EFFECTS OF MAGIC ACCORDING TO THE POETS.
Were we to believe what is said by the poets concerning the effects of
magic, and what the magicians boast of being able to perform by their
spells, nothing would be more marvelous than their art, and we should
be obliged to acknowledge that the power of the demon was greatly
shown thereby. Pliny[168] relates that Appian evoked the spirit of
Homer, to learn from him which was his country, and who were his
parents. Philostratus says[169] that Apollonius of Tyana went to the
tomb of Achilles, evoked his manes, and implored them to cause the
figure of that hero to appear to him; the tomb trembled, and
afterwards he beheld a young man, who at first appeared about five
cubits, or seven feet and a half high--after which, the phantom
dilated to twelve cubits, and appeared of a singular beauty.
Apollonius asked him some frivolous questions, and as the young man
jested indecently with him, he comprehended that he was possessed by a
demon; this demon he expelled, and cured the young man. But all this
is fabulous.
Lactantius,[170] refuting the philosophers Democritus, Epicurus, and
Dicearchus, who denied the immortality of the soul, says they would
not dare to maintain their opinion before a magician, who, by the
power of his art, and by his spells, possessed the secret of bringing
souls from Hades, of making them appear, speak, and foretell the
future, and give certain signs of their presence.
St. Augustine,[171] always circumspect in his decisions, dare not
pronounce whether magicians possess the power of evoking the spirits
of saints by the might of their enchantments. But Tertullian[172] is
bolder, and maintains that no magical art has power to bring the souls
of the saints from their rest; but that all the necromancers can do is
to call forth some phantoms with a borrowed shape, which fascinate the
eyes, and make those who are present believe that to be a reality
which is only appearance. In the same place he quotes Heraclius, who
says that the Nasamones, people of Africa, pass the night by the tombs
of their near relations to receive oracles from the latter; and that
the Celts, or Gauls, do the same thing in the mausoleums of great men,
as related by Nicander.
Lucan says[173] that the magicians, by their spells, cause thunder in
the skies unknown to Jupiter; that they tear the moon from her sphere,
and precipitate her to earth; that they disturb the course of nature,
prolong the nights, and shorten the days; that the universe is
obedient to their voice, and that the world is chilled as it were when
they speak and command.[174] They were so well persuaded that the
magicians possessed power to make the moon come down from the sky, and
they so truly believed that she was evoked by magic art whenever she
was eclipsed, that they made a great noise by striking on copper
vessels, to prevent the voice which pronounced enchantments from
reaching her.[175]
These popular opinions and poetical fictions deserve no credit, but
they show the force of prejudice.[176] It is affirmed that, even at
this day, the Persians think they are assisting the moon when eclipsed
by striking violently on brazen vessels, and making a great uproar.
Ovid[177] attributes to the enchantments of magic the evocation of the
infernal powers, and their dismissal back to hell; storms, tempests,
and the return of fine weather. They attributed to it the power of
changing men into beasts by means of certain herbs, the virtues of
which are known to them.[178]
Virgil[179] speaks of serpents put to sleep and enchanted by the
magicians. And Tibullus says that he has seen the enchantress bring
down the stars from heaven, and turn aside the thunderbolt ready to
fall upon the earth--and that she has opened the ground and made the
dead come forth from their tombs.
As this matter allows of poetical ornaments, the poets have vied with
each other in endeavoring to adorn their pages with them, not that
they were convinced there was any truth in what they said; they were
the first to laugh at it when an opportunity presented itself, as well
as the gravest and wisest men of antiquity. But neither princes nor
priests took much pains to undeceive the people, or to destroy their
prejudices on those subjects. The Pagan religion allowed them, nay,
authorized them, and part of its practices were founded on similar
superstitions.
Footnotes:
[168] Plin. lib. iii. c. 2.
[169] Philost. Vit. Apollon.
[170] Lactant. lib. vi. Divin. Instit. c. 13.
[171] Aug. ad Simplic.
[172] Tertull. de Anima, c. 57.
[173] Lucan. Pharsal. lib. vi. 450, _et seq._
[174]
"Cessavere vices rerum, dilataque longa,
Haesit nocte dies; legi non paruit aether;
Torpuit et praeceps audito carmine mundus;
Et tonat ignaro coelum Jove."
[175]
"Cantat et e curro tentat deducere Lunam
Et faceret, si non aera repulsa sonent."
_Tibull._ lib. i. Eleg. ix. 21.
[176] Pietro della Valle, Voyage.
[177]
".... Obscurum verborum ambage nervorum
Ter novies carmen magico demurmurat ore.
Jam ciet infernas magico stridore catervas,
Jam jubet aspersum lacte referre pedem.
Cum libet, haec tristi depellit nubila coelo;
Cum libet, aestivo provocat orbe nives."
_Ovid. Metamorph._ 14.
[178]
"Nais nam ut cantu, nimiumque potentibus herbis
Verterit in tacitos juvenilia corpora pisces."
[179]
"Vipereo generi et graviter spirantibus hydris
Spargere qui somnos cantuque manque solebat,"