Complete Works (Opera Omnia)

...of our order (who for the most part devote their printing presses to the eternity of inferior books) was almost dissolved, if not oppressed by the darkness of ignorance. And therefore, I—who profess my name among those whom the Great Erasmus Desiderius Erasmus (1466–1536), the famous Dutch humanist who was a major influence on Weyer. was accustomed to call the "preservers of the ages"—thought it my duty, for the sake of restoring this crown, to seek out all the ribbons lemniscos - ornamental ribbons hanging from a crown or wreath of books pertaining to it. I did this because I was persuaded that the light which radiates from them would serve greatly to both educate and delight people of every condition.

And since I have shirked no labor—at times equal to that of Hercules—nor spared any expense (I incurred very great costs while collecting books scattered throughout almost the entire world, and seeing to it that some were translated from the German tongue original: "ex Germanico idiomate" into the Latin language original: "in Latinam linguam"), God from heaven has blessed this endeavor. With His favor, I was the first to gather, arrange, and polish this most glittering crown, furnished with all its ribbons and fragments ramentis - small pieces or shavings of precious material.

Since, indeed, this work itself must be further inaugurated with rite and ceremony, none occurred to me, except you, O Magnificent, Most Noble, and Most Distinguished Men original: "Viri Magnifici, Nobiliſſimi, & Ampliſſimi"; traditional formal titles of address for high-ranking civic leaders or scholars., to whom it might deserve to be offered. For you are learned through virtue, and the best through learning, ruling with such great wisdom and the praise of a most great city, which is most powerful even under another sun A reference to the global reach or colonial influence of the city to which the work is dedicated, likely Amsterdam or a similar merchant power.. Peace and happi-