The Strife of Love in a Dream

| If you desire (my Lords) to understand in a few words what is contained in this work, know that Poliphile The protagonist; his name means "lover of many things" or "lover of Polia." says he saw in his dream admirable things, among which he describes several antiques worthy of memory, such as Pyramids, Obelisks, great ruins of edifices, the variety of columns, their measurements, pedestals, bases, and capitals with which they are adorned. Then the architraves, friezes, cornices, and frontispieces with their carvings. A great horse, an Elephant of marvelous size, a Colossus, and a magnificent gate, with its plan, arrangement, moldings, and stonework. Afterward, how five beautiful Nymphs led him to the baths: and meanwhile he does not forget to mention an excellent fountain. Further, he describes the Palace of Queen Eleutherilide Her name is derived from the Greek word for "freedom.": who for love of him had a solemn feast prepared, in which one can learn many things beneficial to human health. After that, he specifies the diversity of precious stones, with their natural virtues: the means of cutting them: and the diversity of pastimes in a dance: and consequently illustrates three gardens, of which one is of glass, the other of silk, and the third made into a Labyrinth surrounded by a Peristyle or enclosure of columns made of terracotta. In the middle of this peristyle is seated a pyramid carved with Egyptian characters, which are called Hieroglyphic letters. Departing from there, he goes to the three gates, and enters the one in the middle, where he finds his beloved Polia, whose beauty, grace, and the fashion of her garments he expresses. This Polia shows him four triumphs of the great Jupiter: then shows him the mortal ladies with whom the gods were in love: together with the beloveds of the Poets: and conducts him by good industry to where several other sacrifices are made following the order of ancient religion and ceremonies. These being completed, Polia leads her Poliphile to the seashore to await the coming of the god Cupid: and meanwhile she persuades him to go see the antiquities that are in a destroyed temple: which he does: and finds there a great number of Epitaphs, at which he remains for a long time, until he comes to encounter a Hell painted in Mosaic work: looking at which, a sudden fear comes over him, which makes him depart from there and return to his Polia: to whom he has no sooner arrived, than Cupid arrives in a Boat furnished with many exquisite things, and steered by six damsels trained in the office of rowing. Into this Poliphile and his beloved enter: wherefore Love suddenly sets sail, extending his golden wings embellished with all colors. Before the voyage, the sea gods and goddesses, nymphs, Tritons, and other monsters do honor and reverence to Cupid, recognizing him as lord. Finally, this god descends on the island of Cythera The mythical island of Venus., which the author describes | describes and distinguishes into small groves, gardens, rivers, and fountains, in such a way that he has made it more beautiful than the Elysian fields of which the Greek and Latin Poets have made such great mention. There the amorous Nymphs make several beautiful presents to Cupid, which he receives and accepts: then he goes on a triumphal Chariot to a marvelous Theater situated in the middle of the island, at the center of which is the fountain of Venus, surrounded by seven columns of precious stones. There the author recounts all the mysteries that were performed nearby, then how for the coming of the god Mars, he and his beloved were constrained to retire with the Nymphs, who led them to another fountain, near which was the sepulcher of Adonis, in commemoration of whom the goddess Venus has a funeral pomp performed every year, and she herself assists, performing the office of Prioress. The Nymphs being seated around the foot of this fountain, they request Polia that it be her pleasure to tell them from what race she is descended, and how she became amorous, together with the discourse of her loves, and there ends the first book. In the second, the said Polia, to satisfy the request of the Nymphs, relates to them entirely her parentage, and does not fail to say how the city of Treviso was first built. Then she pursues the difficulty there was before she could condescend to become amorous, and then the happy success she has in her loves with several notable accessories. Poliphile awakes at the song of the Nightingale.

You may believe, my Lords, that beneath this fiction there are many good things hidden, which it is not permitted to reveal, and also you would have no pleasure if they were specified to you particularly: for you would never taste the favor of the fruit that can be gathered in this reading: therefore I will say nothing else to you, but will refer everything to the exercise of your studies. Nevertheless, to make known to you the name of the author, or its founder from Treviso in the domain of the Venetians, and what must be followed from the beginning to the end, the capital letters enriched with Arabesque leaves, and those will instruct you in what you desire. This refers to an acrostic formed by the first letter of each chapter: POLIAM FRATER FRANCISCVS COLVMNA PERAMAVIT (Brother Francesco Colonna loved Polia greatly). Regarding that of Polia, she herself explains it at the beginning of the second book, where she says she bears the name of the Roman woman who killed herself for having been violated by the son of a proud King Lucretia.: and not with the ancient nobility of her race, she relates the history of a Lelius who was led by good industry, and because it is not of merit, because it is not from the first stroke fallen into the hands of the true French Cicero, who is Nicolas de Herberay, Lord of Essars, who has made a Castilian Amadis Amadis of Gaul, a famous chivalric romance. recently come into our hands speak so properly, that I do not know if those of our posterity will be able to follow him, much less would I say surpass him. In truth, if this book had at first glance fallen into his hands, and he had wished to employ his style in a matter where he had wished to employ his style or in a matter which [is] the first pearl of all those that for twenty years have been communicated to us in this language: for as for those from before, I do not think much account should be made of them. However, I still wish to testify that whoever the gentleman may be who first translated it into our common speech, he is worthy... |
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