Book XXI.62. Prodigies during the winter in Rome {Tertiae Decadis Liber Primus p. CII} 1493

Editor: This is an anonymous print titled "Book XXI.62. Prodigies during the winter in Rome." It's quite striking, with bold lines depicting strange events. What symbols do you see in this piece? Curator: The image feels laden with meaning, doesn't it? Notice the ox suspended indoors—a potent symbol of disruption. What might that signify about the Roman psyche at the time, regarding their relationship with the natural or divine order? Editor: Perhaps a fear of the unknown or a breakdown of established norms? Curator: Precisely. And the figure with the bird on their head, offering something at the altar, suggests ritual, but also unease. The bird, often a messenger, seems to be delivering a warning, or perhaps guidance, from the heavens. Editor: I hadn't thought of the bird that way. It adds a layer of complexity to the scene. Curator: These images served as cultural memory triggers, embedding shared anxieties and hopes within a visual language.