THE CIRCLE OF THE WORLD

ORBIS TERRARVM

The Latin title "Orbis Terrarum" literally translates to the "Circle of the Lands." It refers to the known world inhabited by humanity.

I
This "I" represents the first signature mark of the printed gathering.

This MAP contains and displays an image of the whole earth and the surrounding Ocean. The Ancients divided this entire World into three parts: Africa, Europe, and Asia. They did this because the New World was not yet known to them. However, since the discovery of America, our own age has added it as a fourth part. A fifth part is still expected to be found, lying near the South Pole. Gerardus Mercator, the leader of the geographers of our time, distinguishes this World into three Continents in his world map, which can never be praised enough. He calls the first continent the one we said the Ancients divided into three parts. Holy Scripture confirms that the human race had its origin there. The second continent is what we call today America or the West Indies. He calls the third the Southern Land original: "terra Australis". Some people call this Magellanica. So far, only a few of its shores have been discovered. Ancient teaching stated that this World has a circumference of 5,400 German miles or 21,600 Italian miles at its widest point. Our modern age asserts the same.

As Pliny says in the second book of his Natural History, these are the portions of the earth. Indeed, as many others have taught, the earth is but a point in the universe. It is nothing else. This is the stage for our glory and our seat. Here we hold honors and exercise command. Here we crave riches. Here the human race creates turmoil. Here we even start civil wars and make the earth more spacious through mutual slaughter. I will pass over the public madness of nations. This is the place where we drive away our neighbors and steal a sod of turf from a neighbor to add to our own soil. A man might measure out vast lands and push out those living beyond his borders. But what portion of the earth can he truly enjoy? Even when he expands his land to the measure of his greed, what small portion of it will he hold when he is dead? Thus far Pliny.

Men have attempted to describe the location of this Earth and Ocean, the arrangement of regions, the curves of the bays, the customs of the nations, and everything else worth knowing.

PTOLEMY OF ALEXANDRIA;
GAIUS PLINIUS SECUNDUS, in books 3, 4, 5, and 6 of his Natural History;
ARISTOTLE, in On the Universe, dedicated to Alexander;
STRABO, in seventeen books;
SOLINUS THE POLYHISTOR;
POMPONIUS MELA;
DIONYSIUS THE PERIEGETES original: "Dionysivs Apher" and his commentator EUSTATHIUS;
APULEIUS, in his small book On the Universe;
DIODORUS SICULUS, in the first five books of his Library;
MARTIANUS CAPELLA;
PAULUS OROSIUS, at the beginning of his History;
BEROSUS, who described the Antiquities of the World;
ANTONINUS AUGUSTUS (if the title is correct), in his Itineraries;
STEPHANUS OF BYZANTIUM, concerning Cities;
VIBIUS SEQUESTER, who listed Rivers, Springs, Marshes, Groves, Mountains, and Nations in alphabetical order.

RAPHAEL VOLATERRANUS;
ABU AL-FIDA ISMAIL, in the Arabic language;
IOANNES HONTER;
SEBASTIAN MÜNSTER;
ANTONINUS, Archbishop of Florence, in his historical work, Title 1, Chapter 3;
DOMINICUS NIGER;
IOANNES AVENTINUS, in the second book of the Annals of the Bavarians;
IOANNES CAMERS, in his commentary on Solinus;
GEORGIUS RYTHAIMER;
JOACHIM VADIANUS;

PETRUS IOANNES OLIVARIVS, in his commentary on Mela;
LAURENTIUS CORVINUS of Neumarkt;
ANTONINUS OF VERONA;
GVALTERVS LVDVVICVS, in the Mirror of the World;
ISIDORE OF SEVILLE;
MICHAEL SERVETUS original: "Michael Villanovanvs", in his commentary on Ptolemy;
ZACHARIAS LILIUS OF VICENZA, in On the Situation of the World;
ALEXANDER CITOLINUS, in the Typocosmia;
VINCENT OF BEAUVAIS, in the second book of the Historical Mirror;
GUILLAUME POSTEL;
HARTMANN SCHEDEL, at the end of the Chronicle of Chronicles Known today as the Nuremberg Chronicle.;
JOHN MANDEVILLE and his companion ODORIC OF PORDENONE;
GAUDENTIUS MERULA, in the fifth book of his Memorable Things;
FRANCISCUS MONACHI, in a letter to the Archbishop of Palermo;
ANTONINE PINET described and displayed with images very many maps of Europe, Africa, Asia, and the regions, cities, and towns of the New World, written in the French language;
GIULIO BALLINO published images of famous cities of the entire world with a brief historical narrative for each, written in the Italian language;
BENEDETTO BORDONE, on the Islands of the entire world;
WOLFGANG LAZIVS and JOHANNES GOROPIUS BECANUS, on the Origins and Migrations of Nations;
PETER APIAN and BARTHOLOMEW AMANTIUS, on ancient Inscriptions;
IOANNES BOHEMVS and ALEXANDER SARDVS, on the customs and rites of all nations and peoples.