Vaticinia, siue Prophetiae abbatis Ioachimi & Anselmi episcopi Marsicani, cum imaginibus aere incisis, correctione et pulcritudine, plurium manuscriptorum exemplariu[m]

Venice: Giovanni Battista Bertoni. Good with no dust jacket. 1600. Second Edition. Vellum. [i],70, [ii] unnumbered leaves, with one blank at the front (probably later) and two at the rear, one of which seems to be original. Bound in full period vellum leather, in good antiquarian condition, in Latin and Italian, with 34 copper plate full page engraved plates, as well as an engraved title page and woodcut engraved initials and head and tail pieces. It measures 8 ¼” by 6/ The series of engravings here are quite important beyond their strange prophetic value; they are by the acclaimed Renaissance Italian engraver and publisher Girolamo Porro, known for fine engravings and maps. The purported author of these cryptic and much discussed prophecies, Joachim of Fiore (c.1132–1202) , was an Italian Cistercian monk and a mystic philosopher who believed that the advent of the Antichrist and a violent end of the age were imminent. Contemporaries considered him a prophet. He was abbot of Corazzo, Italy, but later withdrew into solitude at a remote region in Fiore where he founded the order of San Giovanni and delved into the hidden meanings of the Bible, especially those of Revelation. Anselm, Bishop of Marsico is also credited, although he may not have actually existed. The book has 34 apocalyptic and/or anti-papal prophecies, written in Latin and Italian, each illustrated with an engraving of a pope surrounded by the emblems referred to in the text. One of them is an Oraculum Turcicum predicting the downfall of the Ottoman Empire and includes Turkish writing. Condition is good. Full vellum, probably a bit later, with hand written spine title, small scar at top of spine, covers a bit aged but quite nice. Interior renewed endpapers, some small staining and occasional humidity mark but in general the paper is sturdy and clean. A very pleasing copy of this mysterious collection of apocalyptic prophecies. ; Engravings; 8vo 8" - 9" tall; 140 pages .