Hypnerotomachia: The Strife of Loue in a Dreame

Transcriber’s Note: This text contains a few phrases in Greek, Hebrew and other languages, with transliterations given where possisble:
אם לא כי הבהמה ΓΥΜΝΟΣ ΗΝ
THE
When I had determined (Right honorable) to dedicate this Booke, to the euerlyuing vertues of that matchlesse Knight Syr Phillip Sydney ; me thought that I could not finde out a more Noble personage then your selfe, and more fit, to patronize, shield, and defende my dutie to the deade, then your Honour, whose greatnes is such, and vertues of that power, as who so commendeth them, deserueth not to be accounted a flatterer, but he that doth not the same, may be thought an
And thus I humbly take my leaue, vntill that I may present your Honour, with a matter more fitting the same.
Your Honors deuoted,
R. D.
“Fol.” (folio) refers to the numbered leaves of the printed book. The “page” is the front/recto (1) or back/verso (2) of each leaf.
The Author beginneth his Hypnerotomachia , to set downe the hower and time when in his sleepe it seemed to him that hee was in a quiet solitarie desart, and vninhabited plaine, and from thence afterward how he entered vnaduisedly before he was aware, with great feare, into a darke obscure and vnfrequented wood.
(a) Phæbus the Sunne. (b) Leucothea the morning. (c) Pyr & Eo, the horses of the Sunne.
What houre as Phœbus ( a ) issuing foorth, did bewtifie with brightnesse the forhead of Leucothea ( b ), and appearing out of the Occean waues, not fully shewing his turning wheeles, that had beene hung vp, but speedily with his swift horses Pyrous & Eous ( c ) , hastning his course, and giuing a tincture to the Spiders webbes, among the greene leaues and tender prickles of the Vermilion Roses, in the pursuite whereof he shewed himselfe most swift & glistering, now vpon the neuer resting and still moouing waues, he crysped vp his irradient heyres.
(d) Horison a circle deuiding the halfe speare of the firmament from the other halfe which we doe not see. (e) Hemispere is halfe the compasse of the visible heauen. Vppon whose vprising, euen at that instant, the vnhorned Moone dismounted hir selfe, losing from hir Chariot hir two horses, the one white and the other browne, and drewe to the Horrison( d ) different from the Hemisphere( e ) from whence she came.