Hypnerotomachia The Strife of Loue in a Dreame

Excerpt

When I had determined (Right honorable) to dedicate this Booke, to the euerlyuing vertues of that matchlesse Knight Syr Phillip Sydney; me thought that I could not finde out a more Noble personage then your selfe, and more fit, to patronize, shield, and defende my dutie to the deade, then your Honour, whose greatnes is such, and vertues of that power, as who so commendeth them, deserueth not to be accounted a flatterer, but he that doth not the same, may be thought an euill willer. Hovv your Honor vvill accept hereof, I make no doubt, because that curtesie attendeth vpon true nobilitie; but my humble request is, that your Honor may not thinke of me (by the tytle of the Booke,and some part of the discourse) as if I vvere amorous, and did speake according to my ovvne passions, for I beeing restrained of my liberty, and helde in the graue of obliuion, where I still as yet remaine, oppressed with Melancholie, and wearied vvith deeper studies, I vvas glad to beguile the time with these conceits, anothomising in them, the vanitie of this life, and vncertaintie of the delights therof, in the Dreame of Poliphilus; Which if it shall please your Honor at conuenient leysure to looke ouer, pardoning what you finde amisse, and weighing my good will, I shall thinke my selfe most happy.

And thus I humbly take my leaue, vntill that I may present your Honour, with a matter more fitting the same.

Your Honors deuoted,

R. D.

 

Anonymi elegia ad Lec-
torem.

CandidePoliphilumnarrantem somnia Lector
auscultes, summo somnia missa polo,Non operam perdes, non hæc audisse pigebit,
tam varijs mirum rebus abundat opus.Si grauis & tetricus contemnis erotica, rerum
nosce precor seriem tam bene dispositam.Abnuis? ac saltem stylus & noua lingua novusq;
sermo grauis, sophia, se rogat aspicias.Id quoq; sirenuis, geometrica cerne vetusta
plurima milliacis disce referta notis.Hic sunt Pyramides, thermæ, ingentesq; Colossi,
ac Obeliscorum forma vetusta patet.Hic diuersa basis fulget, variæque columnæ
illarumq; arcus, Zophora, epistilia,Et capita atq; trabes, et cum quadrante coronæ
symmetria, & quicquid tecta superba facit.Hic regum cernes exculta palatia, cultus
Nympharum, fontes, egregiasque epulas.Hinc bicolor chorea est latronum, expressaque tota
in Laberintheis vita hominum tenebris.Hinc lege de triplici quæ maiestate tonantis
dicat, & in portis egerit ipse tribus.Poliaqua fuerit forma, quam culta, tryumphos
inde Iouis specta quatuor æthereos.Hæc præter varios affectus narrat amoris,
atque opera & quantum sæuiat ille Deus.

Faultes escaped in the printing.

“Fol.” (folio) refers to the numbered leaves of the printed book. The “page” is the front/recto (1) or back/verso (2) of each leaf.Fol.page.line.faults.correction.Fol.page.line.faultes.correction.1.38I begin of theI began the21138,suruaighing4.8member.members.21,sardius.6.112troake,trunke,17,vaumbraces.6.3assured,azur’d.112,coronice.7.133,flying.18Daphus,Daphne.10123,Laborinths.128chanifered,chamfered.10Palia.Polia.130contract,contrast.111foote,fowre.29.Achanthis.11129.carrier.23112,Harpies.113,backe.23115fishen,fishie.12111,peece.234did Anaglipts,did yAnaglipts1313,adolescency.23Briapis,Briaxes.131soliature.foliature.24.Andracine.14129stone,sonne.2432,bell flowre.1912soliature,foliature.26,memphis.19,brigandine.2634which my,which with my1939all.off.288,vastnes.

 

Poliphili hypnerotomachia,

Wherein he sheweth, that all humaine and

worldlie things are but a dreame, and but as vanitie it
selfe. In the setting foorth whereof many things

are figured worthie of remembrance.

The Author beginneth his Hypnerotomachia, to set downe the hower and time when in his sleepe it seemed to him that hee was in a quiet solitarie desart, and vninhabited plaine, and from thence afterward how he entered vnaduisedly before he was aware, with great feare, into a darke obscure and vnfrequented wood.

The discription of the morning.

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