The Strife of Love in a Dream

except for a wicked delay of the death I so greatly desired? I was (believe me) so diminished in strength that I could hardly draw breath to warm it within my stomach, where a tiny bit of heat remained, ready to expire and exit through my nose. I could hardly move toward my goal; I found no other remedy than to take the lowest leaves, still moist with dew, and suck them very gently, wishing for the beautiful Hypsipyle In Greek mythology, Hypsipyle saved the Greek army from thirst by leading them to a spring. to show me a fountain just as she once did for the Greeks. Sometimes the fantasy came to me that I had been in the forest killed or bitten by the serpent named Dipsas original: "Diplas"; a legendary snake whose bite caused an unquenchable thirst.: whereby I finally renounced my entire life, and all that might happen to it: and I was so far alienated from my senses that I leaned against these branches, where I found myself so overcome by sleep that it seemed to me I was dreaming.

The terrifying forest having been passed by me, and after having left that first region through the sweet sleep that had then seized me, I found myself all anew in a place much more delectable than the first; for it was bordered and surrounded by pleasant green hillsides, peopled with various kinds of trees, such as oaks, beeches original: "faux", plane trees, elms, ashes, hornbeams, lindens, and others, planted according to the aspect of the place. And down across the plain, there were small thickets of wild shrubs, such as broom, junipers, heather, and tamarisks, laden with flowers; among the meadows grew medicinal herbs, namely the three comfreys original: "consolides", elecampane, honeysuckle, bear's breech original: "branche ursine", plantain, betony, and other simples medicinal plants of all sorts and species, many unknown. A little further than the middle of this plain, there was a sandy area mixed with small green mounds, and full of tiny grass, and a small grove of palm trees, from which the Egyptians gather bread, wine, oil, clothing, and timber for building: their leaves looked like sword blades, and they were laden with fruit. There were large, medium, and small ones, and the ancients gave them the title of signifying victory, because they resist every charge and heavy weight without being able to be cast down. In this place there was no habitation; nevertheless, while walking among these trees on the left hand, there appeared to me a wolf running

running with its mouth full, at the sight of which the hair stood up on my head: and I wanted to cry out, but I found I had no voice. As soon as it perceived me, it fled into the woods: seeing which, I returned somewhat to myself, and raising my eyes toward that part where the mountains met, I saw a little to the side a great height in the form of a tower, and nearby a building which seemed imperfect; nevertheless, from what I could judge of it, it was of ancient structure.

(Image: A traveler, Poliphilo, stands in a landscape of scattered ruins and lush trees. A wolf flees into the woods on the left. In the background, a massive, stepped pyramidal structure supports a towering obelisk, flanked by mountains.)

On the side where this edifice was, the hills rose a little higher, and seemed to join the building which was situated between two mountains, and served as a closure to a valley: whereby, estimating that it was a thing worthy to be seen, I directed my way that way: but the more I approached it, the more I discovered this magnificent work, and my desire to look at it grew, for it no longer resembled a tower, but rather a marvelous obelisk, founded upon a great heap of stones, the height of which exceeded without comparison the mountains that were on the two sides. When I had approached quite near, I stopped to contemplate at more leisure such great insolence In this context, "insolence" refers to an overwhelming or extravagant display of architectural grandeur. of architecture which was half demolished, composed of blocks of white marble joined without cement, and so well fitted together that where it was still entire, the point of a needle could not have entered between two stones. There were all sorts of columns, partly fallen and broken, partly whole: and in their places, with their capitals, architraves, friezes, cornices, and bases original: "soubassemens", of singular invention and workmanship, with several other pieces of noble sculpture, totally beyond recognition of what their carving had been, and almost reduced to their original form, tumbled and dispersed here and there, through the countryside.
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