THEATER OF HIEROGLYPHS.

...which no Caesar before you, by any force or power, could obtain, you might obtain, you might complete, and you might fulfill and perfect in every respect.

But the same thing seems to have happened to me here as happened to Isis, who, though she had steadfastly overcome all her struggles, could not escape the cruelty of the Titans. Having thoroughly tamed the aforementioned monsters and subjugated the bloody beasts through constant labor, while I am restoring Osiris In Egyptian myth, Isis gathered the scattered pieces of her husband Osiris to restore him; Kircher uses this as a metaphor for his attempt to reassemble the "scattered" knowledge of hieroglyphs, Horus—the offspring conceived with such great effort—is attacked by the cruelty of the Titans. While, I say, I labor to recall that sublime and hitherto unattempted science of hieroglyphs, which had been scattered and destroyed by the cruelty of Typhon Typhon is the Greek name for Set, the god of chaos who murdered Osiris—that is, by the injustice of the ages—and having now tamed all the monsters of difficulty and restored the lost Osiris to wholeness; I lose Horus through the injustice of the Titans. That is to say, unjust censors of things will perhaps attempt in every way to snatch away this offspring, born of my own industry, supreme labor, stubborn effort, and finally, concentrated study. For in this material—at once new, rare, curious, and full of an abundance and plenty of extraordinary things—it is also highly exposed to envy (which is like a shadow accompanying shining glory). I foresee that the perverse judgments of certain Aristarchuses original: "Aristarcharum"; a reference to Aristarchus of Samothrace, a famously severe literary critic and Momian original: "Momicas"; relating to Momus, the Greek god of mockery and unfair criticism rebukes will by no means be lacking; no learned man sweating in such an arduous and glorious struggle has ever been able to escape them. Yet their attacks are not to be feared. For although I may not have perhaps reached total perfection in this work, I am nonetheless not unaware that the boundaries of human strength are limited, and that "it is something to have advanced this far, even if it is not granted to go further" A quote from the Roman poet Horace, expressing that partial progress in a difficult task is still honorable. For if I wished to discourse worthily on the excellence or utility of the present subject, or the knowledge and explanation it brings, no end would ever be found. So be it, then, that I cannot—nor can anyone else—exhaust this whole sea of mysteries, or completely survey its widely extended circuit; should one therefore abandon a noble and laborious undertaking because it is denied to one man to excel? Not at all. Those are greatly deluded who consider nothing worthy or precious unless it is perfect in every respect; let them persuade themselves that such perfection is by no means reserved for man situated in this fleeting world, but for one drawn away into the other life. Let the attackers of things they do not understand cease, therefore, to reproach me for a subject of such great weight. I labor for God, who, through His infinite mercy, will grant that I may bring what I have undertaken to a conclusion. You, Caesar, commanded me, and I thought it a sin not to obey. Almost the entire world of letters has urged me to proceed; why do I delay? Let the Work come forth, then, in which whatever is erroneous, crippled, mutilated, and imperfect, you should ascribe entirely to my insufficiency; but whatever is

A decorative woodcut tailpiece showing symmetrical scrollwork and floral motifs surrounding a central grotesque mask.

B