Omen

For Omen, a total of 6 epidemic events are known so far. It is a keyword.

Table

Table

Page	DateStart date of the disease.	SummarySummary of the disease event	OriginalOriginal text	TranslationEnglish translation of the text	ReferenceReference(s) to literature	Reference translationReference(s) to the translation
1347-00-00-Florence	May 1347 JL	Epidemic follows famine in Florence, 4000 dead (mainly women and children); particularly bad in Romagna, Provence, Bologna, Vignone, Pistoia and Prato. The mortality was foretold by astrologers.	Di grande mortalità che ffu in Firenze, ma più grande altrove, come diremo apresso Nel detto anno e tempo, come sempre pare che segua dopo la carestia e fame, si cominciò in Firenze e nel contado infermeria, e apresso mortalità di genti, e spezialmente in femine e fanciulli, il più in poveri genti, e durò fino al novembre vegnente MCCCXLVII ma però non fu così grande, come fu la mortalità dell'anno MCCCXL come adietro facemmo menzione; ma albitrando al grosso, ch'altrimenti non si può sapere a punto in tanta città come Firenze, ma in di grosso si stimò che morissono in questo tempo più di IIIIm persone, tra uomini e più femmine e fanciulli; morirono bene de' XX l'uno; e fecesi comandamento per lo Comune che niuno morto si dovesse bandire, né sonare campane alle chiese, ove i morti si sotterravano, perchè lla gente non isbigotisse d'udire di tanti morti. E lla detta mortalità fu predetta dinanzi per maestri di strologia, dicendo che quando fu il sostizio vernale, cioè quando il sole entrò nel principio dell'Ariete del mese di marzo passato, l'ascendente che ffu nel detto sostizio fu il segno della Vergine, e 'l suo signore, cioè il pianeto di Mercurio, si trovò nel segno dell'Ariete nella ottava casa, ch'è casa che significa morte; e se non che il pianeto di Giove, ch'è fortunato e di vita, si ritrovò col detto Mercurio nella detta casa e segno, la mortalità sarebbe stata infinita, se fosse piaciuto a dDio. Ma nnoi dovemo credere e avere per certo che Idio promette le dette pestilenze e ll'altre a' popoli, cittadi e paesi [p. 486] per pulizione de'peccati e non solamente per corsi di stelle, ma tolera, siccome signore dell'universo e del corso del celesto, come gli piace; e quando vuole, fa accordare il corso delle stelle al suo giudicio; e questo basti in questa parte e d'intorno a Firenze del detto delli astrolagi. La detta mortalità fu maggiore in Pistoia e Prato e nelle nostre circustanze all'avenante della gente di Firenze, e maggiore in Bologna e in Romagna, e maggiore in Vignone e in Proenza ov'era la corte del papa, e per tutto il reame di Francia.	Of a great mortality which occurred in Florence, although it was greater elsewhere, as we will recount. In this year and season, as seemingly always after food shortages and famines, a sickness began in the city and countryside of Florence. Soon people began to die, especially women and children, and the most among the poor. It lasted until November 1347, but it was not as great as the mortality of 1340 that we described earlier. If we make a rough guess—it is impossible to do otherwise in a city as great as Florence—it seems that this time more than four thousand people died, men and more women and children. More than one in twenty died. It was ordered by the commune that no death be announced and no church bell be sounded during burials, lest people be terrified to hear of so many deaths. This mortality was foretold by master astrologers who stated that during the vernal solstice—that is when the sun entered the sign of Aries last March—the sign of Virgo was rising and Virgo’s ruler Mercury was in the eighth house of Aries, a house signifying death. And were it not for the fact that Jupiter, which brings fortune and life, accompanied Mercury in this house and sign, the mortality would have been endless—if this had pleased God. But we should believe and be certain that the Lord God promises the said pestilences and others to peoples, cities, and lands to cleanse their sins, and [that he does so] not only through the movement of the stars but sometimes—as Lord of the universe and celestial motion—according to his will. And when he wishes, he matches the movement of the stars to his judgment. Let this suffice regarding Florence, its surroundings, and the sayings of astrologers. This mortality was greater in Pistoia and Prato and in the surrounding territories nearer to Florence; it was greater in Bologna and in Romagna; it was greater at Avignon and in Provence, where the papal court was, and throughout the kingdom of France.	Template:Giovanni Villani 1990, vol. 3, pp. 485–486.	None
1348-01-25-Italy	25 January 1348 JL	Earthquakes in entire Italy, in the cities Pisa, Bologna, Padua and strongest in Venice with great damages. They are omens for diaster and pestilence in the named cities and are signs for the Judgement Day. But even more worse the earthquakes were in Friuli, Aquileia and partly in Germany. Usuer admitted their sins and in the city Villach happened many miracles.	Di grandi tremuoti che furono in Vinegia, Padova, e Bologna, e Pisa. Nel detto anno, venerdì notte dì XXV di gennaio, furono diversi e grandissimi tremuoti in Italia nella città di Pisa, e di Bologna, e di Padova, maggiori nella città di Vinegia, nella quale ruvinarono infiniti fummaiuoli, che ve ne avea assai e belli; e più campanili di chiese e altre case nelle dette città s'apersono, e tali rovinarono. E significarono alle dette terre danni e pistolenze, come leggendo inanzi si potrà trovare. Ma i pericolosi furono la detta notte in Frioli, e inn-Aquilea, e in parte dalla Magna, sì fatti e per tale (p. 563) modo e con tanto danno, che dicendolo o scrivendolo parranno incredibili; ma per dirne il vero e non errare nel nostro trattato, sì cci metteremo la copia della lettera che di là ne mandaro certi nostri Fiorentini mercatanti e degni di fede, il tinore delle quali diremo qui apresso, scritte e date inn-Udine del mese di febraio MCCCXLVII. (p. 564) […] Per li quali miracoli e paura i prestatori a usura della detta terra, convertiti a penitenzia, feciono bandire che ogni persona ch'avessono loro dato merito e usura andasse a lloro per essa; e più d'otto dì continuarono di renderla […] (p. 565) Nella detta città di Villaco molte maraviglie v'apariro, che lla grande piazza di quella si fesse a modo di croce, della quale fessura prima uscì sangue e poi acqua in grande quantità. […] (p. 566) E nota, lettore, che lle sopradette rovine e pericoli di tremuoti sono grandi segni e giudici di Dio, e non sanza gran cagione e premessione divina, e di quelli miracoli e segni che Gesù Cristo vangelizzando predisse a' suoi discepoli che dovieno apparire alla fine del secolo.	Template:TN	Template:Giovanni Villani 1990, vol. 3, pp. 562-566.	None
1357-00-00-Central Germany	1357 JL	A plague along the Rhine, in Hesse, Thuringia and Wetterau.	Eodem anno circa festum ascensionis fuit regina Ungarie et rex Romanus in Maguncia causa peregrinationis cum magna multitudine gentis. Eo quoque tempore fuit divulgatum per (p. 6) totam terram Renensem per litteras auctenticas, quod Antechristus natus esset, et narrabantur infinita signa que fecisset. In nativitate et post eciam dicebatur de multis miraculis de maximo calore qui deberet advenire, et de magnis fluviis et de multis preliis; que Deus avertat! Anno predicto facta est magna pestilentia in multibus partibus Rheni et in Hassia et Thuringia et Wedderabia, et annona preciosa est, quia crevit valde modicum siliginis, sed bonum, et vinum similiter. Eodem anno circa festum Marie Magdalene [Juli 22] eclipsis lune facta est, quia fuit plenilunium, et facta est in quantitate manus, et postea eodem die reintegrata est.	In the same year around Ascension Day, the kings of Hungary and the Roman king stayed in Mainz with a large entourage because of the journey to the East. At the same time, rumours spread throughout the Rhine region through genuine letters that the Antichrist had been born. There was talk of countless signs that he had brought about. At Christmas and afterwards, there was talk of many miracles, of tremendous heat to come, of great masses of water and many wars. God forbid! In the predicted year, a great pestilence occurred in many parts of the Rhine area, as well as in Hesse, Thuringia, and the Wetterau, and grain was scarce because the wheat crop grew very little, albeit good, and similarly with wine. In the same year, a lunar eclipse occurred around Mary Magdalene on 22 July. It was a full moon, the eclipse reached hand-width, but shortly afterwards, on the same day, the moon was full again.	Chronicon Moguntinum 1885, p. 5-6	Translation by Martin Bauch; None; None;
1358-09-14-Leipzig	14 September 1358 JL	A plague is ravaging Leipzig, the canons of St. Thomas pledge to celebrate a special mass to mitigate god's wrath.	Nos Nicolaus dei gratia praepositus, Nicolaus prior totusque conventus canonicorum regularium sancti Thomae in Lypzk notum esse volumus praesentium tenore inspecturis. Quia deus non est placabilis super nequitia populi nisi peccatores fuerint poenitentia ducti, nos igitur propter peccata nostra in magna miseria pro nunc et pestilentia constituti ad mitigandam iram dei astringimus nos voto speciali ex consensu unanimi, ipsi beatae Mariae virgini singulis sabbatis perpetue summam missam de beata Maria virgine cum omnibus horis canonicis sollemniter celebrari, exclusis apostolicis festis et quatuor temporibus anni vel aliis quae variari non possunt, in honorem eiusdem virginis gloriosae, ut deus propitiatus avertat iram suam a nobis et a miseria nunc regnante. Pro quo voto specialiter gavisius dominus Jacobus noster concanonicus ad habendam memoriam sui et fratrum suorum et omnium propinquorum tam in vita quam in morte pro confirmatione et certa roboratione dicti voti suis sumptibus et propinquorum tegmen dormitorii nostri de novo redintegravavit. In cuius voti testimonium sigilla nostra praesentibus sunt appensa anno domini M°.CCC°.LVIII. in die exaltationis sanctae crucis.	We, Nicholas, by the grace of God provost, Nicholas the prior, and the entire convent of the Canons Regular of Saint Thomas in Leipzig, wish it to be known to all inspecting the present document. Since God is not appeased by the wickedness of the people unless sinners are led to repentance, therefore, on account of our sins, now in great misery and afflicted by pestilence, to mitigate the wrath of God, we bind ourselves by a special vow, with unanimous consent, to solemnly celebrate every Saturday in perpetuity a high Mass of the Blessed Virgin Mary with all canonical hours, excluding apostolic feasts and the four Ember Days of the year or other days that cannot be changed, in honor of the same glorious Virgin, so that God, being propitiated, may turn His wrath away from us and from the present reigning misery. In particular support of this vow, our fellow canon Lord Jacob, rejoicing greatly, for the memory of himself and his brothers and all his kin both in life and in death, for the confirmation and firm establishment of this vow, at his own and his relatives' expense, has newly restored the roof of our dormitory. In testimony of this vow, our seals are affixed to this document in the year of our Lord 1358, on the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross.	CDS II 9, p. 91	Translation by Martin Bauch
1396-07-25-Lübeck	25 July 1396 JL	Great plague in Lübeck, Wismar and it spread even to Saxony.	1039. In dem zommere des sulven jares do was alto grot koghe in Nedderlande, sunderliken to Lubeke unde to der Wismer, dar alto vele volkes starff, unde vort ummelanges bet in Sassen. de pestilencia warde to Lubeke van sunthe Jacobes dage bet to sunte Mertens daghe; noch en vorletet nicht de stede degher, it en helde jo an dat jar doregandes. unde dat meste der lude storwen in den drosen dat jar dore; sunderliken storven alto vele vrowen an der hort, wente it was do een scoltjar dat sere is to vruchtende.	1039. In the summer of the same year (1396) was also a great plague in the lower countries, especially in Lübeck and in Wismar, so that many people died of it, and it spread to Saxony. The plague was in Lübeck from Feast of Saint James to Saint Martin's Day; yet it did not struck the city entirely, as it hold on throughout the year. And the majority of people died on the glands throughout the year; especially many women died (of the disease?), as it was a leap year, you have to be very afraid.	Detmar's Croneke van Lubeke 1884/99, Vol. 2, p. 90.	Translation by Moritz Uebelhack
1403-00-00-Eisenach	1403 JL	A comet seen in 1403 is interpreted as a sign for the epidemic striking Eisenach and probably also Thuringia in the following year	Nach Cristi gebort tußent CCCCII jare, da wart eyn stern gesehen mit eyme langen czagile, das ein vorczeichen was eyns großen sterbens, das denne quam in deme andern jare dar nach.	In 1403 there was a star with a long tail, an omen for the great mortality that happened the following year	Johannes Rothe 2007, p. 90	Translation by Martin Bauch

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