Poliphilo's Strife of Love in a Dream

Furthermore, the magnitude of this statue was a marvelous thing to consider—with what audacity it had been raised to such a height, or rather, how such a work could have been carried into the air, with her garments fluttering, revealing parts of her fleshy calves. And two open wings were attached between her shoulder blades original: interscapilio; the anatomical region between the shoulder blades, in a pose suggesting flight. Her beautiful face and favorable gaze were turned toward the wings. On her thick-haired forehead, she had loose, flying tresses, while the back of her skull original: Calua coppa, ouero Cranea; the occipital region or cranium. This identifies the figure as Occasio, or Opportunity, who must be seized by the forelock because she is bald behind. was bare and almost hairless. These tresses stretched forward as if in flight. In her right hand, positioned where she gazed, she held a skillfully crafted cornucopia original: artificiosa copia; a horn of plenty, filled with every good thing and turned toward the earth. Her other hand she held tight and closed over her bare breast. This statue, then, standing in whatever breeze blew, turned easily. With such a grinding roar from the friction of the hollow metal machine that nothing like it was ever heard from the Roman treasury original: romano ærario; the Temple of Saturn in Rome, which housed the public treasury and was known for its monumental bronze doors or perhaps its bells.. And where the figure original: sigmōto, likely a contraction of simulachro; the statue or image rested, with its feet rubbing against the small altar original: arula; a miniature altar used here as a pedestal or pivot point beneath, it produced such a ringing that not even the bell original: Tintinabulo at the magnificent Baths of Hadrian resonated so loudly. Nor did the one upon the five pyramids standing on the square base A reference to the legendary tomb of Porsena, described by Pliny as having bells hanging from pyramids.. This towering Obelisk still leaves me with scarcely any belief that another of similar form or likeness could exist. Not even the Vatican one. Not the Alexandrian. Not those of Babylon. It held within itself such a heap of wonders that I stood senseless with stupor at the sight of it. And far beyond that, I marveled at the immensity of the work, the extraordinary subtlety of the rich and sharp intellect, and the great care and exquisite diligence of the Architect. By what daring invention of art then? By what virtue and human strength, by what order and incredible expense—vying even with the heavens original: cœlestæ æmulatione—was such a weight raised and carried so high into the air? With what capstans original: Ergate; a vertical-axle machine for moving heavy weights, and what circular pulleys original: Troclee; a block-and-pulley system, and what A-frame cranes original: Capre; literally 'goats', referring to tripod-like lifting frames, or compound pulleys original: Polispaio; a crane utilizing multiple pulleys for high mechanical advantage, and other hauling machines original: tractorie Machine and woven scaffoldings? Every other incredible and massive structure must fall silent before this.