Hypnerotomachia Part 4

[Sidenote A: The Eagle of Iupiter that carryed Ganimed.]

Hir feete were fixed about the rising vp chist of the childe, whome she had made bare from the nauell vpwarde and downeward so as the naked hippes might be seene betwixt the fethered thighes of the Eagle. This little infant and most beautifull babe (worthie and meete for him that he was seazed for) by his countenance shewed as if he had beene afraide of his fortune.

And thus lying in the foote of the Eagle, he stretched both his armes abroade, and with his little fat hands tooke fast hould vpon the remigiall bones[A] of the Eagles pinions displayed, as aforesaid. And clasping his swelling prittie legges and feete, about hir suruaighing spreding traine, which laye behinde the rising vppe of the arche.

[Sidenote A: The bones next the qack in the wing, whiche in a hawke excelleth all proportions of other birds.]

This little childe was cut of the white vayne of Achates[A] or Onix, and the Eagle of the other vaine of the same stone called sardius which is of black couler of some called Cordeoll, ioyning both in one selfe same stone. Whereat I stood musing and commending to my selfe the ingenious and apt inuention of the Arthist, in the vse of such a stone, which of his owne nature to contrarie proportions affoorded contrarie coulers, and in such sort as by the raysing vp of hir small plummage aboue hir seare, hir beack halfe open, and hir toung appearing in the middest thereof, as if she had beene resolutely intended, and eagerly bent to haue gorged hir selfe vpon it.

[Sidenote A: Achates is a pretious stone wherein are represented the figures of the nine Muses, of Venus and such like beautiful personages.]

The hemicicle or arche rising rownd from the vpper part of the streight cheeke of the entrance, according to the thicknes thereof was disposed into losenges or squares, wherein were carued Roses, theyr leaues and branches hanging in a curious and delightfull order to behoulde, ouer the entry of the Gate.

In the two Triangles occasioned by the bow of the arche there were two fayre Nymphes of excellent proportions and shapes, theyr clothes which couered theyr Virgins bodyes, giuing place for theyr legges, brests, and armes to be bare, theyr hayre loose and flying abroad, and towardes the brace, and knitting together of the arche aboue, they held a victorious trophae.

The ground of which tryangle was of black stone, the better to shew the perfection and truthe of the mettals in the trophaes, and the beautifull bodyes of the delycate virgins.

Aboue these mentioned partes, was the Zophor,[A] in the myddest whereof, I beheld a table of goulde, wherein was this Epigram in Cappitall Greeke Letters of Syluer. In thys sorte reporting.

T???S ?F????????? ?O O ????? ?????S?S ????

?? ????? ?? ?O? ???O? ?????

S????T?S ????.

_Diis veneri filio amori, Bacchus, & Ceres de propriis, S. substantiis matri pientissimae._

[Sidenote A: Zophor is a border wherin diuers things are grauen.]

Eyther sides of which table was reteind and held vp with two babes or wynged spyrits of perfect and liuelye shapes, as if they had beene celestiall bodyes, vppon a ground of Iasul or blew Saphyrs to grace the mettals and imagerie.

Vpon the face of the Zophor extending and stretching along ouer the columnes of porphir stone were ingrauen certain spoiles or curates, gorgets of mayle, vaumbraces, gauntlets, s.h.i.+elds, Targets, head-peeces, maces, battell Axes, spurres, quiuers, arrowes, dartes, broken launces, curtilaxes, and other auncient instruments of warre. As well ayerie and marine, as for the field singularly well cut, and manifesting to the behoulder both victories, force, and triumphes, after a mortall effusion of bloud.

Vpon this in order stood the coronice, wrought with such lyneaments as decently concurred, and were aunswerable to the excellencie of the rest of the worke: for other wise, as in a mans body one qualitie being contrarie to another, sicknesse dooth follow, the humors oppressing one an other in abundance: so in building if the adiuncts be vnaptly disposed, and vndecently distributed there will fall out a fowle deformitie.

For a frame and building growes weake and vnseemely wherin cannot be found a sweete harmonie and commodulate order and concent.

Which thing many moderne ideots doe confound, being ignorant in Locall distribution. For a cunning crafts master will in his worke shewe an allusion or resemblance to a humaine shape and proportion beautifully adorned in apparrell.

Aboue ouer the coronice, by an inuers gradation there were fowre Quadratures or square Tables, two right ouer the chamfered columnes, and channelled pyllars, and two within them. In an other deuision, betwixt the said two contrast and inwarde tables, there stood a Nimph in hir Anagliph[A] most rare and excellent of Orichalke or yealow Latin, houlding in eyther hand a Torche, one of them reuersed and turned downeward, beieng extinct and put out, and the other burning towardes the Sunne. The burning Torche in hyr righte hande, and the extincte in hyr left.

[Sidenote A: Anagliph smothly chased out with the hammer and not carued.]

In the quadriture vppon the right side, I behelde the iealous _Climene_,[A] with her haire trans-formed into an hearbe called _Venus_ maid, or Lady hearbe, & _Phbus_ in a cruell indignation & wrathfull displeasure, she following of him weeping, from whom he fled hastening on forward hys swift horses, as one that flyeth from hys mortall and deadly enemie.

[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 fis.h.i.+e 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 fles.h.i.+e 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 compa.s.sing 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 fas.h.i.+oned 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 workmans.h.i.+p 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 workemans.h.i.+p 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, ???S ??G??????.

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.

[Ill.u.s.tration: ???S ??G??????]

It must needes follow, that all the rest of the aforesaide court on euery side was beautifull to behold, and of stately workemans.h.i.+p 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 fas.h.i.+on like a cus.h.i.+on vpon the plynthe whereof stood two trochils or torrules, with an interposition of Hypotracles or shaftes, and Astragals, with a supreame Th.o.r.e.

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 c.h.i.n.kes and clifts, as the bell flowre. Venus Nauill, & Erogennet, of some called Loue, to whome he is gratefull, bus.h.i.+ng 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, p.r.i.c.kmaddam, 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 _trophaes_, 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.