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GYÖRGY E. SZÖNYI
Lazzarelli unfolds here an impressive list of portentous parallels to the
powerful demonstration of Giovanni Mercurio. He says, in true syncretic
manner, that “this is the book of Enoch, the vision of Hermes, Noah’s Ark,
and the tabernacle of Moses” (EE 6.4.4; Lazarelli 125), once again suggesting
a close relationship among Enoch, Hermes, and Moses. More surprisingly,
towards the end of the list, he also mentions prominent works of medieval
magical literature: “this is the Almadel and Pentacle of Solomon, the ring
of wisdom, the Semaphore of Raziel; this is the vision reflecting the glory of
the Lord, [...] and a pleasant vision of all the prophetical and notary art”
(ibid.).'
Epistola Enoch 7.1ff continues the story with an account of how Mercurio
mounted a cheap white ass which was decorated with other paraphernalia,
including a dried skull in a basket. Thus prepared, flanked by his mounted
servants, da Correggio again rode into the city centre and admonished the
passersby with strong apocalyptic words: “Unto you, O men, I call, and my
voice is to the sons of man. [ . . . ] Fire, prison, famine, and plague, all these
created for punishment; the teeth of wild beasts and scorpions and snakes,
and swords to bring the godless to ruin” (EE 8.1.1; Lazzarelli, 131). When
he finished his sermon, he took the skull out of the basket and continued
thundering, “Vengeance! Vengeance!” Finally, he threw pieces of paper into
the crowd on which fragments of his speech were written, including the
following title: “I, Giovanni Mercurio of Correggio, the Angel of Wisdom
Pimander, in the highest and greatest ecstasy of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,
evangelize loudly...” (8.3.1; Lazzarelli, 137).
Then he began heading again toward the Vatican in the midst of a crowd
bearing palm branches, which had just been brought out of the churches after
high mass. Lazzarelli cannot but admit that “Some said he was mad, but some—
closer to the truth—acclaimed him as a prophet” (9.2; p. 139). On the Campo
dei Fiori, he delivered yet another sermon. He then progressed to St. Peter’s
Square, where “he seriously disturbed the troop of men on horseback who stood
waiting for the bishops to return from the service.” The guards nonetheless let
him through, and he led his ass up to the threshold of the Sanctuary. There,
he placed his requisites on the High Altar, including the skull with a paper on
which was written, “The Eternal Gospel.” Having accomplished all this, he left
the church. Then, he “returned to Bologna to his wife and children, where he is
still living with his family” (EE 11.2; Lazzarelli, 141).
In 1484, the fate of the two initiates, Lazzarelli and da Correggio, parted
ways. The former moved to Naples and tried his fortune at the court of King
Ferrante as one of his Humanists, next to the famous and powerful Giovanni
1° On these medieval magical texts and their relation to Hermes and Enoch see Thorndike
1923-58, volume 2 passim; Peterson, The Lesser Key of Solomon (2001) and Peterson, Liber
Juratus (2009).
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