An elaborate ornamental woodcut headpiece featuring intricate acanthus scrollwork, grotesques, and urn-like motifs. In the center is a circular medallion depicting a figure kneeling in a landscape, possibly a scholar or saint.

TO THE MOST ILLUSTRIOUS

LORD

LORD GIACOMO

CONTARINI,

A small decorative woodcut ornament or fleuron.

Large decorative drop cap 'I' set within a square frame featuring floral and foliate scrollwork.Ever since the time when the late Federico Commandino A famous mathematician and humanist (1509–1575) known for translating ancient Greek scientific texts into Latin. was still living, I translated from the Greek these two small books by Hero Hero of Alexandria, a Greek mathematician and engineer of the 1st century AD. regarding Automata original: "Machine Semoventi" — literally "self-moving machines." These were ancient mechanical devices used for theater and entertainment. with the intention of publishing them at the same time that the Pneumatics original: "Spiritali" — Hero's famous work on machines powered by air, steam, or water pressure. by this same author were printed by him. But having been subsequently overtaken and distracted by many other affairs, and further hindered by his sudden death, I was forced to let them sleep; and now, because of my new profession in the Priesthood, which has placed me