L’Image du monde
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L'Image du monde (The Mirror of the World) is a 13th-century encyclopaedic work attributed to Gautier de Metz, a French poet and priest. Based on the Latin text Imago mundi, this treatise describes creation, geography, and astronomy, blending factual information with imaginary passages.1
The poem discusses mythical creatures, treasures, and distant lands, reflecting a pseudoscientific approach common in medieval encyclopaedic works. L'Image du monde was translated into numerous languages and was frequently illustrated in manuscripts during the Middle Ages. It is noted for being written in French octosyllabic verse, a departure from the prose typically used for encyclopaedias.12
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