The Strife of Love in a Dream

My Lord, although I know your lordship to be continually occupied with the great affairs in which it pleases the Majesty of the King to employ you, such that there is little or no time to devote to matters of pleasure, I shall not fear to dedicate to you this Poliphilo The protagonist of the book; the title "Hypnerotomachia Poliphili" translates to "Poliphilo's Strife of Love in a Dream.", which in the year 1467 was composed in Italy by a learned gentleman of an illustrious house, and recently translated into French by another virtuous gentleman of good knowledge. The translation was given to me by a friend of mine, so that I might review it and lend a hand in bringing it to light i.e., publishing it. This is a task I believe I have performed as faithfully as I would wish someone to do for me, should I leave behind any works of my own.

The reasons (My Lord) that move me to dedicate it to you are, in the first place, the improvement of architecture or the art of building well, which could hardly be bettered; and thus I am of the opinion that it is due to you, considering that you take as much pleasure in it as a lord of your quality might, as you have shown in effect in your beautiful edifice of Nanteuil. You yourself devised the arrangements for it, so convenient and well-understood that there is now no architect in this Kingdom who would not consider himself honored if these inventions had issued from his own mind. The second cause is that this book is so abundant in singular and diverse things that we have nothing to which it can be compared; and you delight yourself marvelously in hearing such readings when your convenience allows. Then the third and principal reason is so that this Poliphilo may not go wandering through the world like an orphan destitute of a protector, but rather that under your acknowledgment and the safeguard of those lords and gentlemen who bear you friendship, he may receive the customary welcome given to things coming from friends. Be favorable to him then, My Lord, and receive him (if it please you) as humanely from me who presents him to you, as the gift is made to you with most humble and entire affection. With which I pray the Creator to give you, My Lord, in perfect health, a very long and very happy life. From Paris, this 13th day of August, 1546.

It is a wonder, Reader, that Francesco Colonna The Dominican friar credited with writing the original Italian text. assumed the name of Poliphilo: I believe either so that, while living, he might remain hidden and hear the opinions of men after the manner of Apelles A famous Greek painter who hid behind his paintings to hear critiques., or because, following the example of the Gnidian Architect, he placed his hope for praise and glory in the opinion of posterity. For just as that man had inscribed on a notable stone: Sostratus of Gnidus, son of Dexiphanes, and then over it wrote the name of the Egyptian King in plaster A reference to the Lighthouse of Alexandria; the plaster eventually fell off to reveal the architect's true name.; so this man has silently noted in the first letters of each chapter: BROTHER FRANCESCO COLONNA GREATLY LOVED POLIA. original: "FRATER FRANCISCVS COLVMNA PERAMAVIT." This is the famous acrostic hidden in the book's initials.

He seems to assert his homeland by his very surname, being (I believe) from that illustrious family The Colonna family of Rome. which, along with famous men, perhaps devised this work in this manner. Using the Greek, Latin, and Tuscan Italian languages, he reached for the knowledge of many peoples through his divine wisdom, as if consecrating himself to immortality in various perennial monuments. They say it is in the interest of the state that the secrets hidden under these coverings of architecture and ceremonies should not be known by the common people, but only by those who have withdrawn into the service of a more sacred Philosophy. For a dream of this kind—the forest, the spring, the monster of the journey, the obscurity and difficulty of almost all labors—is perennial. For there are certain hidden fiery things which he sold to art, and often from his eyes... The Latin text here becomes somewhat fragmented or metaphorical regarding the visual nature of the work. he had vehemently requested to read carefully. For this work my close friend (of Jacques Kerver the printer) gave to me readily; being filled with its abundance and variety, we cannot regret how much one may profit in reading it. FAREWELL.