Sixteenth century mythological manuals provided a wide range of symbolic material presented in a systematic form. In choosing an appropriate image in which to conceal universal truths of a moral, philosophical or divine nature, the late Renaissance writers and artists often referred to these compilations rather than to the original classical texts.
Natale Conti's Mythologiae was first printed in 1551. A second edition, dedicated to Charles IX, appeared in 1568. Conti's manual was extremely popular in France, and "regarded by both Catholics and Protestants as a standard work for the fables of the poets."(Yates,1947,p.240)
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