Hypnerotomachia: The Strife of Loue in a Dreame
[Sidenote A: Clymene the mother of Phaeton.]
Vppon the Table ouer the Columnes on the left side in a curious and rare
vnusuall caruing, there was the resemblance historyed of the
vncomfortable and still mourning _Cyparissus_ holding vp hys handes and
armes toward the Sunne, and making his mone to _Apollo_ for the wounded
_Cerua_.
In the third Table nexte the last mencioned, in a worke answerable to
the presedent and former, I behelde _Leucothoe_, wickedly slayne of hyr
own Father, chaunging and transforming her fayre yong and tender flesh
into smooth barke, shaking leaues and bending wandes.
In the fourth Table, was represented the discontented & displeasant
_Daphne_, at the burning desires of the curled headed _Delius_, rendring
vp by little and little her virgins body vndefiled, towards the hote
heauens, beeing metamorphised most pyttifully into a greene Laurell.
Nowe successiuely in order ouer the afore-mencioned Tables and
quadratures in the _Zophor_, wherein these Histories were represented in
shapes, there was extended and laide ouer a Coronice denticuled & oualld
with interset stralets, betwixt the iates of the Oualls, and leafeworke
and the Imbrices with the rest that appertayneth to the setting forth of
the same (past my skill to report) without any fault or defect: and
lastly, the syme was adorned heere and there with the leaues of
_Achanthis_.
And to return to the view of the whole frame, in the disposing thereof
as aforesaide,[A] the Coronices by a perpendycular lyne were
corrospondentand agreeing with the faling out of the whol worke, the
Stilliced or Perimeter, or vtterpart of the vppermost Coronice onely
except.
[Sidenote A: A petiment in corrupt English.]
It followeth to shew and speake of the _T_able or inward part of the
_T_rigonall: within the which, according as the extreames of the same
triangle would permit, there was presented to my view, a Crowne or
Garland of diuers leaues, fruites, and stalkes, foulded vppe and wrapte
together of a greene stone knitte in foure partes, the byndings of the
selfe same stalkes, holden by two Mermaydes, the vpper parts of them of
a humayne shape, and that vnder the nauell like a Fyshe, their one hande
vp, and the other belowe on the Garlande, their scalye tayles extending
to the nethermost corners of the Triangle, vppon the top of the Coronice
hauing at theyr extreeme partes theyr fishy winges or finnes. Theyr
faces like vyrgines, theyr tresses of haire, partly curling vppe vppon
their forheades, some turned about their heads and rowled vp, some
depending downe vppon theyr temples, and crisping and inanulating by
their eares. From betwixt their shoulders grewe their winges like
Harpies, stretching downe and extending to the foulding and turnings of
theyr tayles, vpon their monstrous flankes grew out their fynnes to
swimme withall, their beginning, their fishie and scalye substance, and
from thenceso continuing theyr nether parts downewarde.
Within the saide Garland I beheld a rough Milche Gote,[A] which a little
child did suck, sitting vnder hir side vpon his fleshie young legges one
streight foorth, and the other retract and bowed vnder him. With his
little armes houlding himselfe by the hearie and rough locks, his
countenance and eyes vpon the byg and full vdder thus sucking. And a
certaine Nimphe, as it were speaking woords, and giuing voyces of
contentment, to the Goat and bowing downe hir selfe with the left hand,
held vp one of the feete, and with the right hand putting the pappe to
the smacking kissings of the sucking infant, and vnder hir were these
letters _Amalthea_.[B]
[Sidenote A: Iupiter.]
[Sidenote B: Iupiters nursse.]
Another Nimphe stood against the head of the Goate, with one arme
carefully compassing the neck, and with the other shee held hir by the
horne.
In the middest stood the third Nimphe with greene bowgh leaues in one
hand, and in the other an oulde fashioned drinking bowle, more long then
broad, like a boate by a little handle. Vnder hir feete was written,
_Melissa_.[A]
[Sidenote A: The daughter of Melissus and Iupiters nursse.]
Betwixt one and other of the three fore specified Nymphes, there were
two other hauing Cymbals in theyr handes, as it were playing and
dauncing, euery one apparrelled according to the perfection of theyr
beauties, with an artificiall performance of workmanship in the
vndertaken proportions, that they rather seemed the substances
themselues then a Lythoglyph an Imagerie, either by _Policletus_,
_Phidias_ or _Lysippus_, neyther did y^e _Anaglipts_[A] to _Artemisia_
the Queene of _Caria_, _Scaphes_, _Briaxes_, _Timotheus_, _Leocaris_ and
_Theon_, come any thing neare for the workemanship heereof seemed to
excell the cunning of any humaine Lapicidarie, caruer grauer, or cutter
whatsoeuer.
[Sidenote A: Anaglipts are cunning carues and grauers.]
Aboue this foresayde Triangle, and vnder the vpper coronice in a
smooth plaine were these two Attic wordes in capitall Letters, +DIOS
AIGIOCHION+.
This conspitious porche and gate, most woorthye to be behelde, thus
stoode of a maruelous composition, excellently disposed. If I had not
explaned the commodulation and harmonie heereof particularly, I might
haue beene blamed for my prolixitie and tediousnesse, and for wanting of
fit words, in the discription. And thus for this time heereof so much.
It must needes follow, that all the rest of the aforesaide court on
euery side was beautifull to behold, and of stately workemanship by that
which still remained standing: as in the inward parte the naues and
columnes carrieng and bearing vp an immesurable and monstrous weight,
and Corinthies of a lesser sort, a diuine and vnknowen work abounding in
variety of perfections as proportion required and needfullnes did desire
to beare vp the burthen that was laide vppon them. Their ornature and
decking with woorkes, and deuises imitating the apparreling of princely
bodies indewed as it were with an artificiall reason. For as to a large
big and corpulent body strong legges, and broad feete, are necessarie to
beare and carry the same: so in a modulate and well composed building,
to sustaine great weights, Naues are appointed, and for beautie,
columnes, Corinthies, and slender Ionices, are set vpon them. And this
whole woorke euen after such sorte as was requisite for the harmonie
thereof, euen so it stood in an approoued excellencie.
With diuersitie of coulers, sweetlye set, and aptlye disposed, the
reflexion of one beautifing another, and all together making a gratious
obiect. Of _Porphyrit_, _Ophit_, _Numidian_, _Alabastrit_, _Pyropecil_,
_Lacedemonian_ greene, and white marble, diuerslie watered, and of
_Andracine_ with white spottes, and many others of strange sorts and
diuers commixtures.
I found one rare forme of a base, in fashion like a cushion vpon the
plynthe whereof stood two trochils or torrules, with an interposition of
Hypotracles or shaftes, and Astragals, with a supreame Thore.
Diuers places were hidden and couered ouer with winding, felted and
spreding Iuie, full of black berries, and greene soft leaues heare and
there growing vp, and hindering the inwarde obiect of the auncient
worke, with other Murall and wall weeds comming out of the chinkes and
clifts, as the bell flowre. Venus Nauill, & Erogennet, of some called
Loue, to whome he is gratefull, bushing downe againe toward the ground,
in other ryfts grew Mowse-eare, Polypodie, Adientus or Lady hayre, the
iagged and curled Cithracus the knotted Lunarie minor, Prickmaddam,
Polytricon, or goulden lockes and such like, which vse to grow in
decayed buildings, and ould stone wales, so that many woorthie peeces
were inuested and hydden from me, with such like weedes and greene
Olyues the garnishers of ruines.
There was in diuers places inestimable huge downe falles of many
columnes or rather confused piles of broken stones, and vnshapely
Culpins mounting vp from the earth.
Among which downefallen peeces I might see the remaynders of diuers
shapes of men of sundrie sortes, many naked, other some hauing their
members couered with folded and plited induments, fast sticking to their
naked proportions. Some standing vpon the left foote, others vpon the
right in a streight sort, with their heads perpendicularly, euer the
center betwixt their heeles, and some looking sidewaies in height, foure
Cubites of sixe foote.
Others standing vppon both feete, some deale distant one from an other,
and each one in a maiestie sitting in their thrones, and the rest with a
rare and modest grace in their best pleasing and appointed seates.
There also I beheld innumerable _troph[ae]s_, spoyles of armor, and
infinite ornaments, with the heades of Oxen and Horses of conuenient
bignes, and about their hornes part of their garlands of leaues,
fruites, twigges, braunches and floures, and some about part of their
bodies, with little children riding vpon them and playing, in so perfect
a sort and wished order, as the most skilfull workemaister full of
varietie, labour, studie, and industrie, could deuise and performe. With
what care and paine his abounding skill did plainly manifest, and with
what pleasure the effect of his purpose did no whit obscure.
And with such an _Eurithmie_ or apt proportioning of members, hee did
shewe the subtiltie of the art of _Lapicidarie_, as if the substances
had not beene of the hardest marble howsoeuer, but of soft chaulke or
Potters claie, and with what conclansture the stones were couched, and
by what Artillerie, rule and measure they were composed and set, it was
woonderfull to imagine.
This was the true Art enucleating and discouering the ignorance that wee
worke in, our detestable presumption, and publike condemned errors.
This is that cleare and perfect light, which sweetly and with our
vnconstrained willes draweth our dimme sighted eies to contemplate and
behold the same. For none (vnles it be he which of set purpose refuseth
to behold it) but his eyes would dasell with continuall desire to see
it.
This is that which accuseth horrible couetousnes, the deuourer and
consumer of all vertue, a stil byting and euerlasting greedie worme in
his heart that is captiuated and subiect to the same, the accursed let
and hinderance to well disposed wittes, the mortal enemy to good
Architecturie, and the execrable Idol of this present world, so
vnworthily worshipped, and damnably adored. Thou deadly poison to him
that is infected with thee, what sumptuous workes are ouerthrowne, and
by thee interdicted.
Herewithall I beeing rauished and taken vp with vnspeakeable delight and
pleasure in the regarding of this rare and auncient venerable monument
of such a grace and admiration, that I knew not to which part to turne
me first, here and there willingly looking about, and thereat amazed,
considerately perusing ouer what the ingrauen histories presented vnto
me, as I remoued my selfe from place to place, with an vnknowne delight,
and vnreportable pleasure to beholde the same, gaping at them with open
mouth, forgetting my selfe like a young childe, neuer satisfying my
greedie eyes and vnsaciable desire to looke and ouerlooke the exquisite
perfection of the auncient worke, I was spoiled and robbed of all
thoughts whatsoeuer, the remembrance of my desired _Polia_, often
accurring, onely excepted. But with an extreeme and deepe set sigh, let
vs leaue her a litle, and returne again to our continued purpose.
[Decoration]
_Poliphilus entring a little waye in at the described porch, with great
delight he there also beheld how it was garnished and adorned, and
after as he was comming out he met with a monstruous dragon whereat