Call to minde that mighty princes haue beene reiected of their inferiors, how much more then a base and abiect person, but tract of time giueth place to them which expect the bountie thereof. Time causeth the fierce lions to be tame, and whatsoeuer furious beast: the small ant by long trauell laieth vp hir winter foode in the hard tree, and shall not a diuine shape lying hid in a humane bodie take the impression of feruent loue, and then holding the same, shake off all annoyous and vexing passions, hoping to enioy amorous fruits, desired effects, and triumphing agonismes.
The Nymph Polia perceiuing well the change of my colour and blood comming in more stranger sort than Tripolion or Teucrion, thrise a day changing the colour of his flowers, and my indeuoring to sende out scalding sighes deeply set from the bottome of my hart, she did temper and mitigate the same with hir sweete and friendly regards, pacifieng the rage of my oppressing passions, so as notwithstanding my burning minde in these continuall flames and sharpe prouocations of loue, I was aduised patiently to hope euen with the bird of Arabia in hir sweet nest of small sprigs, kindled by the heate of the sunne to be renewed.
FINIS.
[Technical Notes and further information]
The printed book used an unusual page-numbering system. Only the recto (front) side of each folio (leaf) had a printed number. In this e-text, the unnumbered verso (back, overleaf) pages are shown in the margin as [v]. In addition, the first two or three leaves in each eight-page signature are numbered: A, A2, A3... B, B2....
Oddities of punctuation are as in the original, but missing full stops at paragraph-end have been supplied.
The Text
This e-text is based on a facsimile edition made from a single copy of the 1592 original. In some places, text is illegible or missing.
“The Italian version” refers to the 1499 text. At time of preparation, page images of this book were available at [http://mitpress.mit.edu/e-books/HP/hyp000.htm] and linked pages. Note that the 1592 English translation covers just under half the Italian text. Within these pages, the translation reproduces one-third (22 of 70) of the illustrations of the Italian edition, concentrated in the early part of the book. The Italian text was consulted in some cases of uncertain readings in the English. The sidenotes have no Italian equivalent.
Illustrations:
Some pairs of illustrations were printed on facing pages and would have been seen together. They are shown here as thumbnails, along with some facing pages from the Italian version.
Greek and Inscriptions:
The Greek text often introduces additional errors that were not present in the Italian version. Among other problems, the text uses a form of Π (Pi) that is easily confused with Γ (Gamma), and an Υ (Upsilon) that resembles Τ (Tau). The Arabic text could not be transcribed.
[1.] Greek text as printed, page 9:
ΛΙΧΑ ΣΟΛΙΒΙΚΟΣ ΛΙΟΟΔΟΜΟΣ ΩΡΘΟΣΕΝ ΜΕ.
ΛΙΧΑΣ Ο ΛΙΒΙΚΟΣ ΛΙΘΟΔΟΜΟΣ ΩΡΘΩΣΕΝ ΜΕ.
(LICHAS HO LIBIKOS LITHODOMOS ÔRTHÔSEN ME)
[2.] Text as printed, page 10v: