''Atalanta Fugiens'' or ''Atalanta Fleeing'' is an

emblem book An emblem book is a book collecting emblems (allegorical illustrations) with accompanying explanatory text, typically morals or poems. This category of books was popular in Europe during the 16th and 17th centuries. Emblem books are collection ...

with an

alchemical Alchemy (from Arabic: ''al-kīmiyā''; from Ancient Greek: χυμεία, ''khumeía'') is an ancient branch of natural philosophy, a philosophical and protoscientific tradition that was historically practiced in China, India, the Muslim world, ...

theme by

Michael Maier Michael Maier ( la, Michael Maierus; 1568–1622) was a German physician and counsellor to Rudolf II Habsburg. He was a learned alchemist, epigramist, and amateur composer. Early life Maier was born in Rendsburg, Holstein, the son of a spe ...

(1568–1622), published by

Johann Theodor de Bry Johann Theodor de Bry (1561 – 31 January 1623) was an engraver and publisher. Biography De Bry was born in Strasbourg, the elder son and pupil of Dirk de Bry. He greatly assisted his father in works such as, the ''Florilegium novum'', which ...

in Oppenheim in 1617 (2nd edition 1618). It consists of 50 discourses with illustrations by Matthias Merian, each of which is accompanied by an epigrammatic verse, prose and a musical fugue. It may therefore be considered an early example of multimedia. The fugues were arranged in three voices symbolizing the

philosopher's stone The philosopher's stone or more properly philosophers' stone (Arabic: حجر الفلاسفة, , la, lapis philosophorum), is a mythic alchemical substance capable of turning base metals such as mercury into gold (, from the Greek , "gold", ...

, the pursuing adept, and obstacles in his way. As Florin G. Calian writes,

Title page

The title page depicts various scenes from

Greek mythology A major branch of classical mythology, Greek mythology is the body of myths originally told by the ancient Greeks, and a genre of Ancient Greek folklore. These stories concern the origin and nature of the world, the lives and activities ...

related to

golden apple The golden apple is an element that appears in various national and ethnic folk legends or fairy tales. Recurring themes depict a hero (for example Hercules or Făt-Frumos) retrieving the golden apples hidden or stolen by a monstrous antagonist. ...

s: * ''Top:'' Garden of the

Hesperides In Greek mythology, the Hesperides (; , ) are the nymphs of evening and golden light of sunsets, who were the "Daughters of the Evening" or "Nymphs of the West". They were also called the Atlantides () from their reputed father, the Titan At ...

. * ''Left:''

Hercules Hercules (, ) is the Roman equivalent of the Greek divine hero Heracles, son of Jupiter and the mortal Alcmena. In classical mythology, Hercules is famous for his strength and for his numerous far-ranging adventures. The Romans adapted the ...

stretching out his arm to seize one of the golden apples. * ''Right:''

Aphrodite Aphrodite ( ; grc-gre, Ἀφροδίτη, Aphrodítē; , , ) is an ancient Greek goddess associated with love, lust, beauty, pleasure, passion, and procreation. She was syncretized with the Roman goddess . Aphrodite's major symbols inclu ...

handing the golden apples to

Hippomenes :''The name Hippomenes may also refer to the father of Leimone.'' In Greek mythology, Hippomenes (; grc, Ἱππομένης), also known as Melanion (; Μελανίων or Μειλανίων), was a son of the Arcadian AmphidamasApollodorus, 3 ...

. * ''Bottom:'' Race between Atalanta and Hippomenes, with Atalanta picking up an apple. Behind them is a temple with lovers embracing each other, while in the background they appear as a lion and lioness.

Preface

Michael Maier Atalanta Fugiens Emblem 39

The preface contains a dissertation upon ancient music and narrates the Greek myth of Atalanta and Hippomenes.

Discourses

Each of the 50 discourses contains: * A detailed copper-plated engraving by Matthias Merian. * An epigram in verse set to music in the form of a fugue for three voices - Atalanta, or the ''vox fugiens''; Hippomenes, or the ''vox sequens'', and ''Pomum objectum'' (Apple) or ''vox morans''. "Atalanta fugiens" is a play on the word "fugue" * An epigram in German. * A Latin verse with an accompanying discourse.Count Michael Maier: Life and writings J.B.Craven pub. 1914 reprinted 2003 Ibis Press

References

External links

* Copies at various websites: *
scribd.com
(with engravings; without fugues, German epigrams) *
pagesperso-orange.fr
(complete scanned text including German epigrams; with appendix, errata; without engravings, fugues)
digital.sciencehistory.org
(complete high-resolution scan of a 1618 printing, all pages including engravings and fugues) * Images and other media at Wikimedia Commons * English translation of Epigram Verse at wikisource
alchemywebsite.com
English translation of complete book
youtube
colored prints with instrumental version of the music for each emblem
Chaitow, Sasha, ''Atalanta Unveiled: Alchemical Initiation in the Emblems of the Atalanta Fugiens'', Attic Books, 2020Forshaw, Peter J (2010)
'Oratorium-Auditorium-Laboratorium: Early Modern Improvisations on Cabala, Music and Alchemy'.

Furnace and Fugue. An open-access multimedia resource published by the University of Virginia Press. This English translation of Maier's work features high-resolution, zoomable images and newly commissioned, manipulable vocal recordings of Atalanta’s music. Supported by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the Gladys Krieble Delmas Foundation, and the Office of the Vice President for Research and the Social Science Research Institute at Brown University. {{Alchemy, state=expanded 1617 books 1618 books Alchemical documents Emblem books Fugues Multimedia works Classical mythology in popular culture