,,the ,,city ,,of ,,the ,,sun    ,by    
,tommaso ,campanella          ,a        
,poetical ,dialogue between a           
,grandmaster of the ,knights            
,hospitallers  and a ,genoese           
,sea-,captain1 his guest4      ,g4,m4   
,prithee1 now1 tell me what happened to 
you during that voyage8      ,capt4 ,i  
have already told you how ,i wandered   
over the whole earth4 ,in  the course of
 my journeying ,i came to ,taprobane1   
and was compelled to go  ashore at a    
place1 where through fear of the        
inhabitants ,i remained in  a wood4     
,when ,i stepped out of this ,i found   
myself on a large plain  immediately    
under the equator4      ,g4,m4 ,and what
 befell you here8      ,capt4 ,i came   
upon a large crowd of men and armed     
women1 many of whom did  not understand 
our language1 and they conducted me     
forthwith to the ,city  of the ,sun4    
,g4,m4 ,tell me after what plan this    
city is built and how it is governed4   
,capt4 ,the greater part of the city is 

built upon a high hill1 which  rises    
from an extensive plain1 but several of 
its circles extend for  some distance   
beyond the base of the hill1 which is of
 such a size  that the diameter of the  
city is upward of two miles1 so that its
  circumference becomes about seven4 ,on
 account of the humped shape of the     
mountain1 however1 the diameter of the  
city is really more than if it  were    
built on a plain4    ,it is divided into
 seven rings or huge circles named from 
the seven  planets1 and the way from one
 to the other of these is by four       
streets  and through four gates1 that   
look toward the four points of the      
compass4  ,furthermore1 it is so built  
that if the first circle were stormed1  
it  would of necessity entail a double  
amount of energy to storm the second2   
still more to storm the third2 and in   
each succeeding case the strength  and  
energy would have to be doubled2 so that
 he who wishes to capture  that city    
must1 as it were1 storm it seven times4 

,for my own part1  however1 ,i think    
that not even the first wall could be   
occupied1 so  thick are the earthworks  
and so well fortified is it with        
breastworks1  towers1 guns1 and ditches4
    ,when ,i had been taken through the 
northern gate 7which is shut with an    
iron door so wrought that it can be     
raised and let down1 and locked in      
easily and strongly1 its projections    
running into the grooves of  the thick  
posts by a marvellous device71 ,i saw a 
level space seventy  paces 7#a7 wide    
between the first and second walls4     
,from hence can be seen  large palaces1 
all joined to the wall of the second    
circuit in such  a manner as to appear  
all one palace4 ,arches run on a level  
with the  middle height of the palaces1 
and are continued round the whole ring4 
,there are galleries for promenading    
upon these arches1 which are  supported 
from beneath by thick and well-shaped   
columns1 enclosing  arcades like        
peristyles1 or cloisters of an abbey4   

,but the palaces have no entrances from 
below1 except on the inner or  concave  
partition1 from which one enters        
directly to the lower parts  of the     
building4 ,the higher parts1 however1   
are reached by flights of  marble steps1
 which lead to galleries for promenading
 on the inside  similar to those on the 
outside4 ,from these one enters the     
higher rooms1  which are very beautiful1
 and have windows on the concave and    
convex  partitions4 ,these rooms are    
divided from one another by richly      
decorated  walls4 ,the convex or outer  
wall of the ring is about eight spans   
thick2  the concave1 three2 the         
intermediate walls are one1 or perhaps  
one and a  half4 ,leaving this circle   
one gets to the second plain1 which is  
nearly  three paces narrower than the   
first4 ,then the first wall of the      
second  ring is seen adorned above and  
below with similar galleries for        
walking1  and there is on the inside of 
it another interior wall enclosing      

palaces4 ,it has also similar peristyles
 supported by columns in the  lower     
part1 but above are excellent pictures1 
round the ways into the  upper houses4  
,and so on afterward through similar    
spaces and double  walls1 enclosing     
palaces1 and adorned with galleries for 
walking1  extending along their outer   
side1 and supported by columns1 till the
  last circuit is reached1 the way being
 still over a level plain4    ,but when 
the two gates1 that is to say1 those of 
the outmost and the  inmost walls1 have 
been passed1 one mounts by means of     
steps so formed  that an ascent is      
scarcely discernible1 since it proceeds 
in a slanting  direction1 and the steps 
succeed one another at almost           
imperceptible  heights4 ,on the top of  
the hill is a rather spacious plain1 and
 in the  midst of this there rises a    
temple built with wondrous art4         
,g4,m4 ,tell on1 ,i pray you6 ,tell on6 
,i am dying to hear more4      ,capt4   
,the temple is built in the form of a   

circle2 it is not girt with  walls1 but 
stands upon thick columns1 beautifully  
grouped4 ,a very large  dome1 built with
 great care in the centre or pole1      
contains another  small vault as it were
 rising out of it1 and in this is a     
spiracle1  which is right over the      
altar4 ,there is but one altar in the   
middle of  the temple1 and this is      
hedged round by columns4 ,the temple    
itself is on  a space of more than #cej 
paces4 ,without it1 arches measuring    
about eight  paces extend from the heads
 of the columns outward1 whence other   
columns  rise about three paces from the
 thick1 strong1 and erect wall4 ,between
  these and the former columns there are
 galleries for walking1 with  beautiful 
pavements1 and in the recess of the     
wall1 which is adorned  with numerous   
large doors1 there are immovable seats1 
placed as it were  between the inside   
columns1 supporting the temple4         
,portable chairs are  not wanting1 many 
and well adorned4 ,nothing is seen over 

the altar but  a large globe1 upon which
 the heavenly bodies are painted1 and   
another  globe upon which there is a    
representation of the earth4            
,furthermore1 in  the vault of the dome 
there can be discerned representations  
of all the  stars of heaven from the    
first to the sixth magnitude1 with their
 proper  names and power to influence   
terrestrial things marked in three      
little  verses for each4 ,there are the 
poles and greater and lesser circles    
according to the right latitude of the  
place1 but these are not perfect        
because there is no wall below4 ,they   
seem1 too1 to be made in their  relation
 to the globes on the altar4 ,the       
pavement of the temple is  bright with  
precious stones4 ,its seven golden lamps
 hang always burning1  and these bear   
the names of the seven planets4    ,at  
the top of the building several small   
and beautiful cells surround  the small 
dome1 and behind the level space above  
the bands or arches of  the exterior and

 interior columns there are many cells1 
both small and  large1 where the priests
 and religious officers dwell to the    
number of  forty-nine4    ,a revolving  
flag projects from the smaller dome1 and
 this shows in what  quarter the wind   
is4 ,the flag is marked with figures up 
to thirty-six1  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 sea4     
,furthermore1 under the flag a book is  
always kept written with letters  of    
gold4      ,g4,m4 ,i pray you1 worthy   
hero1 explain to me their whole system  
of  government2 for ,i am anxious to    
hear it4      ,capt4 ,the great ruler   
among them is a priest whom they call by
 the  name ,hoh1 though we should call  
him ,metaphysic4 ,he is head over all1  
in temporal and spiritual matters1 and  
all business and lawsuits  are settled  
by him1 as the supreme authority4 ,three
 princes of equal  power--viz41 ,pon1   
,sin1 and ,mor--assist him1 and these in

 our tongue we  should call ,power1     
,wisdom1 and ,love4 ,to ,power belongs  
the care of all  matters relating to war
 and peace4 ,he attends to the military 
arts1 and1  next to ,hoh1 he is ruler in
 every affair of a warlike nature4 ,he  
governs  the military magistrates and   
the soldiers1 and has the management of 
the  munitions1 the fortifications1 the 
storming of places1 the implements of   
war1 the armories1 the smiths and       
workmen connected with matters of this  
sort4    ,but ,wisdom is the ruler of   
the liberal arts1 of mechanics1 of all  
sciences with their magistrates and     
doctors1 and of the discipline of  the  
schools4 ,as many doctors as there are1 
are under his control4 ,there  is one   
doctor who is called ,astrologus2 a     
second1 ,cosmographus2 a third1         
,arithmeticus2 a fourth1 ,geometra2 a   
fifth1 ,historiographus2 a sixth1       
,poeta2 a seventh1 ,logicus2 an eighth1 
,rhetor2 a ninth1 ,grammaticus2  a      
tenth1 ,medicus2 an eleventh1           

,physiologus2 a twelfth1 ,politicus2 a  
thirteenth1 ,moralis4 ,they have but one
 book1 which they call ,wisdom1  and in 
it all the sciences are written with    
conciseness and marvellous  fluency of  
expression4 ,this they read to the      
people after the custom of  the         
,pythagoreans4 ,it is ,wisdom who causes
 the exterior and interior1  the higher 
and lower walls of the city to be       
adorned with the finest  pictures1 and  
to have all the sciences painted upon   
them in an admirable  manner4 ,on the   
walls of the temple and on the dome1    
which is let down  when the priest gives
 an address1 lest the sounds of his     
voice1 being  scattered1 should fly away
 from his audience1 there are pictures  
of  stars in their different magnitudes1
 with the powers and motions of  each1  
expressed separately in three little    
verses4    ,on the interior wall of the 
first circuit all the mathematical      
figures  are conspicuously              
painted--figures more in number than    

,archimedes or  ,euclid discovered1     
marked symmetrically1 and with the      
explanation of  them neatly written and 
contained each in a little verse4 ,there
 are  definitions and propositions1 etc4
 ,on the exterior convex wall is first  
an immense drawing of the whole earth1  
given at one view4 ,following upon      
this1 there are tablets setting forth   
for every separate country the  customs 
both public and private1 the laws1 the  
origins and the power of  the           
inhabitants2 and the alphabets the      
different people use can be seen  above 
that of the ,city of the ,sun4    ,on   
the inside of the second circuit1 that  
is to say of the second ring  of        
buildings1 paintings of all kinds of    
precious and common stones1 of  minerals
 and metals1 are seen2 and a little     
piece of the metal itself  is also there
 with an apposite explanation in two    
small verses for each  metal or stone4  
,on the outside are marked all the seas1
 rivers1 lakes1  and streams which are  

on the face of the earth2 as are also   
the wines  and the oils and the         
different liquids1 with the sources from
 which the  last are extracted1 their   
qualities and strength4 ,there are also 
vessels  built into the wall above the  
arches1 and these are full of liquids   
from  one to #cjj years old1 which cure 
all diseases4 ,hail and snow1 storms and
  thunder1 and whatever else takes place
 in the air1 are represented with       
suitable figures and little verses4 ,the
 inhabitants even have the art  of      
representing in stone all the phenomena 
of the air1 such as the wind1  rain1    
thunder1 the rainbow1 etc4    ,on the   
interior of the third circuit all the   
different families of trees  and herbs  
are depicted1 and there is a live       
specimen of each plant in  earthenware  
vessels placed upon the outer partition 
of the arches4 ,with  the specimens     
there are explanations as to where they 
were first found1  what are their powers
 and natures1 and resemblances to       

celestial things  and to metals1 to     
parts of the human body and to things in
 the sea1 and  also as to their uses in 
medicine1 etc4 ,on the exterior wall are
 all  the races of fish found in rivers1
 lakes1 and seas1 and their habits  and 
values1 and ways of breeding1 training1 
and living1 the purposes  for which they
 exist in the world1 and their uses to  
man4 ,further1  their resemblances to   
celestial and terrestrial things1       
produced both  by nature and art1 are so
 given that ,i was astonished when ,i   
saw a fish  which was like a bishop1 one
 like a chain1 another like a garment1 a
  fourth like a nail1 a fifth like a    
star1 and others like images of those   
things existing among us1 the relation  
in each case being completely  manifest4
 ,there are sea-urchins to be seen1 and 
the purple shell-fish  and mussels2 and 
whatever the watery world possesses     
worthy of being  known is there fully   
shown in marvellous characters of       
painting and  drawing4    ,on the fourth

 interior wall all the different kinds  
of birds are  painted1 with their       
natures1 sizes1 customs1 colors1 manner 
of living1  etc42 and the only real     
phoenix is possessed by the inhabitants 
of  this city4 ,on the exterior are     
shown all the races of creeping animals1
  serpents1 dragons1 and worms2 the     
insects1 the flies1 gnats1 beetles1     
etc41 in their different states1        
strength1 venoms1 and uses1 and a great 
deal more than you or ,i can think of4  
,on the fifth interior they have all the
 larger animals of the earth1 as  many  
in number as would astonish you4 ,we    
indeed know not the thousandth  part of 
them1 for on the exterior wall also a   
great many of immense size  are also    
portrayed4 ,to be sure1 of horses alone1
 how great a number  of breeds there is 
and how beautiful are the forms there   
cleverly  displayed6    ,on the sixth   
interior are painted all the mechanical 
arts1 with the  several instruments for 
each and their manner of use among      

different  nations4 ,alongside1 the     
dignity of such is placed1 and their    
several  inventors are named4 ,but on   
the exterior all the inventors in       
science1  in warfare1 and in law are    
represented4 ,there ,i saw ,moses1      
,osiris1  ,jupiter1 ,mercury1 ,lycurgus1
 ,pompilius1 ,pythagoras1 ,zamolxis1    
,solon1  ,charondas1 ,phoroneus1 with   
very many others4 ,they even have       
,mahomet1  whom nevertheless they hate  
as a false and sordid legislator4 ,in   
the  most dignified position ,i saw a   
representation of ,jesus ,christ and  of
 the twelve ,apostles1 whom they        
consider very worthy and hold to be     
great4 ,of the representations of men1  
,i perceived ,caesar1 ,alexander1       
,pyrrhus1 and ,hannibal in the highest  
place2 and other very renowned  heroes  
in peace and war1 especially ,roman     
heroes1 were painted in lower           
positions1 under the galleries4 ,and    
when ,i asked with astonishment  whence 
they had obtained our history1 they told

 me that among them  there was a        
knowledge of all languages1 and that by 
perseverance they  continually send     
explorers and ambassadors over the whole
 earth1 who  learn thoroughly the       
customs1 forces1 rule and histories of  
the nations1  bad and good alike4 ,these
 they apply all to their own republic1  
and with  this they are well pleased4 ,i
 learned that cannon and typography were
  invented by the ,chinese before we    
knew of them4 ,there are magistrates    
who announce the meaning of the         
pictures1 and boys are accustomed to    
learn all the sciences1 without toil and
 as if for pleasure2 but in the  way of 
history only until they are ten years   
old4    ,love is foremost in attending  
to the charge of the race4 ,he sees that
  men and women are so joined together1 
that they bring forth the best          
offspring4 ,indeed1 they laugh at us who
 exhibit a studious care for our  breed 
of horses and dogs1 but neglect the     
breeding of human beings4 ,thus  the    

education of the children is under his  
rule4 ,so also is the medicine  that is 
sold1 the sowing and collecting of      
fruits of the earth and of  trees1      
agriculture1 pasturage1 the preparations
 for the months1 the  cooking           
arrangements1 and whatever has any      
reference to food1 clothing1  and the   
intercourse of the sexes4 ,love himself 
is ruler1 but there are  many male and  
female magistrates dedicated to these   
arts4    ,metaphysic1 then1 with these  
three rulers1 manages all the           
above-named  matters1 and even by       
himself alone nothing is done2 all      
business is  discharged by the four     
together1 but in whatever ,metaphysic   
inclines to  the rest are sure to agree4
      ,g4,m4 ,tell me1 please1 of the   
magistrates1 their services and duties1 
of  the education and mode of living1   
whether the government is a monarchy1  a
 republic1 or an aristocracy4           
,capt4 ,this race of men came there from
 ,india1 flying from the sword of  the  

,magi1 a race of plunderers and tyrants 
who laid waste their country1  and they 
determined to lead a philosophic life in
 fellowship with one  another4 ,although
 the community of wives is not          
instituted among the  other inhabitants 
of their province1 among them it is in  
use after this  manner3 ,all things are 
common with them1 and their dispensation
 is by  the authority of the            
magistrates4 ,arts and honors and       
pleasures are  common1 and are held in  
such a manner that no one can           
appropriate  anything to himself4       
,they say that all private property is  
acquired and improved for the  reason   
that each one of us by himself has his  
own home and wife and  children4 ,from  
this1 self-love springs4 ,for when we   
raise a son to  riches and dignities1   
and leave an heir to much wealth1 we    
become either  ready to grasp at the    
property of the ,state1 if in any case  
fear  should be removed from the power  
which belongs to riches and rank2 or    

avaricious1 crafty1 and hypocritical1 if
 anyone is of slender purse1  little    
strength1 and mean ancestry4 ,but when  
we have taken away  self-love1 there    
remains only love for the ,state4       
,g4,m4 ,under such circumstances no one 
will be willing to labor1 while  he     
expects others to work1 on the fruit of 
whose labors he can live1 as  ,aristotle
 argues against ,plato4      ,capt4 ,i  
do not know how to deal with that       
argument1 but ,i declare to  you that   
they burn with so great a love for their
 fatherland1 as ,i could  scarcely have 
believed possible2 and indeed with much 
more than the  histories tell us        
belonged to the ,romans1 who fell       
willingly for their  country1 inasmuch  
as they have to a greater extent        
surrendered their  private property4 ,i 
think truly that the friars and monks   
and clergy  of our country1 if they were
 not weakened by love for their kindred 
and  friends or by the ambition to rise 
to higher dignities1 would be less  fond

 of property1 and more imbued with a    
spirit of charity toward all1  as it was
 in the time of the apostles1 and is now
 in a great many cases4      ,g4,m4 ,st4
 ,augustine may say that1 but ,i say    
that among this race of  men1 friendship
 is worth nothing1 since they have not  
the chance of  conferring mutual        
benefits on one another4      ,capt4    
,nay1 indeed4 ,for it is worth the      
trouble to see that no one  can receive 
gifts from another4 ,whatever is        
necessary they have1 they  receive it   
from the community1 and the magistrate  
takes care that no  one receives more   
than he deserves4 ,yet nothing necessary
 is denied to  anyone4 ,friendship is   
recognized among them in war1 in        
infirmity1 in the  art contests1 by     
which means they aid one another        
mutually by  teaching4 ,sometimes they  
improve themselves mutually with        
praises1 with  conversation1 with       
actions1 and out of the things they     
need4 ,all those  of the same age call  

one another brothers4 ,they call all    
over twenty-two  years of age1 fathers2 
those that are less than twenty-two are 
named  sons4 ,moreover1 the magistrates 
govern well1 so that no one in the      
fraternity can do injury to another4    
,g4,m4 ,and how8      ,capt4 ,as many   
names of virtues as there are among us1 
so many  magistrates there are among    
them4 ,there is a magistrate who is     
named  ,magnanimity1 another ,fortitude1
 a third ,chastity1 a fourth            
,liberality1  a fifth ,criminal and     
,civil ,justice1 a sixth ,comfort1 a    
seventh ,truth1 an  eighth ,kindness1 a 
tenth ,gratitude1 an eleventh           
,cheerfulness1 a twelfth  ,exercise1 a  
thirteenth ,sobriety1 etc4 ,they are    
elected to duties of that  kind1 each   
one to that duty for excellence in which
 he is known from  boyhood to be most   
suitable4 ,wherefore among them neither 
robbery nor  clever murders1 nor        
lewdness1 incest1 adultery1 or other    
crimes of  which we accuse one another1 

can be found4 ,they accuse themselves of
  ingratitude and malignity when anyone 
denies a lawful satisfaction to  another
 of indolence1 of sadness1 of anger1 of 
scurrility1 of slander1  and of lying1  
which curseful thing they thoroughly    
hate4 ,accused persons  undergoing      
punishment are deprived of the common   
table1 and other  honors1 until the     
judge thinks that they agree with their 
correction4      ,g4,m4 ,tell me the    
manner in which the magistrates are     
chosen4      ,capt4 ,you would not      
rightly understand this1 unless you     
first learned  their manner of living4  
,that you may know1 then1 men and women 
wear the  same kind of garment1 suited  
for war4 ,the women wear the toga below 
the  knee1 but the men above2 and both  
sexes are instructed in all the arts    
together4 ,when this has been done as a 
start1 and before their third  year1 the
 boys learn the language and the        
alphabet on the walls by  walking round 
them4 ,they have four leaders1 and four 

elders1 the first  to direct them1 the  
second to teach them1 and these are men 
approved  beyond all others4 ,after some
 time they exercise themselves with     
gymnastics1 running1 quoits1 and other  
games1 by means of which all  their     
muscles are strengthened alike4 ,their  
feet are always bare1 and so  are their 
heads as far as the seventh ring4       
,afterward they lead them to  the       
offices of the trades1 such as          
shoemaking1 cooking1 metal-working1     
carpentry1 painting1 etc4 ,in order to  
find out the bent of the genius of  each
 one1 after their seventh year1 when    
they have already gone through  the     
mathematics on the walls1 they take them
 to the readings of all the  sciences2  
there are four lectures at each reading1
 and in the course of  four hours the   
four in their order explain everything4 
,for some take physical exercise or busy
 themselves with public services  or    
functions1 others apply themselves to   
reading4 ,leaving these studies  all are

 devoted to the more abstruse subjects1 
to mathematics1 to  medicine1 and to    
other sciences4 ,there are continual    
debate and studied  argument among them1
 and after a time they become           
magistrates of those  sciences or       
mechanical arts in which they are the   
most proficient2 for  everyone follows  
the opinion of his leader and judge1 and
 goes out to  the plains to the works of
 the field1 and for the purpose of      
becoming  acquainted with the pasturage 
of the dumb animals4 ,and they consider 
him  the more noble and renowned who has
 dedicated himself to the study of  the 
most arts and knows how to practise them
 wisely4 ,wherefore they  laugh at us in
 that we consider our workmen ignoble1  
and hold those to  be noble who have    
mastered no pursuit1 but live in ease   
and are so many  slaves given over to   
their own pleasure and lasciviousness2  
and thus1 as  it were1 from a school of 
vices so many idle and wicked fellows go
 forth  for the ruin of the ,state4     

,the rest of the officials1 however1 are
 chosen by the four chiefs1 ,hoh1  ,pon1
 ,sin and ,mor1 and by the teachers of  
that art over which they are  fit to    
preside4 ,and these teachers know well  
who is most suited for  rule4 ,certain  
men are proposed by the magistrates in  
council1 they  themselves not seeking to
 become candidates1 and he opposes who  
knows  anything against those brought   
forward for election1 or1 if not1 speaks
  in favor of them4 ,but no one attains 
to the dignity of ,hoh except him  who  
knows the histories of the nations1 and 
their customs and sacrifices  and laws1 
and their form of government1 whether a 
republic or a  monarchy4 ,he must also  
know the names of the lawgivers and the 
inventors  in science1 and the laws and 
the history of the earth and the        
heavenly  bodies4 ,they think it also   
necessary that he should understand all 
the mechanical arts1 the physical       
sciences1 astrology and mathematics4    
,nearly every two days they teach our   

mechanical art4 ,they are not  allowed  
to overwork themselves1 but frequent    
practice and the paintings  render      
learning easy to them4 ,not too much    
care is given to the  cultivation of    
languages1 as they have a goodly number 
of interpreters  who are grammarians in 
the ,state4 ,but beyond everything else 
it is  necessary that ,hoh should       
understand metaphysics and theology2    
that he  should know thoroughly the     
derivations1 foundations1 and           
demonstrations  of all the arts and     
sciences2 the likeness and difference of
 things2  necessity1 fate1 and the      
harmonies of the universe2 power1       
wisdom1  and the love of things and of  
,god2 the stages of life and its        
symbols2  everything relating to the    
heavens1 the earth1 and the sea2 and the
  ideas of ,god1 as much as mortal man  
can know of him4 ,he must also be  well 
read in the prophets and in astrology4  
,and thus they know long  beforehand who
 will be ,hoh4 ,he is not chosen to so  

great a dignity  unless he has attained 
his thirty-fifth year4 ,and this office 
is  perpetual1 because it is not known  
who may be too wise for it or who too   
skilled in ruling4      ,g4,m4 ,who     
indeed can be so wise8 ,if even anyone  
has a knowledge of the  sciences it     
seems that he must be unskilled in      
ruling4      ,capt4 ,this very question 
,i asked them and they replied thus3    
,we1  indeed1 are more certain that such
 a very learned man has the knowledge   
of governing1 than you who place        
ignorant persons in authority1 and      
consider them suitable merely because   
they have sprung from rulers or  have   
been chosen by a powerful faction4 ,but 
our ,hoh1 a man really the  most capable
 to rule1 is for all that never cruel   
nor wicked1 nor a  tyrant1 inasmuch as  
he possesses so much wisdom4 ,this1     
moreover1 is not  unknown to you1 that  
the same argument cannot apply among    
you1 when you  consider that man the    
most learned who knows most of grammar1 

or logic1  or of ,aristotle or any other
 author4 ,for such knowledge as this of 
yours much servile labor and memory work
 are required1 so that a man is         
rendered unskilful1 since he has        
contemplated nothing but the words of   
books and has given his mind with       
useless result to the consideration of  
the dead signs of things4 ,hence he     
knows not in what way ,god rules the    
universe1 nor the ways and customs of   
nature and the nations4 ,wherefore  he  
is not equal to our ,hoh4 ,for that one 
cannot know so many arts and  sciences  
thoroughly1 who is not esteemed for     
skilled ingenuity1 very apt  at all     
things1 and therefore at ruling         
especially4 ,this also is plain to  us  
that he who knows only one science1 does
 not really know either  that or the    
others1 and he who is suited for only   
one science and has  gathered his       
knowledge from books1 is unlearned and  
unskilled4 ,but this  is not the case   
with intellects prompt and expert in    

every branch of  knowledge and suitable 
for the consideration of natural        
objects1 as it  is necessary that our   
,hoh should be4 ,besides in our ,state  
the sciences  are taught with a facility
 7as you have seen7 by which more       
scholars are  turned out by us in one   
year than by you in ten1 or even        
fifteen4 ,make  trial1 ,i pray you1 of  
these boys4    ,in this matter ,i was   
struck with astonishment at their       
truthful  discourse and at the trial of 
their boys1 who did not understand my   
language well4 ,indeed it is necessary  
that three of them should be  skilled in
 our tongue1 three in ,arabic1 three in 
,polish1 and three in  each of the other
 languages1 and no recreation is allowed
 them unless  they become more learned4 
,for that they go out to the plain for  
the  sake of running about and hurling  
arrows and lances1 and of firing        
harquebuses1 and for the sake of hunting
 the wild animals and getting a         
knowledge of plants and stones1 and     

agriculture and pasturage2 sometimes    
the band of boys does one thing1        
sometimes another4    ,they do not      
consider it necessary that the three    
rulers assisting ,hoh  should know other
 than the arts having reference to their
 rule1 and so  they have only a         
historical knowledge of the arts which  
are common to  all4 ,but their own they 
know well1 to which certainly one is    
dedicated  more than another4 ,thus     
,power is the most learned in the       
equestrian art1  in marshalling the     
army1 in the marking out of camps1 in   
the manufacture  of every kind of weapon
 and of warlike machines1 in planning   
stratagems1  and in every affair of a   
military nature4 ,and for these reasons1
 they  consider it necessary that these 
chiefs should have been philosophers1   
historians1 politicians1 and physicists4
 ,concerning the other two  triumvirs1  
understand remarks similar to those ,i  
have made about ,power4      ,g4,m4 ,i  
really wish that you would recount all  

their public duties1 and  would         
distinguish between them1 and also that 
you would tell clearly how  they are all
 taught in common4      ,capt4 ,they    
have dwellings in common and            
dormitories1 and couches and  other     
necessaries4 ,but at the end of every   
six months they are separated  by the   
masters4 ,some shall sleep in this ring1
 some in another2 some in  the first    
apartment1 and some in the second2 and  
these apartments are  marked by means of
 the alphabet on the lintel4 ,there are 
occupations1  mechanical and            
theoretical1 common to both men and     
women1 with this  difference1 that the  
occupations which require more hard     
work1 and  walking a long distance1 are 
practised by men1 such as ploughing1    
sowing1 gathering the fruits1 working at
 the threshing-floor1 and  perchance at 
the vintage4 ,but it is customary to    
choose women for  milking the cows and  
for making cheese4 ,in like manner1 they
 go to the  gardens near to the         

outskirts of the city both for          
collecting the plants  and for          
cultivating them4 ,in fact1 all         
sedentary and stationary pursuits  are  
practised by the women1 such as weaving1
 spinning1 sewing1 cutting  the hair1   
shaving1 dispensing medicines1 and      
making all kinds of  garments4 ,they    
are1 however1 excluded from working in  
wood and the  manufacture of arms4 ,if a
 woman is fit to paint1 she is not      
prevented  from doing so2 nevertheless1 
music is given over to the women alone1 
because they please the more1 and of a  
truth to boys also4 ,but the women  have
 not the practise of the drum and the   
horn4    ,and they prepare their feasts 
and arrange the tables in the following 
manner4 ,it is the peculiar work of the 
boys and girls under twenty to  wait at 
the tables4 ,in every ring there are    
suitable kitchens1  barns1 and stores of
 utensils for eating and drinking1 and  
over every  department an old man and an
 old woman preside4 ,these two have at  

once  the command of those who serve1   
and the power of chastising1 or causing 
to be chastised1 those who are negligent
 or disobedient2 and they also  examine 
and mark each one1 both male and female1
 who excels in his or  her duties4      
,all the young people wait upon the     
older ones who have passed the age of   
forty1 and in the evening when they go  
to sleep the master and mistress        
command that those should be sent to    
work in the morning1 upon whom in       
succession the duty falls1 one or two to
 separate apartments4 ,the  young       
people1 however1 wait upon one another1 
and that alas6 with some  unwillingness4
 ,they have first and second tables1 and
 on both sides  there are seats4 ,on one
 side sit the women1 on the other the   
men2 and  as in the refectories of the  
monks1 there is no noise4 ,while they   
are  eating a young man reads a book    
from a platform1 intoning distinctly    
and sonorously1 and often the           
magistrates question them upon the more 

important parts of the reading4 ,and    
truly it is pleasant to observe in  what
 manner these young people1 so beautiful
 and clothed in garments so  suitable1  
attend to them1 and to see at the same  
time so many friends1  brothers1 sons1  
fathers1 and mothers all in their turn  
living together  with so much honesty1  
propriety1 and love4 ,so each one is    
given a  napkin1 a plate1 fish1 and a   
dish of food4 ,it is the duty of the    
medical  officers to tell the cooks what
 repasts shall be prepared on each day1 
and what food for the old1 what for the 
young1 and what for the sick4  ,the     
magistrates receive the full-grown and  
fatter portion1 and they from  their    
share always distribute something to the
 boys at the table who  have shown      
themselves more studious in the morning 
at the lectures and  debates concerning 
wisdom and arms4 ,and this is held to be
 one of the  most distinguished honors4 
,for six days they ordain to sing with  
music  at table4 ,only a few1 however1  

sing2 or there is one voice accompanying
  the lute and one for each other       
instrument4 ,and when all alike in      
service join their hands1 nothing is    
found to be wanting4 ,the old men       
placed at the head of the cooking       
business and of the refectories of the  
servants praise the cleanliness of the  
streets1 the houses1 the vessels1  the  
garments1 the workshops1 and the        
warehouses4    ,they wear white         
under-garments to which adheres a       
covering1 which is at  once coat and    
legging1 without wrinkles4 ,the borders 
of the fastenings  are furnished with   
globular buttons1 extended round and    
caught up here  and there by chains4    
,the coverings of the legs descend to   
the shoes and  are continued even to the
 heels4 ,then they cover the feet with  
large  socks1 or1 as it were1           
half-buskins fastened by buckles1 over  
which they  wear a half-boot1 and       
besides1 as ,i have already said1 they  
are clothed  with a toga4 ,and so aptly 

fitting are the garments1 that when the 
toga  is destroyed1 the different parts 
of the whole body are straightway       
discerned1 no part being concealed4     
,they change their clothes for          
different ones four times in the year1  
that is when the sun enters             
respectively the constellations ,aries1 
,cancer1 ,libra1 and ,capricorn1 and    
according to the circumstances and      
necessity as decided by the officer  of 
health4 ,the keepers of clothes for the 
different rings are wont to  distribute 
them1 and it is marvellous that they    
have at the same time  as many garments 
as there is need for1 some heavy and    
some slight1  according to the weather4 
,they all use white clothing1 and this  
is  washed in each month with lye or    
soap1 as are also the workshops of the  
lower trades1 the kitchens1 the pantries
 the barns1 the store-houses1  the      
armories1 the refectories1 and the      
baths4    ,moreover1 the clothes are    
washed at the pillars of the peristyles1

 and  the water is brought down by means
 of canals which are continued as       
sewers4 ,in every street of the         
different rings there are suitable      
fountains1 which send forth their water 
by means of canals1 the water  being    
drawn up from nearly the bottom of the  
mountain by the sole  movement of a     
cleverly contrived handle4 ,there is    
water in fountains  and in cisterns1    
whither the rain-water collected from   
the roofs of the  houses is brought     
through pipes full of sand4 ,they wash  
their bodies  often1 according as the   
doctor and master command4 ,all the     
mechanical  arts are practised under the
 peristyles1 but the speculative are    
carried  on above in the walking        
galleries and ramparts where are the    
more  splendid paintings1 but the more  
sacred ones are taught in the temple4   
,in the halls and wings of the rings    
there are solar time-pieces and  bells1 
and hands by which the hours and seasons
 are marked off4      ,g4,m4 ,tell me   

about their children4      ,capt4 ,when 
their women have brought forth children1
 they suckle and rear  them in temples  
set apart for all4 ,they give milk for  
two years or more  as the physician     
orders4 ,after that time the weaned     
child is given into  the charge of the  
mistresses1 if it is a female1 and to   
the masters1  if it is a male4 ,and then
 with other young children they are     
pleasantly  instructed in the alphabet1 
and in the knowledge of the pictures1   
and in  running1 walking1 and wrestling2
 also in the historical drawings1 and   
in languages2 and they are adorned with 
a suitable garment of different  colors4
 ,after their sixth year they are taught
 natural science1 and then  the         
mechanical sciences4 ,the men who are   
weak in intellect are sent  to farms1   
and when they have become more          
proficient some of them are  received   
into the ,state4 ,and those of the same 
age and born under the  same            
constellation are especially like one   

another in strength and in  appearance1 
and hence arises much lasting concord in
 the ,state1 these  men honoring one    
another with mutual love and help4      
,names are given  to them by            
,metaphysicus1 and that not by chance1  
but designedly1 and  according to each  
one's peculiarity1 as was the custom    
among the  ancient ,romans4 ,wherefore  
one is called ,beautiful 7,pulcher71    
another  the ,big-nosed 7,naso71 another
 the ,fat-legged 7,cranipes71 another   
,crooked  7,torvus71 another ,lean      
7,macer71 and so on4 ,but when they have
 become  very skilled in their          
professions and done any great deed in  
war or in  time of peace1 a cognomen    
from art is given to them1 such as      
,beautiful  the ,great ,painter         
7,pulcher1 ,pictor ,magnus71 the ,golden
 ,one 7,aureus71  the ,excellent ,one   
7,excellens71 or the ,strong            
7,strenuus72 or from their  deeds1 such 
as ,naso the ,brave 7,nason ,fortis71 or
 the ,cunning1 or the  ,great1 or ,very 

,great ,conqueror2 or from the enemy    
anyone has overcome1  ,africanus1       
,asiaticus1 ,etruscus2 or if anyone has 
overcome ,manfred or  ,tortelius1 he is 
called ,macer ,manfred or ,tortelius1   
and so on4 ,all these  cognomens are    
added by the higher magistrates1 and    
very often with a  crown suitable to the
 deed or art1 and with the flourish of  
music4  ,for gold and silver are        
reckoned of little value among them     
except as  material for their vessels   
and ornaments1 which are common to all4 
,g4,m4 ,tell me1 ,i pray you1 is there  
no jealousy among them or               
disappointment to that one who has not  
been elected to a magistracy1 or  to any
 other dignity to which he aspires8     
,capt4 ,certainly not4 ,for no one wants
 either necessaries or luxuries4        
,moreover1 the race is managed for the  
good of the commonwealth1 and not  of   
private individuals1 and the magistrates
 must be obeyed4 ,they deny  what we    
hold--viz41 that it is natural to man to

 recognize his offspring  and to educate
 them1 and to use his wife and house and
 children as his  own4 ,for they say    
that children are bred for the          
preservation of the  species and not for
 individual pleasure1 as ,st4 ,thomas   
also asserts4  ,therefore the breeding  
of children has reference to the        
commonwealth1  and not to individuals1  
except in so far as they are            
constituents of  the commonwealth4 ,and 
since individuals for the most part     
bring forth  children wrongly and       
educate them wrongly1 they consider that
 they  remove destruction from the      
,state1 and therefore for this reason1  
with  most sacred fear1 they commit the 
education of the children1 who1 as it   
were1 are the element of the republic1  
to the care of magistrates2  for the    
safety of the community is not that of a
 few4 ,and thus they  distribute male   
and female breeders of the best natures 
according to  philosophical rules4      
,plato thinks that this distribution    

ought to be  made by lot1 lest some men 
seeing that they are kept away from the 
beautiful women1 should rise up with    
anger and hatred against the            
magistrates2 and he thinks further that 
those who do not deserve  cohabitation  
with the more beautiful women1 should be
 deceived while the  lots are being led 
out of the city by the magistrates1 so  
that at all  times the women who are    
suitable should fall to their lot1 not  
those  whom they desire4 ,this          
shrewdness1 however1 is not necessary   
among the  inhabitants of the ,city of  
the ,sun4 ,for with them deformity is   
unknown4  ,when the women are exercised 
they get a clear complexion1 and become 
strong of limb1 tall and agile1 and with
 them beauty consists in  tallness and  
strength4 ,therefore1 if any woman dyes 
her face1 so that it  may become        
beautiful1 or uses high-heeled boots so 
that she may  appear tall1 or garments  
with trains to cover her wooden shoes1  
she is  condemned to capital punishment4

 ,but if the women should even desire   
them they have no facility for doing    
these things4 ,for who indeed would     
give them this facility8 ,further1 they 
assert that among us abuses of  this    
kind arise from the leisure and sloth of
 women4 ,by these means they  lose their
 color and have pale complexions1 and   
become feeble and small4  ,for this     
reason they are without proper          
complexions1 use high sandals1  and     
become beautiful not from strength1 but 
from slothful tenderness4  ,and thus    
they ruin their own tempers and natures1
 and consequently those  of their       
offspring4 ,furthermore1 if at any time 
a man is taken captive  with ardent love
 for a certain woman1 the two are       
allowed to converse  and joke together  
and to give one another garlands of     
flowers or leaves1  and to make verses4 
,but if the race is endangered1 by no   
means is  further union between them    
permitted4 ,moreover1 the love born of  
eager  desire is not known among them2  

only that born of friendship4           
,domestic affairs and partnerships are  
of little account1 because1  excepting  
the sign of honor1 each one receives    
what he is in need of4  ,to the heroes  
and heroines of the republic1 it is     
customary to give  the pleasing gifts of
 honor1 beautiful wreaths1 sweet food1  
or splendid  clothes1 while they are    
feasting4 ,in the daytime all use white 
garments  within the city1 but at night 
or outside the city they use red        
garments  either of wool or silk4 ,they 
hate black as they do dung1 and         
therefore  they dislike the ,japanese1  
who are fond of black4 ,pride they      
consider  the most execrable vice1 and  
one who acts proudly is chastised with  
the  most ruthless correction4          
,wherefore no one thinks it lowering to 
wait  at table or to work in the kitchen
 or fields4 ,all work they call         
discipline1 and thus they say that it is
 honorable to go on foot1 to do  any act
 of nature1 to see with the eye1 and to 

speak with the tongue2  and when there  
is need1 they distinguish               
philosophically between tears  and      
spittle4    ,every man who1 when he is  
told off to work1 does his duty1 is     
considered  very honorable4 ,it is not  
the custom to keep slaves4 ,for they are
  enough1 and more than enough1 for     
themselves4 ,but with us1 alas6 it is   
not so4 ,in ,naples there exist #gj1jjj 
souls1 and out of these scarcely        
#aj1jjj or #ae1jjj do any work1 and they
 are always lean from overwork  and are 
getting weaker every day4 ,the rest     
become a prey to idleness1  avarice1    
ill-health1 lasciviousness1 usury1 and  
other vices1 and  contaminate and       
corrupt very many families by holding   
them in servitude  for their own use1 by
 keeping them in poverty and            
slavishness1 and by  imparting to them  
their own vices4 ,therefore public      
slavery ruins them2  useful works1 in   
the field1 in military service1 and in  
arts1 except  those which are debasing1 

are not cultivated1 the few who do      
practise  them doing so with much       
aversion4    ,but in the ,city of the   
,sun1 while duty and work are           
distributed among  all1 it only falls to
 each one to work for about four hours  
every day4  ,the remaining hours are    
spent in learning joyously1 in debating1
 in  reading1 in reciting1 in writing1  
in walking1 in exercising the mind and  
body1 and with play4 ,they allow no game
 which is played while sitting1  neither
 the single die nor dice1 nor chess1 nor
 others like these4 ,but  they play with
 the ball1 with the sack1 with the hoop1
 with wrestling1  with hurling at the   
stake4 ,they say1 moreover1 that        
grinding poverty  renders men worthless1
 cunning1 sulky1 thievish1 insidious1   
vagabonds1  liars1 false witnesses1     
etc42 and that wealth makes them        
insolent1  proud1 ignorant1 traitors1   
assumers of what they know not1         
deceivers1  boasters1 wanting in        
affection1 slanderers1 etc4 ,but with   

them all the  rich and poor together    
make up the community4 ,they are rich   
because they  want nothing1 poor because
 they possess nothing2 and consequently 
they  are not slaves to circumstances1  
but circumstances serve them4 ,and on   
this point they strongly recommend the  
religion of the ,christians1 and        
especially the life of the apostles4    
,g4,m4 ,this seems excellent and sacred1
 but the community of women is a  thing 
too difficult to attain4 ,the holy      
,roman ,clement says that wives  ought  
to be common in accordance with the     
apostolic institution1 and  praises     
,plato and ,socrates1 who thus teach1   
but the ,glossary interprets  this      
community with regard to obedience4 ,and
 ,tertullian agrees with  the ,glossary1
 that the first ,christians had         
everything in common except  wives4     
,capt4 ,these things ,i know little of4 
,but this ,i saw among the  inhabitants 
of the ,city of the ,sun1 that they did 
not make this  exception4 ,and they     

defend themselves by the opinion of     
,socrates1 of  ,cato1 of ,plato1 and of 
,st4 ,clement2 but1 as you say1 they    
misunderstand  the opinions of these    
thinkers4 ,and the inhabitants of the   
solar city  ascribe this to their want  
of education1 since they are by no means
  learned in philosophy4 ,nevertheless1 
they send abroad to discover the        
customs of nations1 and the best of     
these they always adopt4 ,practice      
makes the women suitable for war and    
other duties4 ,thus they agree  with    
,plato1 in whom ,i have read these same 
things4 ,the reasoning of our  ,cajetan 
does not convince me1 and least of all  
that of ,aristotle4  ,this thing1       
however1 existing among them is         
excellent and worthy of                 
imitation--viz41 that no physical defect
 renders a man incapable of  being      
serviceable except the decrepitude of   
old age1 since even the  deformed are   
useful for consultation4 ,the lame serve
 as guards1 watching  with the eyes     

which they possess4 ,the blind card wool
 with their hands1  separating the down 
from the hairs1 with which latter they  
stuff the  couches and sofas2 those who 
are without the use of eyes and hands   
give  the use of their ears or their    
voice for the convenience of the ,state1
  and if one has only one sense he uses 
it in the farms4 ,and these  cripples   
are well treated1 and some become spies1
 telling the officers  of the ,state    
what they have heard4      ,g4,m4 ,tell 
me now1 ,i pray you1 of their military  
affairs4 ,then you  may explain their   
arts1 ways of life and sciences1 and    
lastly their  religion4      ,capt4 ,the
 triumvir1 ,power1 has under him all the
 magistrates of arms1  of artillery1 of 
cavalry1 of foot-soldiers1 of           
architects1 and of  strategists2 and the
 masters and many of the most excellent 
workmen  obey the magistrates1 the men  
of each art paying allegiance to their  
respective chiefs4 ,moreover1 ,power is 
at the head of all the professors  of   

gymnastics1 who teach military exercise1
 and who are prudent  generals1 advanced
 in age4 ,by these the boys are trained 
after their  twelfth year4 ,before this 
age1 however1 they have been accustomed 
to  wrestling1 running1 throwing the    
weight1 and other minor exercises1      
under inferior masters4 ,but at twelve  
they are taught how to strike at  the   
enemy1 at horses and elephants1 to      
handle the spear1 the sword1 the  arrow1
 and the sling2 to manage the horse1 to 
advance and to retreat1 to  remain in   
order of battle1 to help a comrade in   
arms1 to anticipate the  enemy by       
cunning1 and to conquer4    ,the women  
also are taught these arts under their  
own magistrates and  mistresses1 so that
 they may be able if need be to render  
assistance  to the males in battles near
 the city4 ,they are taught to watch the
  fortifications lest at some time a    
hasty attack should suddenly be made4   
,in this respect they praise the        
,spartans and ,amazons4 ,the women know 

well also how to let fly fiery balls1   
and how to make them from lead2  how to 
throw stones from pinnacles and to go in
 the way of an attack4  ,they are       
accustomed also to give up wine unmixed 
altogether1 and that  one is punished   
most severely who shows any fear4       
,the inhabitants of the ,city of the    
,sun do not fear death1 because they    
all believe that the soul is immortal1  
and that when it has left the  body it  
is associated with other spirits1 wicked
 or good1 according to  the merits of   
this present life4 ,although they are   
partly followers  of ,brahma and        
,pythagoras1 they do not believe in the 
transmigration of  souls1 except in some
 cases by a distinct decree of ,god4    
,they do not  abstain from injuring an  
enemy of the republic and of religion1  
who  is unworthy of pity4 ,during the   
second month the army is reviewed1 and  
every day there is practice of arms1    
either in the cavalry plain or  within  
the walls4 ,nor are they ever without   

lectures on the science of  war4 ,they  
take care that the accounts of ,moses1  
of ,joshua1 of ,david1 of  ,judas       
,maccabaeus1 of ,caesar1 of ,alexander1 
of ,scipio1 of ,hannibal1 and  other    
great soldiers should be read4 ,and then
 each one gives his own  opinion as to  
whether these generals acted well or    
ill1 usefully or  honorably1 and then   
the teacher answers and says who are    
right4      ,g4,m4 ,with whom do they   
wage war1 and for what reasons1 since   
they are so  prosperous8      ,capt4    
,wars might never occur1 nevertheless   
they are exercised in  military tactics 
and in hunting1 lest perchance they     
should become  effeminate and unprepared
 for any emergency4 ,besides1 there are 
four  kingdoms in the island1 which are 
very envious of their prosperity1  for  
this reason that the people desire to   
live after the manner of the            
inhabitants of the ,city of the ,sun1   
and to be under their rule rather  than 
that of their own kings4 ,wherefore the 

,state often makes war upon  these      
because1 being neighbors1 they are      
usurpers and live impiously1  since they
 have not an object of worship and do   
not observe the religion  of other      
nations or of the ,brahmins4 ,and other 
nations of ,india1 to  which formerly   
they were subject1 rise up as it were in
 rebellion1 as  also do the             
,taprobanese1 whom they wanted to join  
them at first4 ,the  warriors of the    
,city of the ,sun1 however1 are always  
the victors4 ,as  soon as they suffered 
from insult or disgrace or plunder1 or  
when their  allies have been harassed1  
or a people have been oppressed by a    
tyrant  of the ,state 7for they are     
always the advocates of liberty71 they  
go  immediately to the ,council for     
deliberation4 ,after they have knelt in 
the presence of ,god1 that he might     
inspire their consultation1 they        
proceed to examine the merits of the    
business1 and thus war is decided  on4  
,immediately after1 a priest1 whom they 

call ,forensic1 is sent away4  ,he      
demands from the enemy the restitution  
of the plunder1 asks that the  allies   
should be freed from oppression1 or that
 the tyrant should be  deposed4 ,if they
 deny these things war is declared by   
invoking the  vengeance of ,god--the    
,god of ,sabaoth--for destruction of    
those who  maintain an unjust cause4    
,but if the enemy refuse to reply1 the  
priest  gives him the space of one hour 
for his answer1 if he is a king1 but    
three if it is a republic1 so that they 
cannot escape giving a response4  ,and  
in this manner is war undertaken against
 the insolent enemies of  natural rights
 and of religion4 ,when war has been    
declared1 the deputy  of ,power performs
 everything1 but ,power1 like the ,roman
 dictator1 plans  and wills everything1 
so that hurtful tardiness may be        
avoided4 ,and when  anything of great   
moment arises he consults ,hoh and      
,wisdom and ,love4    ,before this1     
however1 the occasion of war and the    

justice of making  an expedition are    
declared by a herald in the great       
,council4 ,all from  twenty years and   
upward are admitted to this ,council1   
and thus the  necessaries are agreed    
upon4 ,all kinds of weapons stand in the
 armories1  and these they use often in 
sham fights4 ,the exterior walls of each
 ring  are full of guns prepared by     
their labors1 and they have other       
engines  for hurling which are called   
cannons1 and which they take into battle
  upon mules and asses and carriages4   
,when they have arrived in an  open     
plain they enclose in the middle the    
provisions1 engines of war1  chariots1  
ladders1 and machines1 and all fight    
courageously4 ,then each  one returns to
 the standards1 and the enemy thinking  
that they are  giving and preparing to  
flee1 are deceived and relax their      
order3 then  the warriors of the ,city  
of the ,sun1 wheeling into wings and    
columns on  each side1 regain their     
breath and strength1 and ordering the   

artillery  to discharge their bullets   
they resume the fight against a         
disorganized  host4 ,and they observe   
many ruses of this kind4 ,they overcome 
all  mortals with their stratagems and  
engines4 ,their camp is fortified after 
the manner of the ,romans4 ,they pitch  
their tents and fortify with wall  and  
ditch with wonderful quickness4 ,the    
masters of works1 of engines and        
hurling machines1 stand ready1 and the  
soldiers understand the use of  the     
spade and the axe4    ,five1 eight1 or  
ten leaders learned in the order of     
battle and in  strategy consult together
 concerning the business of war1 and    
command  their bands after consultation4
 ,it is their wont to take out with them
 a  body of boys1 armed and on horses1  
so that they may learn to fight1 just   
as the whelps of lions and wolves are   
accustomed to blood4 ,and these in  time
 of danger betake themselves to a place 
of safety1 along with many  armed women4
 ,after the battle the women and boys   

soothe and relieve  the pain of the     
warriors1 and wait upon them and        
encourage them with  embraces and       
pleasant words4 ,how wonderful a help is
 this6 ,for the  soldiers1 in order that
 they may acquit themselves as sturdy   
men in the  eyes of their wives and     
offspring1 endure hardships1 and so love
 makes  them conquerors4 ,he who in the 
fight first scales the enemy's walls    
receives after the battle of a crown of 
grass1 as a token of honor1  and at the 
presentation the women and boys applaud 
loudly2 that one who  affords aid to an 
ally gets a civic crown of oak-leaves2  
he who kills  a tyrant dedicates his    
arms in the temple and receives from    
,hoh the  cognomen of his deed1 and     
other warriors obtain other kinds of    
crowns4    ,every horse-soldier carries 
a spear and two strongly tempered       
pistols1  narrow at the mouth1 hanging  
from his saddle4 ,and to get the barrels
 of  their pistols narrow they pierce   
the metal which they intend to convert  

into arms4 ,further1 every cavalry      
soldier has a sword and a dagger4 ,but  
the rest1 who form the light-armed      
troops1 carry a metal cudgel4 ,for if   
the foe cannot pierce their metal for   
pistols and cannot make swords1  they   
attack him with clubs1 shatter and      
overthrow him4 ,two chains of six  spans
 length hang from the club1 and at the  
end of these are iron balls1  and when  
these are aimed at the enemy they       
surround his neck and drag  him to the  
ground2 and in order that they may be   
able to use the club  more easily1 they 
do not hold the reins with their hands1 
but use them  by means of the feet4 ,if 
perchance the reins are interchanged    
above  the trappings of the saddle1 the 
ends are fastened to the stirrups with  
buckles1 and not to the feet4 ,and the  
stirrups have an arrangement for  swift 
movement of the bridle1 so that they    
draw in or let out the rein  with       
marvellous celerity4 ,with the right    
foot they turn the horse to  the left1  

and with the left to the right4 ,this   
secret1 moreover1 is not  known to the  
,tartars4 ,for1 although they govern the
 reins with their  feet1 they are       
ignorant nevertheless of turning them   
and drawing them  in and letting them   
out by means of the block of the        
stirrups4 ,the  light-armed cavalry with
 them are the first to engage in battle1
 then the  men forming the phalanx with 
their spears1 then the archers for whose
  services a great price is paid1 and   
who are accustomed to fight in lines    
crossing one another as the threads of  
cloth1 some rushing forward  in their   
turn and others receding4 ,they have a  
band of lancers  strengthening the line 
of battle1 but they make trial of the   
swords only  at the end4    ,after the  
battle they celebrate the military      
triumphs after the manner  of the       
,romans1 and even in a more magnificent 
way4 ,prayers by the way of             
thank-offerings are made to ,god1 and   
then the general presents himself  in   

the temple1 and the deeds1 good and bad1
 are related by the poet  or historian1 
who according to custom was with the    
expedition4 ,and the  greatest chief1   
,hoh1 crowns the general with laurel and
 distributes  little gifts and honors to
 all the valorous soldiers1 who are for 
some  days free from public duties4 ,but
 this exemption from work is by no      
means pleasing to them1 since they know 
not what it is to be at leisure1  and so
 they help their companions4 ,on the    
other hand1 they who have been          
conquered through their own fault1 or   
have lost the victory1 are blamed2  and 
they who were the first to take to      
flight are in no way worthy to  escape  
death1 unless when the whole army asks  
their lives1 and each one  takes upon   
himself a part of their punishment4 ,but
 this indulgence is  rarely granted1    
except when there are good reasons      
favoring it4 ,but he  who did not bear  
help to an ally or friend is beaten with
 rods4 ,that one  who did not obey      

orders is given to the beasts1 in an    
enclosure1 to be  devoured1 and a staff 
is put in his hand1 and if he should    
conquer the  lions and the bears that   
are there1 which is almost impossible1  
he  is received into favor again4 ,the  
conquered ,states or those willingly    
delivered up to them1 forthwith have all
 things in common1 and receive  a       
garrison and magistrates from the ,city 
of the ,sun1 and by degrees they  are   
accustomed to the ways of the city1 the 
mistress of all1 to which  they even    
send their sons to be taught without    
contributing anything for  expense4     
,it would be too great trouble to tell  
you about the spies and their  master1  
and about the guards and laws and       
ceremonies1 both within  and without the
 ,state1 which you can of yourself      
imagine4 ,since from  childhood they are
 chosen according to their inclination  
and the star  under which they were     
born1 therefore each one working        
according to his  natural propensity    

does his duty well and pleasantly1      
because naturally4  ,the same things ,i 
may say concerning strategy and the     
other functions4    ,there are guards in
 the city by day and by night1 and they 
are placed  at the four gates1 and      
outside the walls of the seventh ring1  
above the  breastworks and towers and   
inside mounds4 ,these places are guarded
 in  the day by women1 in the night by  
men4 ,and lest the guard should become  
weary of watching1 and in case of a     
surprise1 they change them every  three 
hours1 as is the custom with our        
soldiers4 ,at sunset1 when the  drum and
 symphonia sound1 the armed guards are  
distributed4 ,cavalry and  infantry make
 use of hunting as the symbol of war and
 practise games and  hold festivities in
 the plains4 ,then the music strikes up1
 and freely  they pardon the offences   
and faults of the enemy1 and after the  
victories they are kind to them1 if it  
has been decreed that they should       
destroy the walls of the enemy's city   

and take their lives4 ,all these  things
 are done on the same day as the        
victory1 and afterward they never  cease
 to load the conquered with favors1 for 
they say that there ought  to be no     
fighting1 except when the conquerors    
give up the conquered1 not  when they   
kill them4 ,if there is a dispute among 
them concerning injury  or any other    
matter 7for they themselves scarcely    
ever contend except  in matters of      
honor71 the chief and his magistrates   
chastise the accused  one secretly1 if  
he has done harm in deeds after he has  
been first  angry4 ,if they wait until  
the time of the battle for the verbal   
decision1 they must give vent to their  
anger against the enemy1 and he  who in 
battle shows the most daring deeds is   
considered to have defended  the better 
and truer cause in the struggle1 and the
 other yields1 and  they are punished   
justly4 ,nevertheless1 they are not     
allowed to come to  single combat1 since
 right is maintained by the tribunal1   

and because  the unjust cause is often  
apparent when the more just succumbs1   
and he  who professes to be the better  
man shows this in public fight4         
,g4,m4 ,this is worth while1 so that    
factions should not be cherished for    
the harm of the fatherland1 and so that 
civil wars might not occur1 for  by     
means of these a tyrant often arises1 as
 the examples of ,rome  and ,athens     
show4 ,now1 ,i pray you1 tell me of     
their works and matter  connected       
therewith4      ,capt4 ,i believe that  
you have already heard about their      
military affairs  and about their       
agricultural and pastoral life1 and in  
what way these  are common to them1 and 
how they honor with the first grade of  
nobility  whoever is considered to have 
knowledge of these4 ,they who are       
skilful  in more arts than these they   
consider still nobler1 and they set     
that one apart for teaching the art in  
which he is most skilful4 ,the          
occupations which require the most      

labor1 such as working in metals and    
building1 are the most praiseworthy     
among them4 ,no one declines to go  to  
these occupations1 for the reason that  
from the beginning their  propensities  
are well known1 and among them1 on      
account of the  distribution of labor1  
no one does work harmful to him1 but    
only that  which is necessary for him4  
,the occupations entailing less labor   
belong  to the women4 ,all of them are  
expected to know how to swim1 and for   
this  reason ponds are dug outside the  
walls of the city and within them near  
to the fountains4    ,commerce is of    
little use to them1 but they know the   
value of money1 and  they count for the 
use of their ambassadors and explorers1 
so that with  it they may have the means
 of living4 ,they receive merchants into
 their  ,states from the different      
countries of the world1 and these buy   
the  superfluous goods of the city4 ,the
 people of the ,city of the ,sun refuse 
to take money1 but in importing they    

accept in exchange those things of      
which they are in need1 and sometimes   
they buy with money2 and the young      
people in the ,city of the ,sun are much
 amused when they see that for  a small 
price they receive so many things in    
exchange4 ,the old men1  however1 do not
 laugh4 ,they are unwilling that the    
,state should be  corrupted by the      
vicious customs of slaves and           
foreigners4 ,therefore  they do business
 at the gates1 and sell those whom they 
have taken in  war or keep them for     
digging ditches and other hard work     
without the  city1 and for this reason  
they always send four bands of soldiers 
to  take care of the fields1 and with   
them there are the laborers4 ,they go   
out of the four gates from which roads  
with walls on both sides of them  lead  
to the sea1 so that goods might easily  
be carried over them and  foreigners    
might not meet with difficulty on their 
way4    ,to strangers they are kind and 
polite2 they keep them for three days at

  the public expense2 after they have   
first washed their feet1 they show  them
 their city and its customs1 and they   
honor them with a seat at the  ,council 
and public table1 and there are men     
whose duty it is to take  care of and   
guard the guests4 ,but if strangers     
should wish to become  citizens of their
 ,state1 they try them first for a month
 on a farm1 and  for another month in   
the city1 then they decide concerning   
them1 and  admit them with certain      
ceremonies and oaths4    ,agriculture is
 much followed among them2 there is not 
a span of earth  without cultivation1   
and they observe the winds and          
propitious stars4  ,with the exception  
of a few left in the city all go out    
armed1 and with  flags and drums and    
trumpets sounding1 to the fields1 for   
the purposes  of ploughing1 sowing1     
digging1 hoeing1 reaping1 gathering     
fruit and  grapes2 and they set in order
 everything1 and do their work in a very
  few hours and with much care4 ,they   

use wagons fitted with sails which  are 
borne along by the wind even when it is 
contrary1 by the marvellous  contrivance
 of wheels within wheels4    ,and when  
there is no wind a beast draws along a  
huge cart1 which is a  grand sight4     
,the guardians of the land move about in
 the meantime1 armed and always  in     
their proper turn4 ,they do not use dung
 and filth for manuring the  fields1    
thinking that the fruit contracts       
something of their rottenness1  and when
 eaten gives a short and poor           
subsistence1 as women who are  beautiful
 with rouge and from want of exercise   
bring forth feeble  offspring4          
,wherefore they do not as it were paint 
the earth1 but dig  it up well and use  
secret remedies1 so that fruit is borne 
quickly and  multiplies1 and is not     
destroyed4 ,they have a book for this   
work1  which they call the ,georgics4   
,as much of the land as is necessary is 
cultivated1 and the rest is used for the
 pasturage of cattle4    ,the excellent 

occupation of breeding and rearing      
horses1 oxen1 sheep1  dogs1 and all     
kinds of domestic and tame animals is in
 the highest  esteem among them as it   
was in the time of ,abraham4 ,and the   
animals are  led so to pair that they   
may be able to breed well4    ,fine     
pictures of oxen1 horses1 sheep1 and    
other animals are placed  before them4  
,they do not turn out horses with mares 
to feed1 but at the  proper time they   
bring them together in an enclosure of  
the stables in  their fields4 ,and this 
is done when they observe that the      
constellation  ,archer is in favorable  
conjunction with ,mars and ,jupiter4    
,for the oxen  they observe the ,bull1  
for the sheep the ,ram1 and so on in    
accordance  with art4 ,under the        
,pleiades they keep a drove of hens and 
ducks and  geese1 which are driven out  
by the women to feed near the city4 ,the
  women only do this when it is a       
pleasure to them4 ,there are also places
  enclosed1 where they make cheese1     

butter1 and milk-food4 ,they also keep  
capons1 fruit1 and other things1 and for
 all these matters there is a  book     
which they call the ,bucolics4 ,they    
have an abundance of all things1  since 
everyone likes to be industrious1 their 
labors being slight and  profitable4    
,they are docile1 and that one among    
them who is head of the  rest in duties 
of this kind they call king4 ,for they  
say that this  is the proper name of the
 leaders1 and it does not belong to     
ignorant  persons4 ,it is wonderful to  
see how men and women march together    
collectively1 and always in obedience to
 the voice of the king4 ,nor do  they   
regard him with loathing as we do1 for  
they know that although he  is greater  
than themselves1 he is for all that     
their father and brother4  ,they keep   
groves and woods for wild animals1 and  
they often hunt4    ,the science of     
navigation is considered very dignified 
by them1 and they  possess rafts and    
triremes1 which go over the waters      

without rowers  or the force of the     
wind1 but by a marvellous contrivance4  
,and other  vessels they have which are 
moved by the winds4 ,they have a correct
  knowledge of the stars1 and of the ebb
 and flow of the tide4 ,they  navigate  
for the sake of becoming acquainted with
 nations and different  countries and   
things4 ,they injure nobody1 and they do
 not put up with  injury1 and they never
 go to battle unless when provoked4     
,they assert  that the whole earth will 
in time come to live in accordance with 
their  customs1 and consequently they   
always find out whether there be a      
nation  whose manner of living is better
 and more approved than the rest4 ,they 
admire the ,christian institutions and  
look for a realization of the  apostolic
 life in vogue among themselves and in  
us4 ,there are treaties  between them   
and the ,chinese and many other nations1
 both insular and  continental1 such as 
,siam and ,calicut1 which they are only 
just able  to explore4 ,furthermore1    

they have artificial fires1 battles on  
sea  and land1 and many strategic       
secrets4 ,therefore they are nearly     
always  victorious4      ,g4,m4 ,now it 
would be very pleasant to learn with    
what foods and drinks  they are         
nourished1 and in what way and for how  
long they live4      ,capt4 ,their food 
consists of flesh1 butter1 honey1       
cheese1 garden herbs1  and vegetables of
 various kinds4 ,they were unwilling at 
first to slay  animals1 because it      
seemed cruel2 but thinking afterward    
that is was  also cruel to destroy herbs
 which have a share of sensitive        
feeling1  they saw that they would      
perish from hunger unless they did an   
unjustifiable action for the sake of    
justifiable ones1 and so now they  all  
eat meat4 ,nevertheless1 they do not    
kill willingly useful animals1  such as 
oxen and horses4 ,they observe the      
difference between useful and  harmful  
foods1 and for this they employ the     
science of medicine4  ,they always      

change their food4 ,first they eat      
flesh1 then fish1 then  afterward they  
go back to flesh1 and nature is never   
incommoded or  weakened4 ,the old people
 use the more digestible kind of food1  
and take  three meals a day1 eating only
 a little4 ,but the general community   
eat  twice1 and the boys four times1    
that they may satisfy nature4 ,the      
length  of their lives is generally #ajj
 years1 but often they reach #bjj4      
,as regards drinking1 they are extremely
 moderate4 ,wine is never given  to     
young people until they are ten years   
old1 unless the state of their  health  
demands it4 ,after their tenth year they
 take it diluted with  water1 and so do 
the women1 but the old men of fifty and 
upward use  little or no water4 ,they   
eat the most healthy things1 according  
to the  time of the year4    ,they think
 nothing harmful which is brought forth 
by ,god1 except when  there has been    
abuse by taking too much4 ,and therefore
 in the summer  they feed on fruits1    

because they are moist and juicy and    
cool1  and counteract the heat and      
dryness4 ,in the winter they feed on dry
  articles1 and in the autumn they eat  
grapes1 since they are given by ,god  to
 remove melancholy and sadness2 and they
 also make use of scents to a  great    
degree4 ,in the morning1 when they have 
all risen they comb their  hair and wash
 their faces and hands with cold water4 
,then they chew  thyme or rock-parsley  
or fennel1 or rub their hands with these
 plants4  ,the old men make incense1 and
 with their faces to the east repeat the
  short prayer which ,jesus ,christ     
taught us4 ,after this they go to wait  
upon the old men1 some go to the dance1 
and others to the duties of the  ,state4
 ,later on they meet at the early       
lectures1 then in the temple1  then for 
bodily exercise4 ,then for a little     
while they sit down to rest1  and at    
length they go to dinner4    ,among them
 there is never gout in the hands or    
feet1 nor catarrh1 nor  sciatica1 nor   

grievous colics1 nor flatulency1 nor    
hard breathing4  ,for these diseases are
 caused by indigestion and flatulency1  
and by  frugality and exercise they     
remove every humor and spasm4 ,therefore
 it  is unseemly in the extreme to be   
seen vomiting or spitting1 since they   
say that this is a sign either of little
 exercise1 or of ignoble sloth1  or of  
drunkenness1 or gluttony4 ,they suffer  
rather from swellings or  from the dry  
spasm1 which they relieve with plenty of
 good and juicy  food4 ,they heal fevers
 with pleasant baths and with milk-food1
 and with  a pleasant habitation in the 
country and by gradual exercise4        
,unclean  diseases cannot be prevalent  
with them because they often clean their
  bodies by bathing in wine1 and soothe 
them with aromatic oil1 and by the      
sweat of exercise they diffuse the      
poisonous vapor which corrupts the      
blood and the marrow4 ,they do suffer a 
little from consumption1 because  they  
cannot perspire at the breast1 but they 

never have asthma1 for the  humid nature
 of which a heavy man is required4 ,they
 cure hot fevers  with cold potations of
 water1 but slight ones with sweet      
smells1 with  cheese-bread or sleep1    
with music or dancing4 ,tertiary fevers 
are cured  by bleeding1 by rhubarb or by
 a similar drawing remedy1 or by water  
soaked in the roots of plants1 with     
purgative and sharp-tasting  qualities4 
,but it is rarely that they take        
purgative medicines4 ,fevers  occurring 
every fourth day are cured easily by    
suddenly startling the  unprepared      
patients1 and by means of herbs         
producing effects opposite to  the      
humors of this fever4 ,all these secrets
 they told me in opposition  to their   
own wishes4 ,they take more diligent    
pains to cure the lasting  fevers1 which
 they fear more1 and they strive to     
counteract these by  the observation of 
stars and of plants1 and by prayers to  
,god4 ,fevers  recurring every fifth1   
sixth1 eighth or more days1 you never   

find  whenever heavy humors are wanting4
    ,they use baths1 and moreover they  
have warm ones according to the ,roman  
custom1 and they make use also of olive 
oil4 ,they have found out1 too1 a  great
 many secret cures for the preservation 
of cleanliness and health4  ,and in     
other ways they labor to cure the       
epilepsy1 with which they are  often    
troubled4      ,g4,m4 ,a sign this      
disease is of wonderful cleverness1 for 
from it  ,hercules1 ,scotus1 ,socrates1 
,callimachus1 and ,mahomet have         
suffered4      ,capt4 ,they cure by     
means of prayers to heaven1 by          
strengthening the  head1 by acids1 by   
planned gymnastics1 and with fat        
cheese-bread  sprinkled with the flour  
of wheaten corn4 ,they are very skilled 
in  making dishes1 and in them they put 
spice1 honey1 butter1 and many  highly  
strengthening spices1 and they temper   
their richness with  acids1 so that they
 never vomit4 ,they do not drink        
ice-cold drinks nor  artificial hot     

drinks1 as the ,chinese do2 for they are
 not without aid  against the humors of 
the body1 on account of the help they   
get from the  natural heat of the water2
 but they strengthen it with crushed    
garlic1  with vinegar1 with wild thyme1 
with mint1 and with basil1 in the summer
  or in time of special heaviness4 ,they
 know also a secret for renovating  life
 after about the seventieth year1 and   
for ridding it of affliction1  and this 
they do by a pleasing and indeed        
wonderful art4      ,g4,m4 ,thus far you
 have said nothing concerning their     
sciences and  magistrates4      ,capt4  
,undoubtedly ,i have ,but since you are 
so curious ,i will add more4  ,both when
 it is new moon and full moon they call 
a council after a  sacrifice4 ,to this  
all from twenty years upward are        
admitted1 and each  one is asked        
separately to say what is wanting in the
 ,state1 and which  of the magistrates  
have discharged their duties rightly and
 which  wrongly4 ,then after eight days 

all the magistrates assemble1 to wit1   
,hoh  first1 and with him ,power1       
,wisdom1 and ,love4 ,each one of the    
three  last has three magistrates under 
him1 making in all thirteen1 and they   
consider the affairs of the arts        
pertaining to each one of them3 ,power1 
of war2 ,wisdom1 of the sciences2 ,love1
 of food1 clothing1 education1  and     
breeding4 ,the masters of all the bands1
 who are captains of tens1 of  fifties1 
of hundreds1 also assemble1 the women   
first and then the men4  ,they argue    
about those things which are for the    
welfare of the ,state1  and they choose 
the magistrates from among those who    
have already been  named in the great   
,council4 ,in this manner they assemble 
daily1 ,hoh and  his three princes1 and 
they correct1 confirm1 and execute the  
matters  passing to them1 as decisions  
in the elections2 other necessary       
questions they provide of themselves4   
,they do not use lots unless when  they 
are altogether doubtful how to decide4  

,the eight magistrates under  ,hoh1     
,power1 ,wisdom1 and ,love are changed  
according to the wish of  the people1   
but the first four are never changed1   
unless they1 taking  counsel with       
themselves1 give up the dignity of one  
to another1 whom  among them they know  
to be wiser1 more renowned1 and more    
nearly  perfect4 ,and then they are     
obedient and honorable1 since they yield
  willingly to the wiser man and are    
taught by him4 ,this1 however1 rarely   
happens4 ,the principals of the         
sciences1 except ,metaphysic1 who is    
,hoh  himself1 and is1 as it were1 the  
architect of all science1 having rule   
over all1 are attached to ,wisdom4 ,hoh 
is ashamed to be ignorant of any        
possible thing4 ,under ,wisdom therefore
 are ,grammar1 ,logic1 ,physics1        
,medicine1 ,astrology1 ,astronomy1      
,geometry1 ,cosmography1 ,music1        
,perspective1 ,arithmetic1 ,poetry1     
,rhetoric1 ,painting1 ,sculpture4 ,under
  the triumvir ,love are ,breeding1     

,agriculture1 ,education1 ,medicine1    
,clothing1 ,pasturage1 ,coining4        
,g4,m4 ,what about their judges8        
,capt4 ,this is the point ,i was just   
thinking of explaining4 ,everyone  is   
judged by the first master of his trade1
 and thus all the head  artificers are  
judges4 ,they punish with exile1 with   
flogging1 with  blame1 with deprivation 
of the common table1 with exclusion from
 the  church and from the company of    
women4 ,when there is a case in which   
great injury has been done1 it is       
punished with death1 and they repay  an 
eye with an eye1 a nose for a nose1 a   
tooth for a tooth1 and so  on1 according
 to the law of retaliation4 ,if the     
offence is wilful the  ,council decides4
 ,when there is strife and it takes     
place undesignedly1  the sentence is    
mitigated2 nevertheless1 not by the     
judge but by the  triumvirate1 from whom
 even it may be referred to ,hoh1 not on
 account of  justice but of mercy1 for  
,hoh is able to pardon4 ,they have no   

prisons1  except one tower for shutting 
up rebellious enemies1 and there is no  
written statement of a case1 which we   
commonly call a lawsuit4 ,but the       
accusation and witnesses are produced in
 the presence of the judge  and ,power2 
the accused person makes his defence1   
and he is immediately  acquitted or     
condemned by the judge2 and if he       
appeals to the  triumvirate1 on the     
following day he is acquitted or        
condemned4 ,on the  third day he is     
dismissed through the mercy and clemency
 of ,hoh1 or  receives the inviolable   
rigor of his sentence4 ,an accused      
person is  reconciled to his accuser and
 to his witnesses1 as it were1 with the 
medicine of his complaint1 that is1 with
 embracing and kissing4    ,no one is   
killed or stoned unless by the hands of 
the people1 the  accuser and the        
witnesses beginning first4 ,for they    
have no executioners  and lictors1 lest 
the ,state should sink into ruin4 ,the  
choice of death  is given to the rest of

 the people1 who enclose the lifeless   
remains in  little bags and burn them by
 the application of fire1 while         
exhorters  are present for the purpose  
of advising concerning a good death4    
,nevertheless1 the whole nation laments 
and beseeches ,god that his anger  may  
be appeased1 being in grief that it     
should1 as it were1 have to cut  off a  
rotten member of the ,state4 ,certain   
officers talk to and convince  the      
accused man by means of arguments until 
he himself acquiesces in  the sentence  
of death passed upon him1 or else he    
does not die4 ,but if a  crime has been 
committed against the liberty of the    
republic1 or against  ,god1 or against  
the supreme magistrates1 there is       
immediate censure  without pity4 ,these 
only are punished with death4 ,he who is
 about to die  is compelled to state in 
the presence of the people and with     
religious  scrupulousness the reasons   
for which he does not deserve death1 and
 also  the sins of the others who ought 

to die instead of him1 and further the  
mistakes of the magistrates4 ,if1       
moreover1 it should seem right to the   
person thus asserting1 he must say why  
the accused ones are deserving of  less 
punishment than he4 ,and if by his      
arguments he gains the victory  he is   
sent into exile1 and appeases the ,state
 by means of prayers and  sacrifices and
 good life ensuing4 ,they do not torture
 those named by the  accused person1 but
 they warn them4 ,sins of frailty and   
ignorance are  punished only with       
blaming1 and with compulsory            
continuation as learners  under the law 
and discipline of those sciences or arts
 against which  they have sinned4 ,and  
all these things they have mutually     
among  themselves1 since they seem to be
 in very truth members of the same      
body1 and one of another4    ,this      
further ,i would have you know1 that if 
a transgressor1 without  waiting to be  
accused1 goes of his own accord before a
 magistrate1  accusing himself and      

seeking to make amends1 that one is     
liberated from  the punishment of a     
secret crime1 and since he has not been 
accused of  such a crime1 his punishment
 is changed into another4 ,they take    
special  care that no one should invent 
slander1 and if this should happen they 
meet the offence with the punishment of 
retaliation4 ,since they always  walk   
about and work in crowds1 five witnesses
 are required for the  conviction of a  
transgressor4 ,if the case is otherwise1
 after having  threatened him1 he is    
released after he has sworn an oath as  
the  warrant of good conduct4 ,or if he 
is accused a second or third time1 his  
increased punishment rests on the       
testimony of three or two witnesses4    
,they have but few laws1 and these short
 and plain1 and written upon a  flat    
table and hanging to the doors of the   
temple1 that is between  the columns4   
,and on single columns can be seen the  
essences of things  described in the    
very terse style of ,metaphysic--viz41  

the essences  of ,god1 of the angels1 of
 the world1 of the stars1 of man1 of    
fate1 of  virtue1 all done with great   
wisdom4 ,the definitions of all the     
virtues  are also delineated here1 and  
here is the tribunal1 where the judges  
of  all the virtues have their seat4    
,the definition of a certain virtue is  
written under that column where the     
judges for the aforesaid virtue sit1    
and when a judge gives judgment he sits 
and speaks thus3 ,o son1 thou  hast     
sinned against this sacred definition of
 beneficence1 or of  magnanimity1 or of 
another virtue1 as the case may be4 ,and
 after  discussion the judge legally    
condemns him to the punishment for the  
crime of which he is accused--viz41 for 
injury1 for despondency1 for  pride1 for
 ingratitude1 for sloth1 etc4 ,but the  
sentences are certain  and true         
correctives1 savoring more of clemency  
than of actual  punishment4      ,g4,m4 
,now you ought to tell me about their   
priests1 their sacrifices1  their       

religion1 and their belief4      ,capt4 
,the chief priest is ,hoh1 and it is the
 duty of all the superior  magistrates  
to pardon sins4 ,therefore the whole    
,state by secret  confession1 which we  
also use1 tell their sins to the        
magistrates1  who at once purge their   
souls and teach those that are inimical 
to  the people4 ,then the sacred        
magistrates themselves confess their own
  sinfulness to the three supreme       
chiefs1 and together they confess the   
faults of one another1 though no special
 one is named1 and they confess         
especially the heavier faults and those 
harmful to the ,state4 ,at length  the  
triumvirs confess their sinfulness to   
,hoh himself1 who forthwith  recognizes 
the kinds of sins that are harmful to   
the ,state1 and succors  with timely    
remedies4 ,then he offers sacrifices and
 prayers to ,god4 ,and  before this he  
confesses the sins of the whole people1 
in the presence  of ,god1 and publicly  
in the temple1 above the altar1 as often

 as it  had been necessary that the     
fault should be corrected4              
,nevertheless1 no  transgressor is      
spoken of by his name4 ,in this manner  
he absolves the  people by advising them
 that they should beware of sins of the 
aforesaid  kind4 ,afterward he offers   
sacrifice to ,god1 that he should pardon
 the  ,state and absolve it of its sins1
 and to teach and defend it4 ,once in   
every year the chief priests of each    
separate subordinate ,state confess     
their sins in the presence of ,hoh4     
,thus he is not ignorant of the         
wrongdoings of the provinces1 and       
forthwith he removes them with all      
human and heavenly remedies4            
,sacrifice is conducted after the       
following manner3 ,hoh asks the people  
which one among them wishes to give     
himself as a sacrifice to ,god for  the 
sake of his fellows4 ,he is then placed 
upon the fourth table1 with  ceremonies 
and the offering up of prayers3 the     
table is hung up in  a wonderful manner 

by means of four ropes passing through  
four cords  attached to firm            
pulley-blocks in the small dome of the  
temple4 ,this  done they cry to the ,god
 of mercy1 that he may accept the       
offering1 not  of a beast as among the  
heathen1 but of a human being4 ,then    
,hoh orders  the ropes to be drawn and  
the sacrifice is pulled up above to the 
centre  of the small dome1 and there it 
dedicates itself with the most fervent  
supplications4 ,food is given to it     
through a window by the priests1 who    
live around the dome1 but it is allowed 
a very little to eat1 until it  has     
atoned for the sins of the ,state4      
,there with prayer and fasting he  cries
 to the ,god of heaven that he might    
accept its willing offering4  ,and after
 twenty or thirty days1 the anger of    
,god being appeased1 the  sacrifice     
becomes a priest1 or sometimes1 though  
rarely1 returns below  by means of the  
outer way for the priests4 ,ever after1 
this man is  treated with great         

benevolence and much honor1 for the     
reason that he  offered himself unto    
death for the sake of his country4 ,but 
,god does not  require death4    ,the   
priests above twenty-four years of age  
offer praises from their  places in the 
top of the temple4 ,this they do in the 
middle of the  night1 at noon1 in the   
morning and in the evening1 to wit1 four
 times a  day they sing their chants in 
the presence of ,god4 ,it is also their 
work  to observe the stars and to note  
with the astrolabe their motions and    
influences upon human things1 and to    
find out their powers4 ,thus they  know 
in what part of the earth any change has
 been or will be1 and at  what time it  
has taken place1 and they send to find  
whether the matter  be as they have it4 
,they make a note of predictions1 true  
and false1  so that they may be able    
from experience to predict most         
correctly4 ,the  priests1 moreover1     
determine the hours for breeding and the
 days for  sowing1 reaping1 and         

gathering the vintage1 and are1 as it   
were1 the  ambassadors and intercessors 
and connection between ,god and man4    
,and it  is from among them mostly that 
,hoh is elected4 ,they write very       
learned  treatises and search into the  
sciences4 ,below they never descend1    
unless  for their dinner and supper1 so 
that the essence of their heads do not  
descend to the stomachs and liver4 ,only
 very seldom1 and that as a cure  for   
the ills of solitude1 do they have      
converse with women4 ,on certain  days  
,hoh goes up to them and deliberates    
with them concerning the  matters which 
he has lately investigated for the      
benefit of the ,state  and all the      
nations of the world4    ,in the temple 
beneath1 one priest always stands near  
the altar praying  for the people1 and  
at the end of every hour another        
succeeds him1 just  as we are accustomed
 in solemn prayer to change every fourth
 hour4 ,and  this method of supplication
 they call perpetual prayer4 ,after a   

meal  they return thanks to ,god4 ,then 
they sing the deeds of the ,christian1  
,jewish1 and ,gentile heroes1 and of    
those of all other nations1 and this  is
 very delightful to them4 ,forsooth1 no 
one is envious of another4  ,they sing a
 hymn to ,love1 one to ,wisdom1 and one 
each to all the other  virtues1 and this
 they do under the direction of the     
ruler of each  virtue4 ,each one takes  
the woman he loves most1 and they dance 
for  exercise with propriety and        
stateliness under the peristyles4 ,the  
women  wear their long hair all twisted 
together and collected into one knot on 
the crown of the head1 but in rolling it
 they leave one curl4 ,the men1         
however1 have one curl only and the rest
 of their hair around the head  is      
shaven off4 ,further1 they wear a slight
 covering1 and above this a  round hat a
 little larger than the size of their   
head4 ,in the fields  they use caps1 but
 at home each one wears a biretta1      
white1 red1 or  another color according 

to his trade or occupation4 ,moreover1  
the  magistrates use grander and more   
imposing-looking coverings for the      
head4    ,they hold great festivities   
when the sun enters the four cardinal   
points  of the heavens1 that is1 when he
 enters ,cancer1 ,libra1 ,capricorn1 and
  ,aries4 ,on these occasions they have 
very learned1 splendid1 and1 as it      
were1 comic performances4 ,they         
celebrate also every full and every new 
moon with a festival1 as also they do   
the anniversaries of the founding  of   
the city1 and of the days when they have
 won victories or done any  other great 
achievement4 ,the celebrations take     
place with the music of  female voices1 
with the noise of trumpets and drums1   
and the firing of  salutations4 ,the    
poets sing the praises of the most      
renowned leaders  and the victories4    
,nevertheless1 if any of them should    
deceive even  by disparaging a foreign  
hero1 he is punished4 ,no one can       
exercise the  function of a poet who    

invents that which is not true1 and a   
license  like this they think to be a   
pest of our world1 for the reason that  
it  puts a premium upon virtue and often
 assigns it to unworthy persons1  either
 from fear of flattery1 or ambition1 or 
avarice4    ,for the praise of no one is
 a statue erected until after his death2
 but  while he is alive1 who has found  
out new arts and very useful secrets1   
or who has rendered great service to the
 ,state either at home or on the        
battle-field1 his name is written in the
 book of heroes4 ,they do not  bury dead
 bodies1 but burn them1 so that a plague
 may not arise from  them1 and so that  
they may be converted into fire1 a very 
noble and  powerful thing1 which has its
 coming from the sun and returns to it4 
,and  for the above reasons no chance is
 given for idolatry4 ,the statues and   
pictures of the heroes1 however1 are    
there1 and the splendid women set  apart
 to become mothers often look at them4  
,prayers are made from the  ,state to   

the four horizontal corners of the      
world--in the morning to the  rising    
sun1 then to the setting sun1 then to   
the south1 and lastly  to the north2 and
 in the contrary order in the evening1  
first to the  setting sun1 to the rising
 sun1 to the north1 and at length to the
  south4 ,they repeat but one prayer1   
which asks for health of body and of    
mind1 and happiness for themselves and  
all people1 and they conclude it  with  
the petition ,as it seems best to ,god4 
,the public prayer for all  is long1 and
 it is poured forth to heaven4 ,for this
 reason the altar is  round and is      
divided crosswise by ways at right      
angles to one another4  ,by these ways  
,hoh enters after he has repeated the   
four prayers1 and he  prays looking up  
to heaven4 ,and then a great mystery is 
seen by them4  ,the priestly vestments  
are of a beauty and meaning like to     
those of  ,aaron4 ,they resemble nature 
and they surpass ,art4    ,they divide  
the seasons according to the revolution 

of the sun1 and not  of the stars1 and  
they observe yearly by how much time the
 one precedes  the other4 ,they hold    
that the sun approaches nearer and      
nearer1 and  therefore by ever-lessening
 circles reaches the tropics and the    
equator  every year a little sooner4    
,they measure months by the course of   
the  moon1 years by that of the sun4    
,they praise ,ptolemy1 admire           
,copernicus1  but place ,aristarchus and
 ,philolaus before him4 ,they take great
 pains in  endeavoring to understand the
 construction of the world1 and whether 
or  not it will perish1 and at what     
time4 ,they believe that the true oracle
  of ,jesus ,christ is by the signs in  
the sun1 in the moon1 and in the  stars1
 which signs do not thus appear to many 
of us foolish ones4  ,therefore they    
wait for the renewing of the age1 and   
perchance for its  end4    ,they say    
that it is very doubtful whether the    
world was made from  nothing1 or from   
the ruins of other worlds1 or from      

chaos1 but they  certainly think that it
 was made1 and did not exist from       
eternity4  ,therefore they disbelieve in
 ,aristotle1 whom they consider a       
logican and  not a philosopher4 ,from   
analogies1 they can draw many arguments 
against  the eternity of the world4 ,the
 sun and the stars they1 so to speak1   
regard as the living representatives and
 signs of ,god1 as the temples  and holy
 living altars1 and they honor but do   
not worship them4 ,beyond  all other    
things they venerate the sun1 but they  
consider no created  thing worthy the   
adoration of worship4 ,this they give to
 ,god alone1 and  thus they serve ,him1 
that they may not come into the power of
 a tyrant  and fall into misery by      
undergoing punishment by creatures of   
revenge4  ,they contemplate and know    
,god under the image of the ,sun1 and   
they call  it the sign of ,god1 ,his    
face and living image1 by means of which
 light1  heat1 life1 and the making of  
all things good and bad proceed4        

,therefore  they have built an altar    
like to the sun in shape1 and the       
priests  praise ,god in the sun and in  
the stars1 as it were ,his altars1 and  
in  the heavens1 ,his temple as it were2
 and they pray to good angels1 who  are1
 so to speak1 the intercessors living in
 the stars1 their strong  abodes4 ,for  
,god long since set signs of their      
beauty in heaven1 and of  ,his glory in 
the sun4 ,they say there is but one     
heaven1 and that the  planets move and  
rise of themselves when they approach   
the sun or are in  conjunction with it4 
,they assert two principles of the      
physics of things below1 namely1 that   
the sun is the father1 and the earth the
 mother2 the air is an impure  part of  
the heavens2 all fire is derived from   
the sun4 ,the sea is the  sweat of      
earth1 or the fluid of earth combusted1 
and fused within its  bowels1 but is the
 bond of union between air and earth1 as
 the blood is  of the spirit and flesh  
of animals4 ,the world is a great       

animal1 and we  live within it as worms 
live within us4 ,therefore we do not    
belong to  the system of stars1 sun1 and
 earth1 but to ,god only2 for in respect
  to them which seek only to amplify    
themselves1 we are born and live by     
chance2 but in respect to ,god1 whose   
instruments we are1 we are formed  by   
prescience and design1 and for a high   
end4 ,therefore we are bound to  no     
father but ,god1 and receive all things 
from ,him4 ,they hold as beyond         
question the immortality of souls1 and  
that these associate with good  angels  
after death1 or with bad angels1        
according as they have likened          
themselves in this life to either4 ,for 
all things seek their like4 ,they       
differ little from us as to places of   
reward and punishment4 ,they are in     
doubt whether there are other worlds    
beyond ours1 and account it madness  to 
say there is nothing4 ,nonentity is     
incompatible with the infinite  entity  
of ,god4 ,they lay down two principles  

of metaphysics1 entity which  is the    
highest ,god1 and nothingness which is  
the defect of entity4 ,evil  and sin    
come of the propensity to nothingness2  
the sin having its cause  not efficient1
 but in deficiency4 ,deficiency is1 they
 say1 of power1  wisdom1 or will4 ,sin  
they place in the last of these three1  
because he  who knows and has the power 
to do good is bound also to have the    
will1  for will arises out of them4     
,they worship ,god in trinity1 saying   
,god is  the ,supreme ,power1 whence    
proceeds the highest ,wisdom1 which is  
the same  with ,god1 and from these     
comes ,love1 which is both power and    
wisdom2 but  they do not distinguish    
persons by name1 as in our ,christian   
law1 which  has not been revealed to    
them4 ,this religion1 when its abuses   
have been  removed1 will be the future  
mistress of the world1 as great         
theologians  teach and hope4 ,therefore 
,spain found the ,new ,world 7though its
 first  discoverer1 ,columbus1 greatest 

of heroes1 was a ,genoese71 that all    
nations should be gathered under one    
law4 ,we know not what we do1 but  ,god 
knows1 whose instruments we are4 ,they  
sought new regions for lust of  gold and
 riches1 but ,god works to a higher end4
 ,the sun strives to burn  up the earth1
 not to produce plants and men1 but ,god
 guides the battle  to great issues4    
,his the praise1 to ,him the glory6     
,g4,m4 ,oh1 if you knew what our        
astrologers say of the coming age1 and  
of  our age1 that has in it more history
 within #ajj years than all the world   
had in #d1jjj years before6 of the      
wonderful inventions of printing and    
guns1 and the use of the magnet1 and how
 it all comes of ,mercury1 ,mars1  the  
,moon1 and the ,scorpion6      ,capt4   
,ah1 well6 ,god gives all in ,his good  
time4 ,they astrologize too  much4      
7#a7 ,a pace was #a-i_/be yard1 #a1jjj  
paces making a mile