The Oneiric Travel of Polifilo: Between Locus Horridus and Locus Amoenus

The aim of this paper is to propose a lecture of some initial passages of Hypnerotomachia Poliphili, written by Francesco Colonna and published in 1499. First, we try to go through the tradition of descritpio locorum in ancient rhetoric treatises and the literary production, with respect to two frequent topoi: locus amoenus and locus horridus. We also follow their formal modifications in the Middle Ages, as Colonna draws both from the ancient and medieval tradition in its own construction of loci. Our premise is that the place description in the Colonna’s opera, apart from being an important support for the narrative thread, plays an important structural role by ordinating events and helping that way their memorization. Moreover, the setting of imagery elements of the described places offers a clear interpretation key to the allegorical journey of Polifilo. 

The aim of this paper is to propose a lecture of some initial passages of Hypnerotomachia Poliphili, written by Francesco Colonna and published in 1499. First, we try to go through the tradition of descritpio locorum in ancient rhetoric treatises and the literary production, with respect to two frequent topoi: locus amoenus and locus horridus. We also follow their formal modifications in the Middle Ages, as Colonna draws both from the ancient and medieval tradition in its own construction of loci. Our premise is that the place description in the Colonna’s opera, apart from being an important support for the narrative thread, plays an important structural role by ordinating events and helping that way their memorization. Moreover, the setting of imagery elements of the described places offers a clear interpretation key to the allegorical journey of Polifilo.