The Leonardo Notebook - Pages 5 and 6

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Left - Allegories, prophecies and popular proverbs f.42.v

Leonardo liked to collect allegories, prophecies and popular proverbs. The left-hand page includes lists of such stories and sayings and two columns of 'Profetie' (prophecies or prophetic riddles). He has also used the margins at the top and bottom of the page to jot down items from an inventory of household goods.

Across the top of the page Leonardo has jotted down items from an inventory of household goods 'Two large hatchets and one very small one, 8 brass spoons'.

Among the 'Profetie' are these prophetic riddles:

Riddle 'There will be many which will increase their destruction.'
Answer 'The ball of snow rolling over the snow.'

Riddle ' Those who give light for divine service will be destroyed.'
Answer 'The bees who make the wax for candles.'

Riddle 'The dead will come from underground and by their fierce movements will send numberless human beings out of the world.'
Answer 'Iron, which comes from under the ground, is dead, but the weapons are made of it which kill so many men.'

The right-hand page is mainly devoted to mechanics. At the top is the heading 'Uccello' (Bird) and a note on the flight of birds.