SELECTED TEXTS
TIMOLEON AND THE FLAMING TORCH, 4th CENTURY BCE
Diodorus Siculus, Library of History 16.66.3 (1st century BCE)
During this voyage, a peculiar and strange event happened to Timoleon. Heaven came to the support of his venture and foretold his coming fame and the glory of his achievements, for all through the night he was preceded by a torch blazing in the sky up to the moment when the squadron made harbour in Italy.
Translated by C. H. Oldfather.
Translated by C. H. Oldfather.
SHIPS IN THE SKY, 218 BCE
Livy, History of Rome 21.62 (1st century CE)
A phantom navy was seen shining in the sky. [...] in the territory of Amiternum beings in human shape and clothed in white were seen at a distance, but no one came close to them...
Translated by the Rev. Canon Roberts.
Translated by the Rev. Canon Roberts.
BATTLE OF FLYING SWORDS AND SHIELDS, 2nd CENTURY BCE
Plutarch, Life of Gaius Marius 17.4 (1st century CE)
Many signs also appeared, most of which were of the ordinary kind; but from Ameria and Tuder, cities of Italy, it was reported that at night there had been seen in the heavens flaming spears, and shields which at first moved in different directions, and then clashed together, assuming the formations and movements of men in battle, and finally some of them would give way, while others pressed on in pursuit, and all streamed away to the westward.
Translated by Bernadotte Perrin.
Translated by Bernadotte Perrin.
THE FIREBALL OF SPOLETIUM, 91 BCE
Julius Obsequens, Liber Prodigiorum 54 (c. 350 CE)
In Spoletium a gold-colored ball of fire rolled down to the ground and, becoming larger, appeared to be carried off from the ground toward the east, concealing the sun with its magnitude.
Translated by Jason Colavito.
Translated by Jason Colavito.
THE RED UFO OF SPAIN, 827 CE
Vita Hludowici Pii 41 (835 CE)
Truly, during the nighttime terrible armies in battle lines preceded this calamity, red with human blood and burning with the pallor of fire.
Translated by Jason Colavito.
Translated by Jason Colavito.
Annales Regni Francorum, entry for 827 (840 CE)
Premonitions of this disaster were believed to have been seen many times in the sky, armies in battle lines and their terrible nocturnal flashing as they dashed about in the air.
Translated by Jason Colavito.
Translated by Jason Colavito.
EXPLOSION ON THE MOON, 1078 CE
Gervase of Canterbury, Chronicle, entry for 1078 CE
This year, on the Sunday before the Feast of Saint John the Baptist, after the sun had set, in the luna prima [i.e., the first quarter moon], a marvelous sign appeared to five or more men sitting turned toward it. For the new moon was bright, as was usual in its newness; its horns stretched out to the east, and behold suddenly the upper horn was divided in two. From the middle of this division sprang a burning torch, throwing flames, coals, and sparks down a long way. Meanwhile, the body of the moon, which was lower, twisted as though disturbed, and to use the words of those who reported this to me, and had seen it with their own eyes, the moon pulsated like a beaten snake. After this it returned to its proper state. This change was repeated a dozen times and more besides, and the flame could be seen sustaining various torturous shapes, like the one mentioned before, and again returning to its prior state. And after these changes, (the moon) certainly was made half-black all along its length from horn to horn. The men who saw this with their own eyes reported to me that which I write, preparing to swear under oath and by their faith, in addition that they have added nothing false.
Translated by Jason Colavito.
Translated by Jason Colavito.
FLAMING TORCH OF JULY 24, 1239
Matthew Paris, Chronica Majora, entry for July 24, 1239
In the same year, on the eve of the feast of St. James, about dusk, before the stars had appeared, was seen in a clear blue sky, a very large star like a torch, which rose from the south, and flying along, not upwards, darted through the air, making its way towards the north, not swiftly, but as a hawk usually flies: when it had reached the middle of the firmament, which is in our hemisphere, it vanished, leaving, however, smoke and sparks in the air. This star was either a comet or a dragon, greater to the eye than Lucifer, having the form of a mullet, very bright at the foremost part of it, but at the hind part smoky and sparkling. All who saw this wonderful sign were struck with wonder, and did not know what it portended, but one thing is certain, that after the crops had been almost all choked by the protracted rains, the season was at this very hour changed into one of a most remarkable fertility, and preserved the ripe crops, which were only waiting for the sickle, and allowed them to be gathered in.
Translated by J. A. Giles
Translated by J. A. Giles
UFO BATTLE OVER PARMA IN 1284
Salimbene de Adam, Chronicle, entry for 1284
And note that this battle and massacre, which took place between the Genovese and Pisans, was foretold and revealed a long time before it had occurred; for, in the town of San Ruffino, in the bishopric of Parma, women, who by night were cleaning flax, saw two great stars doing battle with one another. They withdrew after many exchanges, and they fought each other again and again in many clashes.
Translated by Jason Colavito.
Translated by Jason Colavito.
FIERY VISION AT UXBRIDGE, 1322
Roger of Reading, continuation of the Flowers of History, entry for 1322
On the fourth day of November, in the first hour of the night, in the western area outside the city of London, near the village of Ruystebrugge (Uxbridge?), many miraculous signs appeared in the sky to onlookers. For a fiery funeral pyre of the size and form of a small ship, pale and grayish in color however, rose up from the south, crossed the sky with a slow and ponderous motion, and turned its path to the north. From this burning pyre burst forth a different very hot fire of red color and a greater magnitude, though proceeding from a form not dissimilar, sowing flames and running off through the air with great fury. And by turns approaching each other, with their numerous collisions a dire battle commenced, from which battle echoing sounds were heard by observers from a great distance, though it was not possible to discern the form of any living things whatsoever. Thus fighting among themselves for a long time, the northern pyre defeated the southern pyre, and the defeated one escaped to the south, from which it had come, taking a long time, and it was no longer visible. But the northern pyre, on the shore from which it was departing, at once kept itself back.
Translated by Jason Colavito.
Translated by Jason Colavito.
THE UFO OVER ARRAS, FRANCE, NOVEMBER 1, 1461
Jacques du Clercq, Mémoires (1467)
It is said that in the year one thousand four hundred and sixty one, on the night of the day of All Saints, in the town of Arras and the surrounding countryside, there was seen in the sky a burning thing like a very long and thick iron bar, of four toises [about 8 meters], and about the same thickness, resembling the half-moon; it was in the sky for a long time, for the space of half of a quarter of an hour. And it appeared as bright as the full moon, or more so. At last this bar, which for a long time was meandering in such a manner [here the author draws a spiral], went up into the heavens; people from around and within the city all saw it.
Translated by Jason Colavito.
Translated by Jason Colavito.
THE GREEN COMET OF 1524
Pedro Cieza de Leon, Chronicle of Peru 1.65 (1553)
There are some Christians now alive who were with the Marquis Don Francisco Pizarro when he seized Atahualpa in the province of Caxamarca, and they saw a green sign in the sky, in the middle of the night, as broad as a cubit, and as long as a lance. When Atahualpa heard that the Spaniards were looking at it, he requested that he also might be allowed to see it; and when he beheld it, he became very sad, and continued so during the next day. The governor Don Francisco Pizarro asked him why he continued to be so sad, and he replied, “I have seen a sign in the sky, and I tell you that when my father, Huayna Ccapac, died he saw a similar sign.” Within fifteen days Atahualpa was dead.
Translated by Clements Markham.
Translated by Clements Markham.
Giovanni Batista Ramusio, Navigations and Voyages (1557)
(folio 315v) Twenty days later Atabalipa died, not knowing than an army was waiting. Atabalipa had spent a very cheerful evening talking to some Spaniards, and there appeared in the air near the city of Cusco a comet of fire, which stayed most of the night, and when Atabalipa had seen it he said: “Soon there will die a lord of this country.” And that was him.
(folio 332v) [There] appeared in the sky a prodigy, a great sign toward the vicinity of Cusco, and it was like a comet of fire, which lasted most of the night. And when Atabalipa saw this sign, he said that in a short time he would die…
Translated by Jason Colavito.
(folio 332v) [There] appeared in the sky a prodigy, a great sign toward the vicinity of Cusco, and it was like a comet of fire, which lasted most of the night. And when Atabalipa saw this sign, he said that in a short time he would die…
Translated by Jason Colavito.
Garcilaso de la Vega, Historia general 1.34 (1617)
At last, in total despair, they said that, among other signs, there appeared in the sky a dark green comet, slightly less thick than the body of a man, and longer than a pike, which that night looked like the one he saw shortly before the death of his father, Huayna Capac.
Translated by Jason Colavito.
Translated by Jason Colavito.
PILLAR OF FIRE, LEPANTO, ITALY, 1571
Ferrante Caracciolo, I commentari delle guerre fatte da Don Giovanni d’Austria (1581)
In the evening, about one hour into the night, there appeared very clearly to the right of the army, just before they departed, a stripe (listra) of fire in the form of a half-moon, which seemed to fall and disappeared very suddenly.
Translated by Jason Colavito.
Translated by Jason Colavito.
Bartolomeo Sereno,Commentario della guerra di Cipro etc. (Ms.) (late 16th century)
Heaven was very serene, a vigorous north wind purged it of every cloud, and here in the middle of the air a flame of fire appeared so great and clear in the form of a burning column. And for a long time it was seen by all with wonder. What wonders, O God, that these are overt signs of the heavenly protection of the faithful people! Who reading happily what happened shortly afterward does not know and confess that, as with the beloved people of Israel, so too were the armed Christians preceded by God in the form of a column of fire?
Translated by Jason Colavito.
Translated by Jason Colavito.
THE LUMINESCENT HAT INVASION OF 1577
Pierre Boaistuaum, Histoires Prodigieuses 4.7 (1594 ed.)
In the town of Altorf in the country of Wurttemberg in Germany, one league away from the town of Tübingen, on the fifth day of last December, in the year 1577, at around seven o’clock in the morning, when the sun was beginning to rise, there was seen not its natural brightness and splendor… All around the sun there appeared many black clouds, of the kind we are accustomed to see when there is a great storm, and soon after there came from the sun other clouds, all bloody and fiery, and others as yellow as saffron. From these clouds emerged diffusions of light resembling great high and wide hats, and all the earth showed itself to be yellow and bloody, and seemed to be covered (?) in hats, high and large. These hats appeared in many colors, such as red, blue, green, and for the most part black.
Translated by Jason Colavito.
Translated by Jason Colavito.
The invasion of glowing hats, Schrockliche Newe Zeitung, 1578.
THE FLYING DISC OF 1580
Pedro Sarmiento de Gamboa, Narrative and Route of the Voyage and Discovery (1580)
Night of February 6-7, 1580
Tonight, during the first hour of night, from the southeast side, a quarter to the south, we saw come out a round red thing like fire, like a shield, which rose through the sky, or was carried on the wind. It extended itself on a tall mountain and was like a long lance atop the tall mountain. It became like a half moon, between red and white (in color). The shapes were in this manner:
Tonight, during the first hour of night, from the southeast side, a quarter to the south, we saw come out a round red thing like fire, like a shield, which rose through the sky, or was carried on the wind. It extended itself on a tall mountain and was like a long lance atop the tall mountain. It became like a half moon, between red and white (in color). The shapes were in this manner:
Translated by Jason Colavito.
AN ALIEN INVADER AT OXFORD, 1660
Mirabilis Annus (1661)
The Devil in the likeness of a Bishop appeared to a Scholar in Magdalen College, November 10, 1660.
By a letter from a very good hand from Magdalen College in Oxford, it is certified, that about the 10th of November last, 1660, a Spectrum appeared to one Allen of that College, which according to his own relation was as followeth: He heard in the night, when he was in bed, a noise like the noise of geese; he arose from his bed, and looked out at his window, which opened over the bridge, but saw nothing; but, going to his bed again, he saw a man as it were grovelling upon the floor in Pontificalibus, attired like a Bishop in his lawn sleeves.
At first he was not much affrighted, but called to it, and adjured it to speak; the Bishop immediately rose up, and approached towards his bed, at which the young man was exceedingly terrified, and crying out, murder! murder! it vanished: he since says that he saw and heard something, which he will discover to none. Upon the report of this strange apparition in the College, the next night five or six Scholars watched in that chamber, and about midnight, on a sudden, the candles went out, and immediately upon it was heard a great noise as of children crying out, which so affrighted them, that they all ran out of the chamber. This is a thing generally known and talked of by the Students in that House, though, as it is reported, the Vice-President did his uttermost to suppress the rumour of it, and by his menaces hath so awed the Scholar, that except it be to some special confidents he dares not own this to any.
By a letter from a very good hand from Magdalen College in Oxford, it is certified, that about the 10th of November last, 1660, a Spectrum appeared to one Allen of that College, which according to his own relation was as followeth: He heard in the night, when he was in bed, a noise like the noise of geese; he arose from his bed, and looked out at his window, which opened over the bridge, but saw nothing; but, going to his bed again, he saw a man as it were grovelling upon the floor in Pontificalibus, attired like a Bishop in his lawn sleeves.
At first he was not much affrighted, but called to it, and adjured it to speak; the Bishop immediately rose up, and approached towards his bed, at which the young man was exceedingly terrified, and crying out, murder! murder! it vanished: he since says that he saw and heard something, which he will discover to none. Upon the report of this strange apparition in the College, the next night five or six Scholars watched in that chamber, and about midnight, on a sudden, the candles went out, and immediately upon it was heard a great noise as of children crying out, which so affrighted them, that they all ran out of the chamber. This is a thing generally known and talked of by the Students in that House, though, as it is reported, the Vice-President did his uttermost to suppress the rumour of it, and by his menaces hath so awed the Scholar, that except it be to some special confidents he dares not own this to any.
THE TAYLORSVILLE UFO OF 1873
New York Herald, April 8, 1873, p. 7
VERY LIKE A WHALE.
ZANESVILLE, Ohio, April 5, 1873.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD:--
A most extraordinary phenomenon was observed near the village of Taylorsville, a few miles from this city. About a week ago, Mr. Thomas Inman, whom your reporter can vouch for as a respectable farmer of unquestionable truth and veracity, related the circumstance to the writer, and with his son, who was also an eye witness, is willing to make oath to the truth of this statement.
One evening about two weeks ago, while Mr. Inman and his son, a young man, were returning to their home from Taylorsville, the saw a light which they describe as looking like a “burning brush pile,” near the zenith, descending rapidly towards the earth, with a loud roaring noise. It struck the ground in the road a short distance from them. The blazing object flickered and flared for a few moments and then faded into darkness, as a man dressed in a complete suit of black, and carrying a lantern emerged from it. The man walked a few paces and stepped into a buggy, which had not been observed before, by either Mr. Inman or his son. There was no horse attached to his supernatural vehicle, but no sooner had the man taken his seat that it started to run, noiselessly but with great velocity, along the highway, and this is continued to do until it reached a steep gully, into which it plunged, when buggy, man and lantern suddenly disappeared as mysteriously as they came.
This phenomenon is certainly an extraordinary and unexplainable one, and sounds more like the vagary of a crazed brain than anything else. But both Mr. Inman and his son, who are sober men and not given to superstitious notions, agree precisely in their statements and maintain that they are strictly true. If it was an optical delusion, super-induced by a meteor or “Jack o’ lantern,” is it not strange that the same fancied appearances could be conjured up in the minds of two men at the same time? Here is a chance for scientists to explain the fantastical optical and other illusions and delusions which follow in the train of, and are suggested by, some strange and unexpected sight or occurrence.
W. A. Taylor.
A most extraordinary phenomenon was observed near the village of Taylorsville, a few miles from this city. About a week ago, Mr. Thomas Inman, whom your reporter can vouch for as a respectable farmer of unquestionable truth and veracity, related the circumstance to the writer, and with his son, who was also an eye witness, is willing to make oath to the truth of this statement.
One evening about two weeks ago, while Mr. Inman and his son, a young man, were returning to their home from Taylorsville, the saw a light which they describe as looking like a “burning brush pile,” near the zenith, descending rapidly towards the earth, with a loud roaring noise. It struck the ground in the road a short distance from them. The blazing object flickered and flared for a few moments and then faded into darkness, as a man dressed in a complete suit of black, and carrying a lantern emerged from it. The man walked a few paces and stepped into a buggy, which had not been observed before, by either Mr. Inman or his son. There was no horse attached to his supernatural vehicle, but no sooner had the man taken his seat that it started to run, noiselessly but with great velocity, along the highway, and this is continued to do until it reached a steep gully, into which it plunged, when buggy, man and lantern suddenly disappeared as mysteriously as they came.
This phenomenon is certainly an extraordinary and unexplainable one, and sounds more like the vagary of a crazed brain than anything else. But both Mr. Inman and his son, who are sober men and not given to superstitious notions, agree precisely in their statements and maintain that they are strictly true. If it was an optical delusion, super-induced by a meteor or “Jack o’ lantern,” is it not strange that the same fancied appearances could be conjured up in the minds of two men at the same time? Here is a chance for scientists to explain the fantastical optical and other illusions and delusions which follow in the train of, and are suggested by, some strange and unexpected sight or occurrence.
W. A. Taylor.
