#de historia et veritate unicornis

[a-book-of-creatures]

If you don't mind I'd love to know what's on the next page in that unicorn book about dragons.

She was fearsomely wrought, with darting, lidless eyes; and the first sight caught in her unblinking gaze was her own image, reflected in the dark waters. She worshiped the sight, and a secret lust for that selfsame image has consumed her heart for all time since.

And Yaldabaoth grew great and spawned others like herself: Nagamat and Kaliyat and Orkus, Tarasque and Serpens; and many more besides. Now while dragons are of many sizes and shapes, all are swift and sharp of intellect, and thirst after knowledge. While the Unicorn seeks to divine the secrets of creation that he may more perfectly know the Creator, the Dragon desires the same that it may gain dominion over all the world, and thereby conquer death.

Now the Dragon fiercely hates the Unicorn for his primacy, because it is not self-created, but owes to him its being. And so it has ever been the bane of the Unicorn, its fixed intent being to devour him, that it may no longer be an aftercomer, but be Oldest of All Things.

Now the Unicorn oversees all dominions of this world, and so in shadows and in fading light he finally must confront the Worm. No creature exceeds the Unicorn in quickness or in courage, but vast and subtle is the knowledge of the Dragon. It can mold its mind to his and lure him into the mazes of its thought, where the Unicorn tarries, judging that such intelligence cannot be utterly without redemption. And so, by imperceptible degrees is he led into a debate unending; while the Dragon drains him of his strength and light. In those sunless halls his doom approaches; and only when he treads paths of thought that utterly violate his nature does he realize how grim his plight has become.

Then must the Unicorn traverse a narrow path. On the one side waits hatred; on the other, cold despair. Either will prove his defeat; for to succumb to hate would be to grasp his enemy's own device and perish in its fire. Yet if he flees, despairing and depleted, then will he be overtaken, be undone, and perish.

Meshed in confusion, the Unicorn knows for the first time the cold touch of the fear suffered by mortal men; the only fear that he shall ever know. But if he be steadfast, victory may still be claimed. With great sagacity, with highest love, he must awaken as from a dream and, without hesitation, pierce the Dragon with his Spiral Horn.

[dreamdifferentitem]

Check out this listing I just added to my Poshmark closet: De Historia Et Veritate Unicornis: On the History and Truth Of the Unicorn, 1983.

[teddyromance]

The Prophecy of the True Horn🦄 (from DE HISTORIA ET VERITATE UNICORNIS) #poetry #prophecy #unicorn #ancientwisdom #codexunicornis #latin

[a-book-of-creatures]

The origin of dragons.

From De Historia et Veritatis Unicornis by Michael Green.

[a-book-of-creatures]

Do you know what that page of De Historia et Veritatis Unicornis by Michael Green translates as?

I sure do! The whole concept of Unicornis, much like Inventorum Natura, is that it’s a long lost manuscript presented and translated. In this case, one written by a secretive order of monks that study unicorns. So the images show the Latin manuscript, and the text is the translation.

As a reminder, this is the picture in question. The whole book is like that, it’s quite lovely.

And the translation of the text as provided by the book. Note that I’m no Latinist, but I’m pretty sure ignis et aqua should be “fire and water” instead of “fire and darkness”.

THE BOOK OF NEMESIS

In the long, bright years of the First Age, Man and Unicorn dwelt together, and both races grew in stature of body and mind. But other beings had been spawned in darkness, and in darkness grew strong.

THE SPAWNING OF THE DRAGONS

On that very day when the Unicorn drew forth from barren rock a gushing spring of life, the seeds of doom were sown as well. For even as those shining waters spread their fertile moisture, they poured into unlighted fissures and trickled down to secret, burning caverns that wound among the mountains' roots.

There, in those abysmal chambers, the sacred waters' life-bestowing charge was first expended in raising up a living thing. And thus in fire and in darkness was the Dragon born. Her nature bears everlasting testimony to that uneasy birth, and ever after, no other creature has possessed the same measure of strength and cunning.

Now the first dragon was Yaldabaoth (though she is called Tliamat as well, and many other names besides)...

(There’s more but it’s on the next page of the manuscript).