Four circular woodcut ornaments with floral motifs arranged in a horizontal row at the top of the page.

THE DIALOGUE OF PHILOTHEUS JORDANUS

BRUNO OF NOLA

A preliminary defense for

the Shadows of Ideas, regarding his

invention of memory.

Hermes represents the messenger of the gods and wisdom; Philothimus represents a "lover of honor" or seeker of truth; Logifer represents a "word-bearer" or pedantic logic-chopper.

Ornate historiated initial 'P' featuring a seated figure, possibly a youth, surrounded by leafy scrollwork and decorative elements.
Proceed, my book. For you are not unaware that the sun is the same, and the art is the same. This same sun makes known the deeds of one man to his honor, while it brings forth the actions of another to his disgrace. In its presence, the creatures of the night are saddened: the screech-owls, the toad, the basilisk, and the horned owl—solitary, nocturnal things, and those Sacred to Platooriginal: "Platoni Sacra." This refers to the owl, traditionally associated with Athena/Minerva and the philosophical wisdom of the Platonic school, which Bruno here contrasts with the "solar" light of his own system.. Yet the Cock, the Phoenix, the Swan, the Cygnet, the Eagle, the Lynx, and the Ram rejoice—