the city of the sun-第1节

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The　City　of　the　Sun

by　Tommaso　Campanells






A　Poetical　Dialogue　between　a　Grandmaster　of　the　Knights
Hospitallers　and　a　Genoese　Sea…Captain；　his　guest。


G。M。　　Prithee；　now；　tell　me　what　happened　to　you　during
that　voyage？


Capt。　　I　have　already　told　you　how　I　wandered
over　the　whole　earth。　　In　the　course　of　my　journeying　I　came
to　Taprobane；　and　was　compelled　to　go　ashore　at　a　place；　where
through　fear　of　the　inhabitants　I　remained　in　a　wood。　　When　I
stepped　out　of　this　I　found　myself　on　a　large　plain　immediately
under　the　equator。


G。M。　　And　what　befell　you　here？


Capt。　　I　came　upon　a　large　crowd　of　men　and　armed　women；
many　of　whom　did　not　understand　our　language；　and　they　con…
ducted　me　forthwith　to　the　City　of　the　Sun。


G。M。　　Tell　me　after　what　plan　this　city　is　built　and　how　it
is　governed。


Capt。　　The　greater　part　of　the　city　is　built　upon　a　high　hill；
which　rises　from　an　extensive　plain；　but　several　of　its　circles
extend　for　some　distance　beyond　the　base　of　the　hill；　which　is
of　such　a　size　that　the　diameter　of　the　city　is　upward　of　two
miles；　so　that　its　circumference　becomes　about　seven。　　On　ac…
count　of　the　humped　shape　of　the　mountain；　however；　the　diam…
eter　of　the　city　is　really　more　than　if　it　were　built　on　a　plain。

　　　It　is　divided　into　seven　rings　or　huge　circles　named　from
the　seven　planets；　and　the　way　from　one　to　the　other　of　these　is
by　four　streets　and　through　four　gates；　that　look　toward　the
four　points　of　the　compass。　　Furthermore；　it　is　so　built　that
if　the　first　circle　were　stormed；　it　would　of　necessity　entail　a
double　amount　of　energy　to　storm　the　second；　still　more　to
storm　the　third；　and　in　each　succeeding　case　the　strength　and
energy　would　have　to　be　doubled；　so　that　he　who　wishes　to
capture　that　city　must；　as　it　were；　storm　it　seven　times。　　For
my　own　part；　however；　I　think　that　not　even　the　first　wall　could
be　occupied；　so　thick　are　the　earthworks　and　so　well　fortified
is　it　with　breastworks；　towers；　guns；　and　ditches。

　　　When　I　had　been　taken　through　the　northern　gate　（which
is　shut　with　an　iron　door　so　wrought　that　it　can　be　raised　and
let　down；　and　locked　in　easily　and　strongly；　its　projections　run…
ning　into　the　grooves　of　the　thick　posts　by　a　marvellous　device）；
I　saw　a　level　space　seventy　paces＇1＇　wide　between　the　first　and
second　walls。　　From　hence　can　be　seen　large　palaces；　all　joined
to　the　wall　of　the　second　circuit　in　such　a　manner　as　to　appear
all　one　palace。　　Arches　run　on　a　level　with　the　middle　height
of　the　palaces；　and　are　continued　round　the　whole　ring。　　There
are　galleries　for　promenading　upon　these　arches；　which　are
supported　from　beneath　by　thick　and　well…shaped　columns；　en…
closing　arcades　like　peristyles；　or　cloisters　of　an　abbey。

　　　But　the　palaces　have　no　entrances　from　below；　except　on　the
inner　or　concave　partition；　from　which　one　enters　directly　to
the　lower　parts　of　the　building。　　The　higher　parts；　however；
are　reached　by　flights　of　marble　steps；　which　lead　to　galleries
for　promenading　on　the　inside　similar　to　those　on　the　outside。
From　these　one　enters　the　higher　rooms；　which　are　very　beauti…
ful；　and　have　windows　on　the　concave　and　convex　partitions。
These　rooms　are　divided　from　one　another　by　richly　decorated
walls。　　The　convex　or　outer　wall　of　the　ring　is　about　eight
spans　thick；　the　concave；　three；　the　intermediate　walls　are　one；
or　perhaps　one　and　a　half。　　Leaving　this　circle　one　gets　to　the
second　plain；　which　is　nearly　three　paces　narrower　than　the
first。　　Then　the　first　wall　of　the　second　ring　is　seen　adorned
above　and　below　with　similar　galleries　for　walking；　and　there
is　on　the　inside　of　it　another　interior　wall　enclosing　palaces。
It　has　also　similar　peristyles　supported　by　columns　in　the　lower
part；　but　above　are　excellent　pictures；　round　the　ways　into　the
upper　houses。　　And　so　on　afterward　through　similar　spaces
and　double　walls；　enclosing　palaces；　and　adorned　with　galleries
for　walking；　extending　along　their　outer　side；　and　supported
by　columns；　till　the　last　circuit　is　reached；　the　way　being　still
over　a　level　plain。

　　　But　when　the　two　gates；　that　is　to　say；　those　of　the　outmost
and　the　inmost　walls；　have　been　passed；　one　mounts　by　means
of　steps　so　formed　that　an　ascent　is　scarcely　discernible；　since
it　proceeds　in　a　slanting　direction；　and　the　steps　succeed　one
another　at　almost　imperceptible　heights。　　On　the　top　of　the
hill　is　a　rather　spacious　plain；　and　in　the　midst　of　this　there
rises　a　temple　built　with　wondrous　art。


G。M。　　Tell　on；　I　pray　you！　　Tell　on！　　I　am　dying　to　hear
more。


Capt。　　The　temple　is　built　in　the　form　of　a　circle；　it　is　not
girt　with　walls；　but　stands　upon　thick　columns；　beautifully
grouped。　　A　very　large　dome；　built　with　great　care　in　the　cen…
tre　or　pole；　contains　another　small　vault　as　it　were　rising　out　of
it；　and　in　this　is　a　spiracle；　which　is　right　over　the　altar。　　There
is　but　one　altar　in　the　middle　of　the　temple；　and　this　is　hedged
round　by　columns。　　The　temple　itself　is　on　a　space　of　more
than　350　paces。　　Without　it；　arches　measuring　about　eight
paces　extend　from　the　heads　of　the　columns　outward；　whence
other　columns　rise　about　three　paces　from　the　thick；　strong；　and
erect　wall。　　Between　these　and　the　former　columns　there　are
galleries　for　walking；　with　beautiful　pavements；　and　in　the　re…
cess　of　the　wall；　which　is　adorned　with　numerous　large　doors；
there　are　immovable　seats；　placed　as　it　were　between　the　inside
columns；　supporting　the　temple。　　Portable　chairs　are　not　want…
ing；　many　and　well　adorned。　　Nothing　is　seen　over　the　altar
but　a　large　globe；　upon　which　the　heavenly　bodies　are　painted；
and　another　globe　upon　which　there　is　a　representation　of　the
earth。　　Furthermore；　in　the　vault　of　the　dome　there　can　be　dis…
cerned　representations　of　all　the　stars　of　heaven　from　the　first
to　the　sixth　magnitude；　with　their　proper　names　and　power　to
influence　terrestrial　things　marked　in　three　little　verses　for　each。
There　are　the　poles　and　greater　and　lesser　circles　according　to
the　right　latitude　of　the　place；　but　these　are　not　perfect　because
there　is　no　wall　below。　　They　seem；　too；　to　be　made　in　their　re…
lation　to　the　globes　on　the　altar。　　The　pavement　of　the　temple
is　bright　with　precious　stones。　　Its　seven　golden　lamps　hang
always　burning；　and　these　bear　the　names　of　the　seven　planets。

　　　At　the　top　of　the　building　several　small　and　beautiful　cells
surround　the　small　dome；　and　behind　the　level　space　above　the
bands　or　arches　of　the　exterior　and　interior　columns　there　are
many　cells；　both　small　and　large；　where　the　priests　and　relig…
ious　officers　dwell　to　the　number　of　forty…nine。

　　　A　revolving　flag　projects　from　the　smaller　dome；　and　this
shows　in　what　quarter　the　wind　is。　　The　flag　is　marked　with
figures　up　to　thirty…six；　and　the　priests　know　what　sort　of　year
the　different　kinds　of　winds　bring　and　what　will　be　the　changes
of　weather　on　land　and　sea。　　Furthermore；　under　the　flag　a
book　is　always　kept　written　with　letters　of　gold。


G。M。　　I　pray　you；　worthy　hero；　explain　to　me　their　whole
system　of　government；　for　I　am　anxious　to　hear　it。


Capt。　　The　great　ruler　among　them　is　a　priest　whom　they
call　by　the　name　Hoh；　though　we　should　call　him　Metaphysic。
He　is　head　over　all；　in　temporal　and　spiritual　matters；　and　all
business　and　lawsuits　are　settled　by　him；　as　the　supreme　au…
thority。　　Three　princes　of　equal　power　　viz。；　Pon；　Sin；　and
Mor　　assist　him；　and　these　in　our　tongue　we　should　call　Power；
Wisdom；　and　Love。　　To　Power　belongs　the　care　of　all　matters
relating　to　war　and　peace。　　He　attends　to　the　military　arts；　and；
next　to　Hoh；　he　is　ruler　in　every　affair　of　a　warlike　nature。
He　governs　the　military　magistrates　and　the　soldiers；　and　has
the　management　of　the　munitions；　the　fortifications；　the　storm…
ing　of　places；　the　implements　of　war；　the　armories；　the　smiths
and　workmen　connected　with　matters　of　this　sort。

　　　But　Wisdom　is　the　ruler　of　the　liberal　arts；　of　mechanics；
of　all　sciences　with　their　magistrates　and　doctors；　and　of　the
discipline　of　the　schools。　　As　many　doctors　as　there　are；　are
under　his　control。　　There　is　one　doctor　who　is　called　Astrolo…
gus；　a　second；　Cosmographus；　a　third；　Arithmeticus；　a　fourth；
Geometra；　a　fifth；　Historiographus；　a　sixth；　Poeta；　a　seventh；
Logicus；　an　eighth；　Rhetor；　a　ninth；　Grammaticus；　a　tenth；
Medicus；　an　eleventh；　Physiologus；　a　twelfth；　Politicus；　a　thir…
teenth；　Moralis。　　They　have　but　one　book；　which　they　call
Wisdom；　and　in　it　all　the　sciences　are　written　with　conciseness
and　marvellous　fluency　of　expression。　　This　they　read　to　the
people　after　the　custom　of　the　Pythagoreans。　　It　is　Wisdom
who　causes　the　exterior　and　interior；　the　higher　and　lower　walls
of　the　city　to　be　adorned　with　the　finest　pictures；　and　to　have
all　the　sciences　painted　upon　them　in　an　admirable　manner。
On　the　walls　of　the　temple　and　on　the　dome；　which　is　let　down
when　the　priest　gives　an　address；　lest　the　sounds　of　his　voice；
being　scattered；　should　fly　away　from　his　audience；　there　are
pictures　of　stars　in　their　different　magnitudes；　with　the　powers
and　motions　of　each；　expressed　separately　in