FIRST BOOK OF

POLIPHILE. VIII. VI.


	## Poliphile, fearing the peril of the forest, made his
But at last I journeyed so far that I found myself in a vast and dark forest: and I could not immediately recall nor remember in what manner I could have gone astray. Nevertheless, however it happened, I was assailed by a grievous and sudden terror, so much so that my pulse began to beat beyond its usual rate and my face grew pale. The rays of the sun could not penetrate through, which made me fear I had arrived in the Black Forest original: "forest noire", in which nothing dwelled except The Hercynian Forest. A vast, ancient forest mentioned by Roman writers like Caesar, often used to symbolize a trackless wilderness. wild and dangerous beasts. For fear of these, I forced myself as much as possible to seek a quick exit: and I did in fact set out to run without keeping to any path or trail, nor knowing which way I should turn, often stumbling among the trunks and stumps of trees that were there at ground level. I went forward at times, then suddenly turned back, or to one side, then the other, my hands and face scratched by brambles, thistles, and thorns. And what made it worse for me than anything else was that at every step I was held back by my robe, which caught on the bushes and hazel trees. The labor I had from it was so great and so excessive that there was no more counsel left in me: and I knew not what to do, except to complain in a loud voice: but all that was in vain, for I was heard by no one, except for the beautiful Echo, who answered me from the hollow of the forest: which made me call for the help of the pitiful Ariadne, and desire the thread she gave to the disloyal Theseus to guide him through the Labyrinth.	### PRAYER TO JUPITER: THEN HE FOUND THE EXIT, PARCHED WITH THIRST. And just as he wished to refresh himself at a fountain, he heard a melodious song, which he followed, abandoning the water at hand, whereby he found himself afterwards in greater anguish than before. Bewildered in my understanding, without being able to know what part I should take, whether to die in this strayed forest or to hope for my uncertain salvation, I made every effort to get out: but the further I went forward, the more I entered into great darkness, very weak and trembling for the fear I had: for I expected nothing but that some beast would come to confront me to devour me; or that striking my foot against a trunk or root, I would fall into some abyss and be swallowed by the earth, as was Amphiaraus A seer in Greek mythology who was swallowed by the earth while fleeing from battle.. In this manner my understanding was troubled, without hope and without reason, wandering without path or trail. Wherefore, seeing that in my case there was no other remedy, I saw fit to recommend myself to divine mercy, saying: O Jupiter original: "Dieſpiter," an archaic Latin name for Jupiter as the "Sky Father.", greatest, best, most powerful, and most helpful, if through humble and devout prayers humanity can merit the help of divine aid and ought to be heard by you, I, now repentant and sorrowful for all my past frailties and offenses, beseech and invoke you, sovereign eternal father, ruler of heaven and earth, that it may please your incomprehensible deity to deliver me from these perils, so that I may finish the course of my life by some better end. Scarcely had I finished my prayer, though with a heart quite humbled and eyes full of tears—believing firmly that the gods help and save those who invoke them with pure will—than I found myself out of the forest. Just as if I had come from a cold and humid night into a clear and serene day; yet, having come from such darkness, my eyes could not well (for some time) endure the brightness of the sun. Heavy and languishing, I walked with a heavy step, like a man at the end of his days. I looked in vain on all sides; I saw nothing but trees and roots, bushes and brambles. I could hope for no remedy, neither from man, nor animal, nor any other created being, except from divine providence. I began to pray to God and to invoke Him, beseeching Him that He would deign to pull me from this peril and give me the means to save my life. After having thus prayed, I felt quite refreshed, and I rose up and continued my way. I found myself in a place quite beautiful and quite green, where there was a lovely fountain, which flowed through a small brook, which became a noisy river across the stones and trunks of fallen trees overturned in its channel; and against which, being greatly startled by several other rivulets, with some torrents engendered from the snows...

A detailed woodcut illustration depicting a dense forest scene. In the foreground, Poliphile is seen navigating through the woods, appearing lost and disoriented. The trees are tall and gnarled, with intertwined branches, creating a dark and challenging environment. The undergrowth is thick with various plants and fallen logs. The overall impression is one of a wild, untamed wilderness.

## Poliphile, fearing the peril of the forest, made his

But at last I journeyed so far that I found myself in a vast and dark forest: and I could not immediately recall nor remember in what manner I could have gone astray. Nevertheless, however it happened, I was assailed by a grievous and sudden terror, so much so that my pulse began to beat beyond its usual rate and my face grew pale. The rays of the sun could not penetrate through, which made me fear I had arrived in the Black Forest original: "forest noire", in which nothing dwelled except The Hercynian Forest. A vast, ancient forest mentioned by Roman writers like Caesar, often used to symbolize a trackless wilderness. wild and dangerous beasts. For fear of these, I forced myself as much as possible to seek a quick exit: and I did in fact set out to run without keeping to any path or trail, nor knowing which way I should turn, often stumbling among the trunks and stumps of trees that were there at ground level. I went forward at times, then suddenly turned back, or to one side, then the other, my hands and face scratched by brambles, thistles, and thorns. And what made it worse for me than anything else was that at every step I was held back by my robe, which caught on the bushes and hazel trees. The labor I had from it was so great and so excessive that there was no more counsel left in me: and I knew not what to do, except to complain in a loud voice: but all that was in vain, for I was heard by no one, except for the beautiful Echo, who answered me from the hollow of the forest: which made me call for the help of the pitiful Ariadne, and desire the thread she gave to the disloyal Theseus to guide him through the Labyrinth.

### PRAYER TO JUPITER: THEN HE FOUND THE EXIT, PARCHED WITH THIRST. And just as he wished to refresh himself at a fountain, he heard a melodious song, which he followed, abandoning the water at hand, whereby he found himself afterwards in greater anguish than before. Bewildered in my understanding, without being able to know what part I should take, whether to die in this strayed forest or to hope for my uncertain salvation, I made every effort to get out: but the further I went forward, the more I entered into great darkness, very weak and trembling for the fear I had: for I expected nothing but that some beast would come to confront me to devour me; or that striking my foot against a trunk or root, I would fall into some abyss and be swallowed by the earth, as was Amphiaraus A seer in Greek mythology who was swallowed by the earth while fleeing from battle.. In this manner my understanding was troubled, without hope and without reason, wandering without path or trail. Wherefore, seeing that in my case there was no other remedy, I saw fit to recommend myself to divine mercy, saying: O Jupiter original: "Dieſpiter," an archaic Latin name for Jupiter as the "Sky Father.", greatest, best, most powerful, and most helpful, if through humble and devout prayers humanity can merit the help of divine aid and ought to be heard by you, I, now repentant and sorrowful for all my past frailties and offenses, beseech and invoke you, sovereign eternal father, ruler of heaven and earth, that it may please your incomprehensible deity to deliver me from these perils, so that I may finish the course of my life by some better end. Scarcely had I finished my prayer, though with a heart quite humbled and eyes full of tears—believing firmly that the gods help and save those who invoke them with pure will—than I found myself out of the forest. Just as if I had come from a cold and humid night into a clear and serene day; yet, having come from such darkness, my eyes could not well (for some time) endure the brightness of the sun. Heavy and languishing, I walked with a heavy step, like a man at the end of his days. I looked in vain on all sides; I saw nothing but trees and roots, bushes and brambles. I could hope for no remedy, neither from man, nor animal, nor any other created being, except from divine providence. I began to pray to God and to invoke Him, beseeching Him that He would deign to pull me from this peril and give me the means to save my life. After having thus prayed, I felt quite refreshed, and I rose up and continued my way. I found myself in a place quite beautiful and quite green, where there was a lovely fountain, which flowed through a small brook, which became a noisy river across the stones and trunks of fallen trees overturned in its channel; and against which, being greatly startled by several other rivulets, with some torrents engendered from the snows...