed continually staring, fieerce and impatient, the flesh in his
muscles trembling and quaking, in such sort as that hee seemed rather
aliue than a fained imitation, with this Greeke worde in his face
+GENEA+. There were also other great peeces and fragments of diuers and
sundry lineaments among the broken and decayed ruines, which I looked
not on, still running and sliding, time giuing me onely leaue to
consider and peruse these foure rare wonders, the porch or gate, the
horse, the Colose, and the Elephant.
Oh reuerend arthists of times past, what despite hath gotten the vpper
hand of your cunning that the same is buried with you, and none left for
vs to inherite in this age,
At length being come to this ancient porch, a worke woorthie the looking
vpon maruellously composed by exquisite rules, and by art notably
beautified, with diuers and sundry sorts of cuttings, which did inflame
a desire in me to vnderstand and finde out the lineaments and practise
of the architect. I beganne after this maner, making a square from the
two collumnes on either side in a perfect sort, in the which I tooke the
due proportion of the whole porch.
A tetragon figure A. B. C. D. diuided by three lines straight, and three
ouerthwart equally distant one from an other will make sixeteene
quadrats, then adde to the figure halfe as much more in like proportion,
diuiding the adiunct you shall finde foure and twenty squares. This
figure shall serue of credycels to make the inlepturgie and briefe
demonstration that followeth.
Draw then in the first fygure A. B. C. D. two diagons, make also in the
same two lines, and straight downe, and the other ouerthwart, which make
foure quadrats mutually intersect,
Then in the voide ouer the Isopleures make foure mediane prickes,
drawing lines from one to another, and they wil make the Rhombas.
When I had drawne this figure after this manner I straightway mused with
my selfe, what reason should mooue many of our woorkemen in these dayes
eyther to thinke well of themselues, or take the art of building in
hand, not knowing what it is? Making such grosse faults in churches and
great mens houses, defaming arte, and so ignorant, that they seeme as
though they could not consider what nature hir selfe dooth teach vs in
behoulding of hir woorkes.
And what parte soeuer is not agreeable with his principle, is foule and
naught. For take away order and rule, and what thing can any man make,
eyther beautifull to the eye, or of commendable proportion and durable:
then it must needes follow, that the cause of such inconuenient errors
doth proceed from ignorance, and hath his beginning from illiterature.
And this notwithstanding, that although the perfection of this arte
dooth not varie, & fall from his rectitude, yet the discreet and cunning
architect to grace the obiect, to the behoulders: may lawfullye eyther
with adiection or deminution, beautifie his worke, keeping whole the
sollid part, with his vniuersall composition.
I call that solid which is the bodye of the frame, which is the
principall intent, inuention, fore setting downe, and symmetrie, or dew
proportion of the building without any additions, rightlye examined, and
perfectly composed, which will manifest the skill of the workeman, and
the same afterwardes to adorne and beautifie, which adiuncts is an easie
matter. Wherein is also to be considered, the dew ordering and placing
of euery thing, and not to set a crowne vpon the feete, but vpon the
head, and so oualing and denticulating, and other cuttings of sundrye
sorts in their seuerall and best fitting places, the chiefe inuention
and disposing whereof, resteth in the rare and cunning architect, but
the labour and woorking therof to the vulgar and common sort of
mannalistsand seruants to the architect, who if he will do well, he must
in no wise be subiect to auarice.
And besides his skil he must be honest, no pratler full of words, but
courteous, gentle, bening, tractable, patient, mery & pleasant, full of
new deuises, a curious searcher into all artes, and well aduised in his
proceeding, least with rashnes he comit a fault or absurditie in his
worke, and heereof thus much shall suffice.
_After that _Poliphylus_ had at large made a demonstration of the dew
proportion of the Gate, hee proceedeth to describe the ornaments
thereof, and their excellencie._
I hauing beene somewhat prolix and tedious in my former purpose, it may
be that it hath bred some offence, to such as dayly indeuour to occupie
theyr sences in the pleasaunt discourses of loue. But it wyll also
prooue no whit displeasant, if with a lyttle patience, they restraine to
glutte themselues with the walowish sweetnes of deceyueable delightes,
and trye the taste of a contrarye vyand.
And for as much as the affections of men are naturally variable and
different one from an other: vpon this occasion I may bee excused. For
although that bread sometime denyed and kept backe from the hungrie
body, may cause a hard conceit, yet when it is eftsoones offered vnto
him, the mallice is forgotten, and the gift very gratefully receyued.
Nowe hauing in some sorte spoken of the right vse of architecturie, and
the direct waye and meanes by order and rule, to finde out, the set
downe deuise, and solyde bodye or grounde of the woorke, with facilitie
that beeing found out, the architector may vse sundrye deuisions in
diuerse perfections, not vnlike vnto a cunning Musition, who hauing
deuised his plaine grounde in right measure, with full strokes,
afterwarde wyll proportion the same into deuisions, by cromatycall and
delyghtfull minims crotchets, and quauers, curiously reporting vpon his
plaine song. Euen so after inuention, the principall and speciall rule,
for an Architector is a quadrature, the same deuided into smales the
harmonie and sweete consent of the building, setteth foorth it selfe,
and the conuenient adiunctes, agreeable to theyr principall.
In all which this porche was most excellent, both for the rare inuention
and woonderfull composition thereof, and the strange additions to
beautifie the same, in such sorte so exquysite, so fitly placed, and so
curiouslie cut and ingrauen, as the smallest part thereof could not bee
accused of anye fault, but the woorkman commended for the perfection of
his skill.
First vpon my right hande belowe, I beheld a stilypode or square stone,
like an aulter vnder the bases of the columnes, which hauing vpon the
vpper parte a conuenient and meet coronice, and accordingly imbowed, the
bottome and lowest part in like manner was fashioned, so as the quadrate
and aforesayd stilypode, was no broder then long, but a right
quadrangule. Which aulter (as I may tearme it) sidelong about, wrought
with leaues, hollowed vnder with a gulaterie, and wrapt ouer wirh the
same foliature and leafe worke, hemming in the smooth face or table of
the Stilypode of shining white alliblaster, polished and plaine, the
outward part of the quadrangule, equilaterally compassing about the
same, wherevpon with a woonderfull curiousnes was ingrauen a man neere
his myddle-age, of a churlish and swarffie countenance, with an vnshaply
beard, thick, and turning into his chyn, by the towghnesse of the hard
skinne, and vneasie growing out of the hayre.
He sat vpon a stone with an aporne of a Goates skinne, the hinder parts
compassing his waste, and tyed behynde with a knotte, and the neck part,
with the hayrie side next him, hung downe betwixt his legges. Before him
in the interstice of these grose and tumorus calfes, there was an anuill
fastned vpon a knottie peece of a tree, wherevpon he was fashoning of a
brigandine or habergion of burning mettall, houlding vp his Hammer, and
as it were striking vpon his worke.
And there before him was a most noble woman, hauing two fethered wings
set vpon hir delicate and tender shoulders, houlding hir sonne an
infante naked, which sate with his little hyppes vpon the large and
goodly proportioned thighes of the faire goddesse his mother, and
playing with hir, as she held him vp, and putting his feete vpon a
stone, as it had beene a little hill, with a fornace in a hollow hole,
wherin was an extreame whote burning fire.
This Ladye had hir fayre tresses curiouslie dressed vpon hyr broad and
highe forhead, and in like sorte compassing about with abundance, hir
head in so rare and delicate a sort, that I marueyled why the
Blacksmithes that were there busie at theyr worke, left not off to looke
still vpon so beautifull an obiect. There was also fast by, of like
excellent woorkemanship, a knight of fierce countenance,[A] hauing vpon
hym an armour of brasse, with the head of _Medusa_ vpon the curate or
brest plate, and all the rest exquisitely wrought and beautified, with a
bandilier ouerthwart his broad and strong brest, houlding with hys
brawny arme a halfe Pike, and raysing vp the poynte thereof, and bearing
vpon his head a high crested helmet, the other arme shadowed and not
seene by reason of the former figure: There was also a young man in
silke clothing, behynde the Smith, whome I could not perceiue but from