“yar Dedicatory letter but most of the time the route was unknown, Each of these things is thoroughly described in its own place in this commentary Meanwhile, in my camp, is there any sort of defeat, any kind of disaster that has not occurred? The overthrow of the Most Dis- nguished Leader, rebellion, plague, pestilences, domestic matters both good and bad, destined in either case to take time; @ new, unforeseen, and terrifying rear attack by the enemy, as I hi recounted in the book On the New Siar‘; at another time, enormous Dragon with a very long tail, vomiting fire and attacking my camp; desertion and poverty of the soldiers; the inexperience of novices; and, at the head of all, the extreme deficiency of provisions ‘Atlast, when he saw that held fast to my goal, while there was no place in the circuit of his kingdom where he was safe or secure, the enemy turned his attemtion to plans for peace: sending off his parent ture, he offered to allow me the victory; and, having bargained for liberty within limits subject to negotiation, he shortly thereafter moved over most agreeably into my camp with Arithmetic and Geometry pressing closely at his sides. However, from the time when, after surrendering, he abode by our house’s fair laws of friendship, he, through hidden illusions (being unaccustomed to rest), did not cease to incite among us I know 8 what further fears of war, and if we happened to become terrified, we would give him much to laugh at. But, seeing us strong in spirit, he agreed to live with us in earnest, and, dropping the appearance of hostility, confirmed his faith with us, ‘This one thing he begs of Your Majesty: since his ethereal regions is great (for indeed, his father is Jupiter, his grand father Saturn, Venusis his sister as well as his mistress, and from now ‘on the chief alleviation of his chains, Mercury his brother and fait ld); and since he is possessed by desire of them, and they ‘owing to their similar ways, he wishes that they too might live among, humanity, becoming partakers of the honour with which he is bestowed: and that Your Majesty might give them to him as soon as possible, since the remnants of this expedition are severely dimin- ished, and, as they have surrendered themselves, no longer pose any threat. To this end, [readily offer Your Majesty « work that is Dedicatory letter a usefulness (it being trained in the most combative cireum- stances, and well acquainted with the terrain) and no less trustworthy than its predecessor’. I pray and beseech you for this one favour (Seeing that throughout these nine years, conversation in this hall, packed with soldiers, centurions, and commanders, has supplied me with the word *besecch’, as well as the rest of the oration): that Your Imperial Majesty command the chiefs of the treasury to ta for the sinews of war and supply me with new funds toe ought jst the army. I pray thus, seeing that I both know that these things already are approved by Your Majesty, and consider that they promote the glory of God and the immortality of the Name of Your August Majesty, to ‘Whom I have devoted all my work fora long time, and to Him I now most humbly commend myself March the 28th, in the year of the Dionysian‘ era 1609, ‘Your Holy Imperial Majesty's Most Humble Mathematician Joannes Keppler” who