The Hieroglyphic Monad (1564 Antwerp)

PREFACE TO THE KING

...the twofold course of life, leading toward different viewpoints (of which nearly everyone enters the one), must be considered in this manner. As soon as the race of infancy and childhood is finished, the choice of what kind of life they shall henceforth enter begins to torment the minds of young men. Then, hesitating a little at the crossroads The "Bivio" or crossroads is a classical metaphor, often referring to the "Choice of Hercules" between Virtue and Vice. of uncertain judgment, they finally decide: Either (those indeed captured by the love of Truth and Virtue) they must strain every nerve to practice philosophy original: philosophandum; at this time, "philosophy" referred to the broad pursuit of all knowledge, including sciences and ethics for the whole remainder of their lives; or (those certainly ensnared by worldly allurements, or burning with a desire for riches) they must labor anxiously by all means to lead a luxurious or profitable life. And of the latter, you may truly find a thousand most easily 1.; whereas of the former (those who more sincerely devote themselves to philosophy original: philosophiae), you can scarcely point out one who has tasted even the first and true foundations of physics original: physica; meaning "natural philosophy" or the study of the physical laws governing the world.

But as for one who has more deeply and fully examined the causes of heavenly forces and actions 2., and the birth, status, and passing away of other things: the Republic of Letters original: Respublica Literaria; the international community of scholars and intellectuals who shared knowledge across borders cannot bring forth even a thousandth part, even among those who have turned themselves entirely to the study of wisdom. What then of him who, having overcome all these difficulties 3., has aspired to the contemplation and understanding of super-celestial virtues powers or spiritual forces existing beyond the visible stars and planets and metaphysical pertaining to things that exist beyond the physical realm, such as divine or abstract principles influences? WHERE in the whole world (in these most wretched times of ours) shall we hope to find even ONE such high-souled HERO original: heroa; used here in the classical sense of a person with semi-divine intellect or extraordinary capability? Since, following the progression of our former (and not rashly accepted) proportion of one in a thousand: OUT OF A HUNDRED SINCERE...