labyrinth story

moulded of the same material with golden stems, alternating with cypresses no more than two paces tall, while the boxes were one pace high. The beds were filled with a marvellous imitation of various simples, elegantly trimmed as in nature, and with gaily varied forms of flowers in distinét and delightful colours. The flattened edges of these square open beds, or rather containers, were adorned with a little cornice of gold, finished and decorated with subtle lineaments. Its beautiful fascia was of glass plaques gilded on the inside and curiously decorated with wonderful engraving, enclosed and gripped by golden frames; and these continued around, with the lower socle two inches high. This orchard was fenced by carefully spaced, swelling columns of the same material, clothed with convolvulus flowers; and on either side of them protruded square, fluted pilasters of gold, arching over from one to another, with the requisite beam, zophorus and cornice projects ing the proper distance above the glass capital of the round column. The body of the latter, beneath the vines, was an imitation of jasper with many bright colours, while the vines stood out a fair distance from the solid surface. The vaults of the arches were filled with transparent glass lozenges a third as long as they were wide, similarly enclosed in double'grooved frames and surrounded by various encaustic paintings,

very gratifying to the senses. The whole site was paved with small glass roundels and other ap'

propriate and supremely graceful figures, fitted together and cohering firmly. It had a gem'like radiance, without any addition of foliage. A remarkable fragrance emanated from the flowers, which had been rubbed with an ointment and watered.

Sweet'voiced Logistica now made an eloquent speech with pene' trating remarks in praise of the splendid craft, the nobility of the material, the artistry and the invention (such as one would not find in Murano), but disparaging its nature and saying 'Poliphilo, let us go up to this fine tower near the garden.' Leaving Thelemia behind, we leapt nimbly up the spiral staircase to the flat top, where she showed me, and explained with divine eloquence, a wide circular garden made in the form of a complex and intricate labyrinth. Its circular paths were not walkable but navigable, for in place of streets there ran rivulets of water. This was a mysterious place with salubrious meadows and rich soil, pleasant and fertile, supplied with an abundance of sweet fruits and ornamented with generous springs, rejoicing in flowering greenery, and offering everywhere solace and recreation. Logistica said: 'I think,

Poliphilo, that you do not understand the conditions that obtain in this marvellous site. Listen: whoever enters cannot turn back, but, as you can see clearly, these towers placed here and there divide seven circuits from one another. The great danger run by those who enter is that a deadly dragon, voracious and invisible, dwells in the open entrance of that central tower; and the worst of it is that he lurks now in one place, now in another, yet one cannot see him, and, horror of horrors, cannot escape him. He flies to the entrance or to further on, where he has his lair, and devours those who enter; but if he does not kill them between one tower and another, they can pass the sevenfold circuit safely as far as the nearest tower.

'You can see on this first tower the title written in Greek, and take heed of it: LOZA KOMIKHQ HOMOAY. Those entering here travel on their boat with a following breeze and no trouble or care; fruits and flowers fall into their vessel, and they cover the seven revolu, tions as far as the second tower with the utmost delight and jollity. Now notice, Poliphilo, the clarity of the air in this first part: how it increases as far as the middle tower, then gradually declines toward the centre until it becomes dark and lightless.

'In this first tower there dwells and presides eternally a pious matron who is kind and generous; firmly placed before her is an ancient and fateful urn, ornamented with these seven Greek letters: OEHION. It is crammed with future fates, and she gives one to everyone who enters, politely and freely, without rcspeét to their condition but according to what will eventually happen to them. After receiving these, they go forward and begin to sail in the labyrinth, whose channels are divided by roses and fruit'trees. When they have completed the first long circuit of the seven revolutions, which are navigable to the very end of the spiral, and reach the second tower, they find innumerable girls of all conditions who ask them all to show them their futures. After these have been shown them, the girls easily recognize one particular destined future and, embracing him, welcome him as a guest and invite him to travel the second seven circuits with them. Each one is led as far as the third tower in a manner and speed conforming to his inclinations. If anyone wishes to proceed through this place with his companion, she will never abandon him, but since other, more attraclive maidens are to be found here many repudiate the first and join up with a new one As they leave this second tower to go to the third, they find the water some, what contrary and have to make use of oars. After they have arrived at

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the third and set out toward the fourth, they find the water more con,

trary, although in these seven oblique courses great pleasure can still be

found, albeit variable and inconstant. On attaining the fourth tower,

they find different maidens who are athletic and aggressive, and thes�,

after examining their original futures, admit the suitable ones into their

acl:ivities and allow those who are unlike them to remain with their own

women. The water in these circuits is even more rough, demanding

great effort and heavy exertions in rowing. 'When they land at the fifth tower they find the water smooth as a

mirror, in which they admire the beauty of their reflecl:ions, and, with

their minds riveted by this pleasant and satisfying entertainment, they

succeed only with difficulty in passing through. It is here that one

clearly understands the motto and golden saying, 'Blessed ar� they_ w� o

keep to the mean' - not the linear or local °:ean, but th� mi_d,po mt m

time between what is past and the end. A smcere exammauon reveals

this mean, at which one gathers the happiness or blessings either of

intelligence or of riches; but if one does not have them, it is more diffi,

cult to acquire them in what follows. 'As they travel onward from there, the water in the tortuous circ_les

begins to lessen its speed, right up to the final centre; thus they are carn�d

with little or no rowing to the sixth tower. Here they find elegant ladies

with chaste and modest looks, intent on religious observance, whose

divine appearance captivates the guests, making them rejecl: their pr�vi,

ous companions and turning their love to nausea. They enter mto

tranquil relations with the new ones, and calmly traverse the seven revo,

lotions. 'Once these are past, a rapid voyage ensues through foggy air and a

very uncomfortable and difficult route, for as the revolutions of the

channels approach the centre, they grow ever shorter, and_one fli es with

irresistible speed between the slippery banks to the whirlpool of _the

central tower. With great affl.icl:ion of soul, one recalls the beautiful

places and the company left behind, and is all the more aware of being

unable to reverse or turn the prow of one's boat, because the prows of

the other boats are continually at one's stern. Thus one comes with great

suffering to the frightful inscription over the entrance of the central

tower, carved in Greek letters: 8EON A YKOL /1 YL AArHTOL.

And considering this disagreable motto, they regret having ever entered

this labyrinthine orchard, which includes so many delights but submits

them to such miserable and inevitable necessity.' Logistica then smiled,

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adding as though inspired, 'Poliphilo, in this voracious mouth there sits a severe judge; she holds a scale and judges those who enter, scrupu, lously weighing their acl:ions on the balance. By this means they obtain a

[h4] better or a worse fate. And because it would take too long to tell you all, this is enough to say for the present. Let us go down to our companion Thelemia.' When the latter asked what had delayed us, Logistica re, plied: 'It was not enough for our curious Poliphilo simply to see, but I had to give him information about that which matter cannot penetrate, so that at least he could know it by hearing my interpretation.' And after that, Thelemia said:

'Let us walk to the other garden adjoining the right wing of the great, proud and royal palace, which is no less full of pleasures and delights than the glass one.' And when we came into it, I stood astounded and amazed to see a work not only difficult to make, but also to describe. It was the same size as the glass garden, with a similar arrangement of containers edged with elaborate cornices and a golden socle, except for the construcl:ion of the dividing walls and the material, for this was all excellently made from silk. There were silken box,trees and cypresses with golden stems and branches, appropriately seeded with gems, and the containers were filled with simples that Mother Nature would have envied, flowering and most desirable with every exquisite colour, and fragrant just like the glass flowers. The surround, ing enclosures were all astonishingly made, with incredible expense, from pearl. I could see that all the surfaces were covered with a crowded mass of clear, medium,sized pearls tightly cohering, while creeping green ivy was growing over them out of the containers, its leaves hanging down in front of the pearls. The golden stems were artificially bent into serpentine forms, and the slender tendrils crept around the pearls with the most exquisite refinement, while gemstone berries were attached to the clusters. The enclosure was splendidly divided by square pilasters, with their golden capitals and a masterly sequence of beam, zophorus and corona of gold.

The faces of the containers were embroidered in Arras,work with scenes of love and hunting done in gold, silver and silken threads, unequalled in its imitation of painting. The ground of the level area appeared to be of green silken velvet, like a lovely meadow, and in its centre there stood a round enclosure with a tall cupola, made from golden rods and covered in a distincl:ive manner with flowering rose, bushes of the same material, so that I would have said that they were

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