Hypnerotomachia Poliphili-published in Venice by Aldus Manutius in 1499
You should know that Polyphilo dreamed about being in a threatening dark forest and narrates the myriad things he saw,a veritable strife for the manifold love of all,which is the meaning of his name in the title.With elegant style he tells of many postmodern marvels deserving of a place in the memory threater of the future, architectural monuments encountered in his search for Polya,his beloved: a pyramid and characteristics of columns,their capitals,bases,entablatures with their diverse architraves, friezes, and cornices, and their respective moldings and ornaments;a great horse;a magnificent elephant;a hollow colossus;and a triumphal gateway with its harmonic measurements and ornamentation........
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The nymphs finally ask Polia to tell the story of her own love,its origins and difficulties.Polia acquiesces and her words fill the second book,giving a genealogy of her family,explaining her initial inclination to ignore Poliphilo,and providing a detailed account of the final success of their love.Following Polia's account,Poliphilo concludes by describing their embrace in the happy place of dwelling, until he is awakened,sad and alone,by the song of the nightingale.
