Prophecies: The Lion Species and Beasts of Darkness
Riddle-prophecies of clawing beasts and a winged plague that devours men
The page carries three of Leonardo's 'prophecies' — riddle-allegories written upside down (capovolto). In one the 'leonine species' opens the earth with its clawed paws and buries itself, together with the lesser animals subject to it, in the caves it makes. In another, animals clothed in darkness burst from the ground and devour the human race with fierce, bloody bites. In a third, a nefarious winged species courses through the air, assailing men and animals and filling its belly with vermilion blood. Each poses a fearsome image whose mundane 'solution' is left to the reader.
On this page
The leonine species opening the earth
The 'leonine species' will open the earth with its clawed paws and, in the caves it has made, will bury itself together with the other animals subject to it.
Beasts of darkness and a winged plague
Animals clothed in darkness will rise from the earth and, with marvellous assaults, devour the human race with fierce, bloody bites; and a nefarious winged species will course through the air, feeding on men and animals with great clamour and filling its belly with vermilion blood.