Pearl of Creation

Greetings beautiful souls! It is my honor to share the translation of the 1582 Map of the Earth Construct and Beyond by the cartographer Antonio Saliba of Malta. To explore the map in detail, visit https://kartenspeicher.gbv.de/item/hab_mods_00007813. Note that the content of this map does not necessarily reflect my worldview.

This is a highly informative map packed with texts and figures. To make it easier to follow, I will outline the overall layout of the main texts in Italian and English, starting from the upper left corner to the lower right corner of the map:

– Texts within the orange box is a letter from Antonio Saliba to Marcantonio Colonna, the Viceroy of Sicily, expressing Saliba’s admiration for the Viceroy and offering the map as a token of appreciation.
– The first paragraph starting with “Questa Machina del Mondo,” which translates to “The Machine of the World,” provides an introduction to the Earth construct and the worlds beyond, in relation to the elements, the planets, and their motions.
– The following paragraphs are organized according to the realms and themes indicated in the title.

• Of The Earth and of Hell – Della Terra E Dell’inferno
• Of The Demons and of The Torments Suffered by Souls in Hell – De I Demon Il E Delle Pene Che Patiscono L’anime Nell’inferno
• Of The Limbo of Children – Del Limbo Di Fanciuili
• The Third Circle Is Purgatory – Il Terzo Cerchio È Il Purgatorio
• On The Punishments And The Fire Of Hell And of Purgatory – Delle Pene, Efuoc Dello Inferno, E Del Purgatorio
• On Limbo, Which In Ancient Times Was The Place of The Holy Fathers – Del Limbo Che Antichamente Fu’di Padri Sancti
• In That Part And Place of Hell Where The Soul of Christ Descended – In Cie Parte E Luogo Dell’ Inferno Discese L’anima Di Christo
• The Seven Ages of The World – Sette Sono Le Eta’ Del Mondo
• On The Sea, And On Its Salinity – Del Mare, E Della Sua Salsedine
• On The Air, Its Parts, And The Regions Described By Philosopher – Dell’ Aria, Esve Parti Dette Da Filosofi Regioni
• On The Effects That The Sun Produces On The Earth, The Sea, And The Air: Dell’ Effetto Che Fà Il Sole Nella Terra Nel Mare E Nell’ Aere
• Second Region Of The Air: Seconda Reggione Dele Aria
• Remedies Against Lightning Bolts: Li Rimedii Contra Le Saette
• Third Region of The Air: Terza Reggione Dell’ Aria
• On Comets and other Similar Fiery Phenomena: Delle Comete Et Altre Simili Impressioni Ignite

– After translating the main texts, I will go into the texts within the main image, starting with those in the four corners with the depiction of the suns and the moons, then moving into the inner layers.

In part 1, we start with the map title, the letter, and the introduction.

In part 2, we explore:

• Of The Earth and of Hell
• Of The Demons and of The Torments Suffered by souls in Hell
• Of The Limbo of Children
• The Third Circle Is Purgatory
• On The Punishments and The Fire of Hell and of Purgatory

In part 3, we explore:

• In that Part And Place of Hell Where The Soul of Christ Descended
• The Seven Ages of The World
• On The Sea And On Its Salinity
• On The Air, Its Parts, And The Regions Described By Philosopher

In part 4, we explore:

• On the Effects that the Sun Produces in the Earth, in the Sea, and in the Air

In part 5, we will explore:

• Second Region of the Air
• The Remedies Against Lightening Strikes
• Third Region of the Air

SECOND REGION OF THE AIR

When the vapors, by the power of the Sun, rise along with the exaltation into the second region of the air, they immediately condense due to the coldness of the place—part of them forming rain, and part forming clouds. For it is cold that causes condensation. Inside these clouds, the exaltations, which are hot and dry, are trapped. These exaltations, seeking to escape, are driven out by the coldness of the cloud as if repelled by an enemy. They unite together and once gathered, they warm up. As they heat up, they ignite and once ignited, they generate force. This powerful force bursts open the cloud and causes the thunder, a sound so dreadful as if tearing apart a thin sheet of paper. Sometimes the cloud bursts at the bottom towards us, and then we hear the thunder and see the lightning. Sometimes up towards the Moon at no. 7. And now there is only thunder, and no lightning is seen. And the escalation is so intense, and a bright light comes out of it and goes far into the air, which sometimes burns people’s faces and hair, and causes other similar effects, and because of its thinness and rarity, it consumes whatever things are in front of it, and covering the earth, it penetrates rare bodies without causing them any external damage. But it breaks and smashes hard, thick, and resistant objects, and thus consumes the sword without damaging the scabbard, destroys the contents of bags and chests without damaging either the bags or the chests, destroys the bones of animals and kills them without any external sign, and kills the creature in the womb without harming the mother. This is because the sheath, the bag, the bread, the cans, the boxes and the like are porous and of rare substance, and thunder, or rather lightning, is of the rarest substance. Therefore, it penetrates them immediately and does not remain there, but bones, coins, iron, gold, and the like are of a hard and solid substance, and since it cannot penetrate them quickly, it stops and remains there until it destroys them.

Sometimes lightning flashes without thunder on a clear night. This happens when the cloud, due to its rarity and thinness, gives rise to an exhalation that comes out without any noise or rumbling. Sometimes many stones, iron, and other metals fall with the thunder, which are generated in the cloud from the residue of the exhalation, and the stone sometimes becomes like a round ball, and then, due to the great heat, it becomes solid and hard like a stone, sometimes like a hammer and breaks bell towers and other buildings as history shows us. This stone has been seen by many, and they say that it does not go more than six palms underground. Others say five feet, as we read in history, and particularly in Pliny. Aristotle makes no mention of this stone; indeed, when that huge rock fell into the Aegean Sea, he said that it was thrown there by the wind. Auic. said he saw a dead calf fall from the sky, as can be seen here in the painting. 

Aver says in the second book of Mete. that in Cordoba, his homeland, a huge stone fell from the sky on a clear day and it was seen. Al. no. 8. And that stone can be generated in the air, it would not be, in my opinion, an error. For just as stones are formed in the kidneys of men when there is fatty and viscous fluid, with the thin part dissolving and the thick part remaining, so too in the air when there is dry and viscous exhalation, stones can be formed: Plutarch was of this opinion.

Lightning strikes cause other effects. The first is that it sometimes burns the barrel but the wine remains intact, because that heat causes a crust to form around the wine, similar to skin, which prevents it from escaping, and this lasts for two or three days at most, then the skin dissolves and comes out, and this can be understood in every kind of liquid. And all things touched by lightning become poisonous, and those who eat them either die immediately or go mad, but I am against this, being the collector of tithes for Malta, our homeland, in 72. In Calabria and Abruzzo, I have eaten meat from animals struck by lightning several times. The other thing is that touching poisonous things removes the poison from them, and those that are not poisonous become poisonous, so say the natives.

Lightning is generated and falls in autumn and spring because the sun at those times moves the exhalations of the earth and does not resolve them. In winter and summer, very few lightning bolts descend because at those times the exhalations of the earth move and are not resolved. In winter and summer, very few lightning bolts fall because at those times, due to excessive cold and heat, the exhalations are resolved and sometimes they do not rise. This is why in Scythia, where it is very cold, and in Egypt, where it is very hot, lightning bolts do not fall. On the contrary, in Italy there is often thunder and lightning, because the air is neither too hot nor too cold. Above all, as Pliny says in Terra di Lavoro, because it is almost always springtime, there is often thunder and lightning.

SECONDA REGGIONE DELE ARIA

Saliti che sarãno i vapori per virtù del Sole in sieme cõ l’essalatione nella 2a Reggione dell’aria, ivi subito si cõdẽsano perlafrig gidità del luogo, parte in pioggie, e partte in nuvole. Quia frigidi est cõdensare; dẽtro le queli si rachiudano a caso l’esalationi, che sono calde, e seche ecercãdo eli uscir fuora, scacciate dal freddo della nuvola, come da suo inimico s’uniscono fualoro, et unite per cotano di dẽtro ilati della Nuvola e rebatẽdogli si riscaldano, riscaldate, s’imfiamano, et infiamate fan forza, et tcõ grã impeto ropeno la Nuvola e cagionano quel tuono, cossi orrẽdo, come che rompesse una carta pecorina. Alle volte la rõpano nella parte di giù verso noi, al no. 6. et all’hora s’ode il tuono, e s’vede il Lampo. Alle volte in su verso la Luna al. no. 7. et all’hor s’hod il tuono solamẽte, e nõ si vede il lampo. e l’escalatione cossi accesa, et uscite manoa da sè lontano nell’aere una verta luce, che alle volte avampa la faccia de gl’ luomini e brugia i capelli, e cagiona altri simili effetti e per la sua sottilezza, e rarità cõsuma quãte cose le vẽgano dinãzzi, e teccando la terra penetra i corpi rari sẽza farlli dano alcune est eriori. mà i duri spessi, et vesistẽti rompe fracassa, et abrugia e cosi cõsuma la spada senza quastar il fodero, disfalo moneca dentro le borse e casse senza lesione alcuna nè delle borse nè delle casse, destrugge el’ ossa d’Animali e gli amazza senza segno alcuno esteriore, amazza la creatura dentro l’utero materno senza danno della madre. Il che proviene per ché il fodera la borsa, i pani, la canee, le casse e simili, sono porose, e di rara sostãza, et il tuono ò dir vogliamo saetta, è di rarissima. Però subito gli penetra, anõ vi fà dimora alcuna, l’ossa, la moneta, ferro, oro, e simili sono di dura, e soda sostãza, e nõ potendogli tosto penetrare, per la lor dureza vi si ferma, e dimora fin che gli distrugge. Alle volte si vede lampeggiare sẽza tuono nella notte serena. questo accade, quãdo la nuvola per la sua rarità e sottigliezza darà luogo alla essalatione che esca sẽza strepito alcuno nè vomoro. Alle volte cadono cõ il tuono molte pietre, ferro, et altri metalli, le quali si generarano nella nuvola da quel residovo della essalatione, e si fà la pietra alle volte come palla ritõda, auicinãdosi poi il gran calore divien soda, e dura come ũn sasso trĩa golare, alle volte come un cugno e rompe campanili e altri e difity come la isperiẽtia ci dimostra, e questa pietra e stato vista da molti, e dicono, che nõ và sotto terra piu di sei palmi, Altri dicono cique piedi, si come si legge nell’ historie, e partico larmte in Plinio Di questa pietra Arist. nõ nefa mẽtione alcuna, anzi quãdo cascò anticamẽte quel grandissimo sasso nè fiumi Eggei, disse che fù por: lato nellaria d’venti. Auic. disse d’haver visto cadere dal Cielo un vitello morto come si puo vedera qui dipinto.  

Aver dice nel 2° lib. della Mete. che in Cordoba sua patria cascò una grandissima pietra dal Cielo nel giorno sereno, et essolabà vista. Al. no. 8. E che nell’aria sipossa gienerarsi fatta pietra, nõ sarebbe, al mio gioditio errore. Poi che ne i reni degli huomini quando vi è humore grasso e viscono, si genera la pietra, risoluẽdosi la parte sottile rimanẽdo la grossa. cosi ancor avien nell’aria quando vi è l’essalatione adusta, et viscosa, si puo generar la pietra: di questa opinione fu Plutarca.

Le saette per cõchudere tutta la. ma. cagionano altri effetti il primo è che brugia la botte alle volte et il vino riman salvo, per che quella essaltione cagiona una crostra in torno al vino a similitudine di pelle, la quele lo vitiene, che nõ esca fuori, e questo per dui o; tre di il piu, di poi si risolve quella pelle et esce fuori, e questo si puo intendere in ogni sorte di liguore, E tutte le cose tocche dalla saetta, divẽtano venenose, e quei che le mangiano O` muoiano subito, ò diventano pazzi, mà in questo io li son contra, poi che essendo iocomessario delle Decime per Malta nostra patria nel. 72. In Calavria et in Abruzzo ho mãgiato piu volte carne di Animali fulminati, l’altro è che toccando le cose velenate le spoglia del veneno, e quelle che nõ son velenate, le avelena, cosi dicono li naturali, Le saette si generano e cadono nell’Autumno, e nella primavera per che il Sole in quei tempi muove l’esalationi della terra, e nõ le risolue, nell’Inverno e nella Estade varissime saette descẽdono per che in quei tempi mouve l’eslationi della terra e nõ le risolue, nell’ Inverno e nella Estade rarissime saette descẽdono, per che in quei tempi per la soverchia fredezza e caldezza si risolue l’essalationi, et alle volte nõ si levano. di qui nasce che in Scithia, dove vi è grãdissimo freddo, et in Egitto, dove e grãdissimo caldo, nõ cadono saette. E per il contrario in Italia, spesso volte tuona, lampeggia, per esserui l’Aria nè troppa calda nè troppa fredda, E sopra tutto, come Plinio dice in terra di lavoro, per esserei quasi di continuo prima vera, spesse volte tuona, e fulmina.

THE REMEDIES AGAINST LIGHTNING STRIKES

That is, the subterranean places, the skin of the Sea Calf, the crowning with laurel, as Tiberius used to do out of fear of the thunderbolt, the ringing of bells, firing cannons, keeping eagles in houses and castles, as the Ancients did; iron, corals, and the same stone of the lightning placed in front of the door protect from such danger.”

LI RIMEDII CONTRA LE SAETTE

Cioè i luoghi sotteranei, La pelte del Vitello marino, L’incoronarsi di lauro, come faceva Tiberio Cesare per timore del fulgore, il romor delle Campane, Sparar Bombarde, Notrive Aquile nelle case e Castelli, come facevano gli Antichi; il ferro, Coralli, e la medesima pietra della Saetta posti dinãzi alla porta scampano da cotal periglio.

THIRD REGION OF THE AIR

When the exhalations (vapors or emissions) rise by the virtue of the Sun into the third region, there, due to the heat of the place and the motion of the heavens, they immediately spread out, sometimes long, sometimes wide, sometimes in one direction, and sometimes upward. As the naturalists say, heat causes things to rarefy and being in the heat, they ignite, and according to the varying disposition of the material, they give rise to different and diverse forms of fire, as seen here painted: sometimes in the shape of a bearded comet (no. 9), sometimes in the shape of a tail (no. 10), sometimes as a maned form (no. 11), sometimes as a flying dragon (no. 12), sometimes in one way, sometimes in another.

When the exhalation expands more in length than in width, it will form a flame, a torch, or a firebeam (no. 13). Such a thing appeared once during the day when the Emperor Germanicus held the gladiatorial games in Rome; another appeared when the Spartans lost the hegemony of Greece; and another, of remarkable size, appeared when Publius Cornelius Scipio Africanus waged war against the Persian King.

Sometimes this exhalation divides into several parts, one igniting after the other, in the manner seen during festivals, when fire snakes along the ground, lighting torches or what we might call ‘mortalets’ (small firebrands), one after another. Likewise, the exhalation, once ignited, will gradually lose its heat; the first part extinguishes and then the next, until all parts are extinguished, at which point they appear like stars, flying through the air. For this reason, they are called ‘Flying Stars’ (no. 14). But shooting stars are caused when the exhalation rises near the second region. It is then struck downward by the cold of the place, and as it descends rapidly, it ignites, appearing no differently than a star falling (no. 15). A similar phenomenon was seen in the year 148 in the month of February in Saxony. Sometimes it takes the shape of a pyramid, sometimes that of an opening, a pit, or what we might call a chasm (no. 16). This happens when there is an exhalation in the air that is lit and bright, but whose center is occupied by a dark, black cloud, and then it presents itself to us as a chasm in the sky, known by philosophers as Assub or Chasma (no. 16). A similar appearance was seen during the reign of Tiberius Caesar in Germany. At times, the lit exhalation will be large and abundant, and its circumference will be covered and surrounded by a dense cloud. Then, it will present to us in the air as a mountain of fire (no. 17). Thus, the bright surrounded by the dark appears to our sight as prominent and near. Such a sight was observed in January 1551 in the West. Soon after, great earthquakes occurred in Lisbon where over 200 houses were destroyed and many people were killed. This event followed the breakdown of the peace, or truce, that had been between Christian Princes, which led to many wars, including the one between the glorious memory of Charles V and King Henry II of France, and the war in Parma.

When the dark cloud is illuminated and variably lit by the burning exhalation, according to the varying and different forms of light it receives, figures of men and horses armed with fire in the act of fighting one another are imagined in the air. Sometimes, two giants of fire appear with two staffs or lances in their hands, as seen here at no. 18. A similar phenomenon was observed before and after the war with the Cimbri, accompanied by the noise and clamor of weapons and the sound of trumpets at no. 19. This occurs when several exhalations within the dense clouds are enclosed and, being compressed, force their way out of one cloud and into another.

At times, they meet while exiting and entering, breaking apart and producing various sounds in the air, sometimes like trumpets, sometimes like weapons, depending on the varying and different ruptures of the exhalations in the clouds. These sounds are similar to those heard when exhalations are confined under marshes, and when trying to escape through the water, they produce various sounds, sometimes like men, sometimes like oxen, or sometimes like dogs, as happened in Ferrara.

TERZA REGGIONE DELL’ARIA

Quando l’essalationi sarãno salite per virtù del Sole nella. 3a. Reggione, ivi per il calor del luogo, e moto di Cieli, subito si delatano, hor in lungo, hor in lato, hor in un modo et hor in alto, Per che dicono i Naturali, calidi est rarefacere, et essẽdo alle calde, è esecchese in infiamano, e secõdo la varia dispositione della materia viceveno varie, e diversse forme di fuoco, come qui dipinte si vedono, hor di Cometa barbata al n°. 9. hor d Codata al n° 10. et hor di Crinita al n° 11. hor di Drago volante al. n°. 12 hor d’un modo hor d’altro. Quando l’essalatione, si dilaterà più in lungo che in largo, sidirà Face ò Tizzone, ò Trave di fuoco al n° 13. Tale nè apparse uno di giorno, mẽtre, che Germanico Imp: faceva li spetacoli dè gla diatori in Roma: et unaltro apparse, quando Ilacedemoni perdetero l’Imperio di Grecia: et unaltro di maravigliosa grandezza quando Paolo Emilio querriggava cõtra Rè Persia Alle volte questa essalatione si divide in piu parti l’una s’ infiammodapo l’laltra; in quel moapo che si vede nelle feste quãdo il fuoco serpẽdo per terra accẽde i Mascoli o dir vogliamo Mortaletti hor limo hor l’altro. Cossi accade all’ essalatione la. pa. patte accesa, e quella spẽta s’alluna, l’altra e cosi di man in mano fin che tutte le parti si spengono, all’hora ci appareno come stelle, che nell’aria volassero. per cio sono dette Stelle Volanti no 14. Ma le stelle cadenti si cagionano quando l’essalatione salita vicino alla 2a. Rege: sarà ribatuta in giù dal freddo del luogo, e nel dscẽdere in giu cosi veloce, s’infiama e cipar non altrimẽte, che fosse una Stella, che dal cadesse al n° 15. Simile fu vista nell’anno 148 nel mese di febraro in Sassonia. Alle volte riceve la forma di Piramide alle volte d’una Apertura, ò fossa ò dir voliamo Voragine al n°. 16. E questo accadera, quãdo si ritrova nell’aria una essaletione accesa, e lucente, il cui mezzo solo è occupato de una Nuvola oscura, e negra all’hora ci rapresẽtara una Voragine nel Cielo, chiamata da filosofì Assub, ò Chasma al n° 16. Una simile apparse nel tempo di Tiberio Cesare, nella Germania. Alle volte l’essalatione accesa sarà grãde, e copiosa e la sua circõferenza sarà cos perta, e circõdata d’una nuvola folta. all’ hora ci rapresẽtara nell’aria un Monte di fuoco al n° 17. Per che il lucido circõdeto dal’ Oscuro, si rende alla nostra vista vicino, eteminente: tal fu visto nel 1551 nelfin di Genaio in Occidente succesero di poi quei terremoti si grãdi in Lisbona, ove sono state rovinate piu di 200. Case, cõ morte di gran no. di persone, seguito dopoi lo ronpimento della tregua, ò puce che’era frà Principi Christiani, per la quale occorsero tante guerre fra la felice memoria di Carlo Quinto et il Rè di Francia Enrico 2°. la guerra di Parma.

Quando la nuvola oscura sarà illustrata et variamẽte illuminata dall’essalatione accesa, secondo la varia, e diversa form a del lume, che riceve, si figurano nell’aria vary Huomini, e Cavalli armati di fuoco nel’atto di cõbatere fra loro. Alle volte si figurano due Giganti di fuoco cõ due bastoni ò ver lance nelle mani, come qui sivede al n° 18. Il simile fu visto, prima e poi della guerra di Cinbri, cõ rumore, e strepito d’Arme e suoni di trombe al. n°. 19. Il quale si cagiona quãdo più essationi fra le Nuvole dense sarãno rinchiuse, et essẽdo oppresse fan forza, et escono de una Nuvola, et entrano nell’altra. Alle volte s’incõtrano frà loro nell’uscire e nell’entrare, esi rompano e vendono diversi suoni nell’aria, hor di trombe, hor d’Arme secõda la varia e diversa rottura di dette essalationi nelle Nuvole, cagionano vary suoni, come accade, quando e vava l’essalationie sivitrova ristretta sotto le Paludi, et volendo quin di uscire per mezzo di quell’ Acque, cagionorà diverssi suoni, hor d’hupmini hor di Buoi, hor di Cani il che accasco in Ferrava.