Napoleon’s Oraculum & Book of Fate
In 1813 after his defeat at Leipzig, Napoleon is said to have left behind him a “Cabinet of Curiosities.” Within this, the story goes, a Prussian soldier discovered an Oraculum. The book was said to have been discovered by the Emperor in an Egyptian tomb during the French military expedition of 1801. Napoleon had the manuscript translated and from then on carried it with him and consulted it often.
Napoleon’s Oraculum is an interesting artifact of the time—an oracular, or divination, system reminiscent of Agrippa’s 17th century Ladies’ Oracle. This text includes complete instructions and meanings for its use.
In addition to the Oraculum the book also covers numerous other diverse divinatory technologies: Dreams and their Interpretation, Weather Omens, Astrological Miscellany and Important Advice, Chiromancy or Fortune Telling by the Hand, Celestial Palmistry, Observations on Moles in Men and Women, Temper and Disposition of any Person, The Art of Face Reading, and Lucky Days.
This edition provides a new original scan of an early English edition. As a facsimile, it does carry forward the quirks and economic printing of the wartime facsimile it is based on.
Included is new foreword by Sven Davisson.
