Alchemical Hands in the Hypnerotomachia Poliphili

Marginalia, Scholarship & Reception

← All Folios

Signature a4r

Folio 4r, Quire a

Folio a4r
British Library, London — C.60.o.12 HIGH
Folio a4r
Biblioteca degli Intronati, Siena — O.III.38 HIGH Unverified
Folio a4r
Biblioteca degli Intronati, Siena — O.III.38 HIGH Unverified

Alchemical Analysis

Jupiter's Titles: Planetary Hierarchy

Hand B extracts Poliphilo's invocation to Jupiter, transcribing the god's divine titles into a hierarchical list on the flyleaf: 'O Diespiter, Maximo, Optimo, & Omnipotente & Opitulo...' Jupiter rules the higher, middle, and lower realms. In alchemical metals, Jupiter corresponds to tin. The annotator's interest in Jupiter's cosmic hierarchy maps onto the Hermetic principle 'as above, so below' -- the resonance between celestial order and material transformation that underpins all alchemical practice.

Element: Jupiter / Tin
Process: Planetary-metal correspondence; cosmic hierarchy
Framework: d'Espagnet: Hermetic resonance between realms
Russell, p. 167
LLM-assisted synthesis from Russell

Alchemical Symbols Present

Symbol Metal Planet Gender Hand Conf.
Jupiter Tin (Stannum) Jupiter masculine Hand B HIGH
Related: Alchemical AllegoryAlchemical Hands Essay

Vision Reading (Phase 3 deep analysis)

Primary hand: Multiple · Hands: 3 · Type: text_page · Sig: a4r

Transcription Attempts

right_margin_upper · Latin · LOW
[...] in [...] lacuna [...] proprietate [...] ista [...] trophe [...]
'lacuna' (pool/gap), 'proprietate' (property). 'trophe' may be from Greek trophē (nourishment)
right_margin_center · Latin/English · MEDIUM
Eridanum [...] [...] Bourne [...]
'Eridanum' — the river Eridanus (mythological/astrological). 'Bourne' may be Thomas Bourne's signature or a pun on 'bourne' (stream/boundary)
bottom · Latin · LOW
[...] cantato [...] memoria [...] imaginari [...] orat [...] [...] sub [...] obtui [...] [...] qua rem [...] imaginari [...] sparsa erat
'imaginari' (to imagine), 'memoria' (memory). The reader is annotating the HP's epistemology of dreaming and imagination

Scholarly Significance

Page 7. The 'Eridanum' reference connects the HP's landscape to classical cosmography. If 'Bourne' is visible here, it shows Thomas Bourne reading deeply into the early pages. The 'imaginari'/'memoria' vocabulary shows a reader engaging with the HP's dream framework as an epistemological problem.

Cross-references: Photo 2 (Bourne provenance), Russell thesis Ch. 3
Vision reading (Claude Code, Phase 3)

Annotations

CROSS_REFERENCE (2)EMENDATION (1)MARGINAL_NOTE (4)UNDERLINE (1)
Hand A: Ben Jonson
Cross Reference
ries to the Praefatio would be an illuminating project, but one which would extend beyond the scope of this current thesis. That which can be established for the time being is that both commentaries on the Praefatio shaped the process of gathering material (inventio) for the HP’s content, the two of them applying Pliny’s counsel to Vespasian vis-à-vis the HP. Benedetto noticed that references to a single subject are gathered together in clusters. For instance, all of the citations on ...
Russell, PhD Thesis, p. 124 (Ch. 6)
Hand A: Ben Jonson
Underline
136 Detail, (a4r) This illustration, taken from the first page of the second chapter, shows the two varieties of underlining stroke used by the reader. Most words are marked with a simple straight line, or a double underlining. Some individual words are instead underscored with a bracket-like (e.g. ‘{‘ ) line which bends twice under the individual term of interest. In a number of cases, the horizontal bracket underneath a word flows into a vertical bracket on the margins which mar...
Russell, PhD Thesis, p. 147 (Ch. 6)
Marginal Note
eferences and pinpoints an exact moment in time. Bearing in mind the centrality of the sun to D’Espagnet’s schema, the exact time of day in which alchemical operations were performed may have been of significance in laboratory procedure. The annotator also shows a similar combined effort between alchemy and philology with regards to the figure of Jupiter, who dominates the metal tin in alchemical thought. The annotator took note of the titles with which Poliphilo addresses Jupiter on ...
Russell, PhD Thesis, p. 166 (Ch. 6)
Marginal Note
156 O Diespiter, Maximo, Optimo, & Omnipotente & Opitulo. Si dalli diuini suffragii la humanitate per iuste prece merita suffragio, & debi essere exaudita al præferite di qualunque fragile offense dolente te supplice inuoco lumo pate degli superi, Medioximi & inferi æterno rectore... (a4r) O Jupiter greatest and best, omnipotent and succouring, if mankind can merit divine favour through sincere prayer and deserve a hearing even when suffering a slight trouble, I call on you, supreme Fat...
Russell, PhD Thesis, p. 167 (Ch. 6)
Cross Reference
“rector”
præferite di qualunque fragile offense dolente te supplice inuoco lumo pate degli superi, Medioximi & inferi æterno rectore... (a4r) O Jupiter greatest and best, omnipotent and succouring, if mankind can merit divine favour through sincere prayer and deserve a hearing even when suffering a slight trouble, I call on you, supreme Father and eternal ruler of the higher, middle and lower powers... (G 15). Detail, flyleaf The annotator takes Jupiter’s titles from the running prose of ...
Russell, PhD Thesis, p. 167 (Ch. 6)
Hand Primary: Benedetto Giovio
Emendation
“Diuers coulered stones ¨ so glistering and seuerly set of a diligent Xesturgie [orig. xesturgia].”
constituent parts. 50 As survives, for example, in the Spanish idiom for giving birth, dar luz and the Italian dare alla luce. 51 ‘Diespiter, giove quasi diei pater. Non senza cagione spetialmente egli invoca Diespiter, per che appresso gli antiqui egli era creduto esser quello che produceva il parto in luce, acciò che ei lo trahesse fuori delle tenebre di quel bosco, come se ’l fusse immerso nelle viscere della madre terra’ (...
Russell, PhD Thesis, p. 93 (Ch. 4)
Hand Primary: Benedetto Giovio
Emendation
“Diuers coulered stones ¨ so glistering and seuerly set of a diligent Xesturgie [orig. xesturgia].”
constituent parts. 50 As survives, for example, in the Spanish idiom for giving birth, dar luz and the Italian dare alla luce. 51 ‘Diespiter, giove quasi diei pater. Non senza cagione spetialmente egli invoca Diespiter, per che appresso gli antiqui egli era creduto esser quello che produceva il parto in luce, acciò che ei lo trahesse fuori delle tenebre di quel bosco, come se ’l fusse immerso nelle viscere della madre terra’ (...
Russell, PhD Thesis, p. 93 (Ch. 4)
Hand Primary: Pope Alexander VII (Fabio Chigi)
Marginal Note
“camera angle”
del Giardino di Cupido.’ This is particularly the case in sections where a transition results as a consequence of an action. Chigi takes particular interest in the after-effects of incidents in the HP. This emphasis on consequence may result from Chigi’s overall interest in the theme of argumentation, with an emphasis on causality. After a premise has been given establishing the motivation for the following description, ‘segue’ indicates the start of that description. For instance on (...
Russell, PhD Thesis, p. 204 (Ch. 8)
Hand Primary: Pope Alexander VII (Fabio Chigi)
Marginal Note
“camera angle”
del Giardino di Cupido.’ This is particularly the case in sections where a transition results as a consequence of an action. Chigi takes particular interest in the after-effects of incidents in the HP. This emphasis on consequence may result from Chigi’s overall interest in the theme of argumentation, with an emphasis on causality. After a premise has been given establishing the motivation for the following description, ‘segue’ indicates the start of that description. For instance on (...
Russell, PhD Thesis, p. 204 (Ch. 8)
Hand Primary: Pope Alexander VII (Fabio Chigi)
Marginal Note
“Segue”
in the after-effects of incidents in the HP. This emphasis on consequence may result from Chigi’s overall interest in the theme of argumentation, with an emphasis on causality. After a premise has been given establishing the motivation for the following description, ‘segue’ indicates the start of that description. For instance on (a4r), Chigi indicates that the following description takes place as a result of the lost Poliphilo’s invocation to Jupiter to save him from the dark forest. ‘a...
Russell, PhD Thesis, p. 204 (Ch. 8)
Hand Primary: Pope Alexander VII (Fabio Chigi)
Marginal Note
“Segue”
in the after-effects of incidents in the HP. This emphasis on consequence may result from Chigi’s overall interest in the theme of argumentation, with an emphasis on causality. After a premise has been given establishing the motivation for the following description, ‘segue’ indicates the start of that description. For instance on (a4r), Chigi indicates that the following description takes place as a result of the lost Poliphilo’s invocation to Jupiter to save him from the dark forest. ‘a...
Russell, PhD Thesis, p. 204 (Ch. 8)
Hand A: Ben Jonson
Cross Reference
ries to the Praefatio would be an illuminating project, but one which would extend beyond the scope of this current thesis. That which can be established for the time being is that both commentaries on the Praefatio shaped the process of gathering material (inventio) for the HP’s content, the two of them applying Pliny’s counsel to Vespasian vis-à-vis the HP. Benedetto noticed that references to a single subject are gathered together in clusters. For instance, all of the citations on ...
Russell, PhD Thesis, p. 124 (Ch. 6)
Hand A: Ben Jonson
Underline
136 Detail, (a4r) This illustration, taken from the first page of the second chapter, shows the two varieties of underlining stroke used by the reader. Most words are marked with a simple straight line, or a double underlining. Some individual words are instead underscored with a bracket-like (e.g. ‘{‘ ) line which bends twice under the individual term of interest. In a number of cases, the horizontal bracket underneath a word flows into a vertical bracket on the margins which mar...
Russell, PhD Thesis, p. 147 (Ch. 6)
Marginal Note
eferences and pinpoints an exact moment in time. Bearing in mind the centrality of the sun to D’Espagnet’s schema, the exact time of day in which alchemical operations were performed may have been of significance in laboratory procedure. The annotator also shows a similar combined effort between alchemy and philology with regards to the figure of Jupiter, who dominates the metal tin in alchemical thought. The annotator took note of the titles with which Poliphilo addresses Jupiter on ...
Russell, PhD Thesis, p. 166 (Ch. 6)
Marginal Note
156 O Diespiter, Maximo, Optimo, & Omnipotente & Opitulo. Si dalli diuini suffragii la humanitate per iuste prece merita suffragio, & debi essere exaudita al præferite di qualunque fragile offense dolente te supplice inuoco lumo pate degli superi, Medioximi & inferi æterno rectore... (a4r) O Jupiter greatest and best, omnipotent and succouring, if mankind can merit divine favour through sincere prayer and deserve a hearing even when suffering a slight trouble, I call on you, supreme Fat...
Russell, PhD Thesis, p. 167 (Ch. 6)
Cross Reference
“rector”
præferite di qualunque fragile offense dolente te supplice inuoco lumo pate degli superi, Medioximi & inferi æterno rectore... (a4r) O Jupiter greatest and best, omnipotent and succouring, if mankind can merit divine favour through sincere prayer and deserve a hearing even when suffering a slight trouble, I call on you, supreme Father and eternal ruler of the higher, middle and lower powers... (G 15). Detail, flyleaf The annotator takes Jupiter’s titles from the running prose of ...
Russell, PhD Thesis, p. 167 (Ch. 6)
Hand Primary: Benedetto Giovio
Emendation
“Diuers coulered stones ¨ so glistering and seuerly set of a diligent Xesturgie [orig. xesturgia].”
constituent parts. 50 As survives, for example, in the Spanish idiom for giving birth, dar luz and the Italian dare alla luce. 51 ‘Diespiter, giove quasi diei pater. Non senza cagione spetialmente egli invoca Diespiter, per che appresso gli antiqui egli era creduto esser quello che produceva il parto in luce, acciò che ei lo trahesse fuori delle tenebre di quel bosco, come se ’l fusse immerso nelle viscere della madre terra’ (...
Russell, PhD Thesis, p. 93 (Ch. 4)
Hand Primary: Benedetto Giovio
Emendation
“Diuers coulered stones ¨ so glistering and seuerly set of a diligent Xesturgie [orig. xesturgia].”
constituent parts. 50 As survives, for example, in the Spanish idiom for giving birth, dar luz and the Italian dare alla luce. 51 ‘Diespiter, giove quasi diei pater. Non senza cagione spetialmente egli invoca Diespiter, per che appresso gli antiqui egli era creduto esser quello che produceva il parto in luce, acciò che ei lo trahesse fuori delle tenebre di quel bosco, come se ’l fusse immerso nelle viscere della madre terra’ (...
Russell, PhD Thesis, p. 93 (Ch. 4)
Hand Primary: Pope Alexander VII (Fabio Chigi)
Marginal Note
“camera angle”
del Giardino di Cupido.’ This is particularly the case in sections where a transition results as a consequence of an action. Chigi takes particular interest in the after-effects of incidents in the HP. This emphasis on consequence may result from Chigi’s overall interest in the theme of argumentation, with an emphasis on causality. After a premise has been given establishing the motivation for the following description, ‘segue’ indicates the start of that description. For instance on (...
Russell, PhD Thesis, p. 204 (Ch. 8)
Hand Primary: Pope Alexander VII (Fabio Chigi)
Marginal Note
“camera angle”
del Giardino di Cupido.’ This is particularly the case in sections where a transition results as a consequence of an action. Chigi takes particular interest in the after-effects of incidents in the HP. This emphasis on consequence may result from Chigi’s overall interest in the theme of argumentation, with an emphasis on causality. After a premise has been given establishing the motivation for the following description, ‘segue’ indicates the start of that description. For instance on (...
Russell, PhD Thesis, p. 204 (Ch. 8)
Hand Primary: Pope Alexander VII (Fabio Chigi)
Marginal Note
“Segue”
in the after-effects of incidents in the HP. This emphasis on consequence may result from Chigi’s overall interest in the theme of argumentation, with an emphasis on causality. After a premise has been given establishing the motivation for the following description, ‘segue’ indicates the start of that description. For instance on (a4r), Chigi indicates that the following description takes place as a result of the lost Poliphilo’s invocation to Jupiter to save him from the dark forest. ‘a...
Russell, PhD Thesis, p. 204 (Ch. 8)
Hand Primary: Pope Alexander VII (Fabio Chigi)
Marginal Note
“Segue”
in the after-effects of incidents in the HP. This emphasis on consequence may result from Chigi’s overall interest in the theme of argumentation, with an emphasis on causality. After a premise has been given establishing the motivation for the following description, ‘segue’ indicates the start of that description. For instance on (a4r), Chigi indicates that the following description takes place as a result of the lost Poliphilo’s invocation to Jupiter to save him from the dark forest. ‘a...
Russell, PhD Thesis, p. 204 (Ch. 8)