The Oracles of Leo the Wise

and corrupted ones, I have made this one whole work, for I have purged it of innumerable errors, translated it into the Latin language original: "in linguam latinam converti", illustrated it with exquisite figures, and finally clarified it with the most rich commentaries. In carrying out these tasks, I truly sustained incredible labors, especially while I strived to provide an explanation for those matters which are so filled with the greatest obscurities, riddles, and many difficulties that they could deter the intellects of even the most perceptive men.

For the most wise Emperor Leo Emperor Leo VI, "the Philosopher." composed these propheciesvaticinia with such artifice that, through their extreme brevity, the obscurity of the words, and the most profound doctrine of the mathematical sciences In the 16th century, "mathematical sciences" often included astronomy and astrology, used here to calculate the timing of prophecies. and hieroglyphic monumentsHieroglyphicorumque monimentorum, they seem like almost imperceptible enigmasaenigmata.

Indeed, in correcting and arranging the order of both the poems themselves and the figures, I expended no small amount of sweat and late-night study. This was necessary because of the negligence of those who first—faultily and confusedly—transcribed the poems and figures from that very marble columnmarmoreamarea columna on which (as is the common opinion of all) that most wise Emperor had caused them to be carved. It was also due to the ignorance of those who later wrote them incorrectly in many copies; thus, they were read in such a mutilated and corrupted state that no one until now...