4966. On one particular tower a certain one was seen who held a drawn, flashing sword; and then those below who saw it began to be struck totally blind and virtually terrified to death by a papal lightning bolt. 1Such, too, is meant in the Word by a "flashing sword" [Deut. 32:41]. There were very many like this there in the same place.
Footnotes:
1. A reference found in Renaissance era Catholic literature to papal power, particularly to the power of anathema.
4966. There was seen a certain one, on the top of a certain tower, who held a naked sword which flashed; and then those below who saw it began straightway to lie down blinded, and, as it were, dead from terror, like as from a Pope's fulmination. Such is also signified in the Word by the flashing of a sword. In the same place there were very many such persons.
4966. Visus est quidam super turri quadam, qui evaginatam ensem tenebat, cum fulgure, et tunc infra qui viderunt coeperunt prorsus jacere coeci, et quasi mortui ex terrore, sicut ex fulmine papali, tale etiam significatur in Verbo per "fulgur gladii," ibi in eodem loco perplures tales erant.