Rare and attractive leaf with 4 beautifully hand-coloured woodcuts from one of the most famous Renaissance books on prodigies and extraordinary natural phenomena printed in Basel 1557. These early woodcuts depict on the recto side, a satyr-like or demonic creature playing a trumpet or horn, described in the accompanying Latin text as a monstrous apparition seen near Ravenna while Caesar advanced with his army. Ancient writers interpreted such visions as portents foretelling civil war, bloodshed, and political catastrophe. The surrounding text recounts additional prodigies, including terrifying sounds, prophetic omens, and signs believed to predict the coming conflict between Caesar and Pompey and the eventual collapse of the Roman Republic. The verso side depicts extraordinary atmospheric and military prodigies connected to the civil wars of Julius Caesar and Pompey. The upper scenes illustrate showers of stones or earth falling from the sky upon landscapes and terrified figures, phenomena interpreted by Roman historians as warnings of disaster and divine anger. Beneath appears a dramatic rain of fiery darts or flaming spears descending from the heavens, symbolizing warfare and destruction. The accompanying Latin text recounts miraculous signs observed before major battles, including celestial fires, phantom armies, supernatural noises, and ominous apparitions believed to foretell chaos, military defeat, and political upheaval throughout the Roman world. The leaf originates from the celebrated Renaissance chronicle of wonders by Conrad Lycosthenes, Prodigiorum ac Ostentorum Chronicon (Basel, 1557) and draws on classical and medieval sources of its time such as Sebastian Münster, Conrad Gesner, Cardano and Paracelsus. The work reflects the Renaissance fascination with unusual natural phenomena, monsters, mythical creatures and other marvels of nature at the crossroads of early science, astrology and natural history. Dimensions: 26,5 x 19 cm Good condition. Attention for US buyers: Due to recent export problems higher shipping costs to the US apply!