Wagner, Faust's former _famulus_, busily engaged at the alchemic furnace
in preparing a _homunculus_, an artificial man. The same "_Magia Divina_"
from which we have quoted the preceding directions, allows us also to
trace the secret of the learned Wagner: the art of producing "homunculos
philosophicos." In a retort of the most beautiful crystal glass is poured
one measure of the purest May-dew, collected when the moon is crescent,
and two measures of blood from a youth, or three measures from a girl.
Both the boy and the girl must be hale and, "if possible," chaste. When
this mixture has fomented during a month, and been transformed into a
reddish clay, the _menstruum_ which is formed on the top is drawn off by
means of tubes hermetically attached to the retort, gathered into a clean
glass vessel, mixed with one drachm animal tincture, and the mixture is
again poured into the retort where it is kept during a month in gentle
heat. A sort of bladder will have then formed which is soon gradually
covered with an organic net of little veins and nerves. Sprinkled every
fourth week with the _menstruum_ above quoted, the bladder grows during
four months. When now you notice a peeping sound and movements of vitality
in the glass, look into it and you will discover to your joy and amazement
a most beautiful pair, a boy and a girl, which you can contemplate with
heart-felt admiration for this lovely work of nature, though their height
is but six inches. They move and walk about in the glass, where in the
midst there is a tree growing with all kinds of pleasant fruits. If now
you pour into the retort every month, two grains of animal tincture, you
can keep them alive six whole years. When one year old they can inform you
of many secrets of nature. They are benevolent in their disposition, and
obey you in every thing. But at the end of the sixth year you will find
that this beautiful pair who have eaten hitherto of all kinds of fruit,
except those growing on the tree which sprang up in the midst of the
retort, now begin to eat also the fruit of that. Then a vapor is found in
the retort, which grows denser, assumes a blood-red color and emits
flashes. The two _homunculi_ are terrified, and try to hide themselves.
Finally every thing around them is parched, they die, and the whole is
changed into a fuming mass. If the glass is not very large and strong it
explodes, causing great damage.
[33] Every planet had among the twelve signs of the Zodiac its own house,
and it was especially propitious when in any of those abodes. The
following table shows the order:--
Saturn dwells in Capricornus.
Jupiter " " Pisces and Sagittarius.
Mars " " Aries and Scorpio.
The Sun " " Leo.
Venus " " Taurus and Ursa Major.
Mercurius " " Virgo and Gemini.
The Moon " " Cancer.
Each of the twelve signs (thirty degrees on the arc of the heavens) was
divided into three "faces" (ten degrees). The position of the planet was
most auspicious when in the first face of the house; if in the third its
favorable influence was doubtful.
As the reader will see from the first table given above, the signs of the
Zodiac were supposed to sustain a relation to the elements and to
temperaments. Aries, Leo and Sagittarius were warm, dry, fiery and
choleric. Mars entering these signs--excepting that of Aries which was his
own house, in which he was auspicious--must therefore bode draught,
conflagration and pestilence. Taurus, Virgo and Capricornus, were cold,
dry, earthy, melancholic. Saturn in the second sign of Taurus might
consequently betoken a severe winter. The signs of Cancer, Scorpio and
Pisces were cold, damp, watery and sanguine. The dominion of the Zodiacal
constellations over the human body was divided as follows: Aries presided
over the head and face, Taurus over the neck and throat, Gemini over the
shoulders, arms and hands, Cancer over the breast, ribs, lungs and spleen,
Leo over the upper part of the stomach, back and side, Virgo over the
lower part of the stomach and intestines, Scorpio over the generative
organs, Sagittarius over the anus, Capricornus over the knees, Aquarius
over the thighs, Pisces over the feet. The planets exercised the same
influence as their houses, and all elementary things subordinated to a
planet were considered to be, during auspicious aspects, excellent
remedies for affections in the limbs presided over by that planet. The
series of analogies, of which we have given an example above, were
therefore inexhaustible mines even for the physicians of the Middle Ages.
Since, for instance, Capricornus which presided over the knees, is the
house of Saturn, and all crawling animals are connected with this planet,
the fat of snakes is an effective remedy against gout in the knees,
especially on Saturday, the day of Saturn.
[34] The days bear yet, in many languages, the names of the planets which
were assigned to them in gray antiquity by Astrology.
Sunday, dies Solis, is the day of the Sun.
Monday, dies Lunae, is the day of the Moon.
Tuesday, dies Martis, is the day of Mars, _i. e._, Tiw.
Wednesday, dies Mercurii, is the day of Mercury.
Thursday, dies Jovis, is the day of Jupiter, _i. e._, Thor.
Friday, dies Veneris, is the day of Venus, _i. e._, Freja.
Saturday, dies Saturni, is the day of Saturn.
The original names seem to have been introduced by the Romans during the
later period of the republic. That the idea is derived from Egypt is shown
by a passage in Dion Cassius [l. XLIII., c. 26; compare E. Roth,
"Geschichte userer abendlaendischer Philosophie," I., pag. 211]. The
question when and how they were introduced by our forefathers will perhaps
remain forever a matter only of conjecture. It has caused astonishment
that the order in which the days were named after the planets, though the
same with all nations, is not the order in which they were supposed to be
placed in the universe (Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, the Sun, Venus, Mercury and
the Moon). This riddle is solved by the passage in Dion Cassius referred
to, in a manner such that the astrological origin of this nomenclature
must be undoubted. He relates, namely, that the Egyptians devoted every
one of the twenty-four hours to a certain planet. The first hour of the
first week-day (Saturday) was given to the uppermost planet, Saturn, the
second to Jupiter, the third to Mars and so on, according to the order of
the planets. The 24th hour of Saturday consequently fell also to Mars, and
the first hour of the succeeding day to the Sun, by which that day was
therefore named Sunday. The 24th hour of Sunday falls according to the
same calculation to Mercury, and the first hour of Monday to the Moon; and
so on. The astrological distribution of the hours between the planets
according to their successive order in the heavens thus explains the
apparent disorder which occurs in the week. In the magical works by
Cornelius Agrippa, Peter de Albano and others, of which the author has
availed himself, tables concerning the distribution of the hours are
found. These writers have collected from all quarters, and not least from
Ptolemy and the Alexandrians, materials for their magical apparatus.
[35] The prescriptions for these perfumes are found in Cornelius Agrippa's
"Occulta Philosophia," l. I., c. 44.
[36] They are found in Agrippa's "Occulta Philosophia," l. III. cc. 25,
26, 27, 28.
[37] Many pages could be filled with subtle speculations over the word
_Bereshit_, the first word in the Old Testament. That the sensual world is
only a secondary world, a reflex of the ideal world, the Cabalists proved
by showing that Holy Writ commences not with the first but with the second
letter of the Alphabet, namely [Hebrew] (b), which in its form is half a
square [found in the number of the world], and therefore signifies an
accomplished separation between spirit and matter, between good and evil.
By a transposition of the letters in _Bereshit_, in accordance with the
method of the Cabala, two other words are obtained which mean "in the
first Tishri," showing that the world had been created in the month of
Tishri (September). The sum of the numerical value of the letters in the
word _Bereshit_ equals the sum of the numerical value of the letters in
two words which mean "He created by the law,"--a proof that the law is the
instrumental cause of the world. Further, _Bereshit_ can be divided so as
to form two words meaning "He created six" (six days, six millenniums, the
six extensions of universal space, etc.); or, "He created a ram," which
was, according to the Hebrew Cabalists, the same ram that was sacrificed
instead of Isaac, and the Christians add, the same "Lamb of God" which
gave itself a sacrifice for man.
[38] The table from which the author has amused himself in extracting,
according to the rules, this name, is found in "Occulta Philosophia," 1.
III. c. 26.
[39] Agrippa's book gives the subtle rules for finding the "signs" or the
signatures of the demons.--The reader must remember the part played by the
"signs" of microcosmos and the earth-spirit in Goethe's Faust.
[40] Since they (the newly converted Anglo-Saxons) are accustomed to
slaughter many oxen and horses in their feasts to the honor of the devils
(their ancient gods) it is necessary to allow this custom to remain, but
based upon another principle. Thus there must likewise be celebrated on
the feast days of the Church and of the Holy Martyrs whose relics are kept
in the churches built in heathen sacrificial groves, a perfectly similar
festival, by enclosing a place with green trees and preparing a religious
banquet. Still the animals must not be sacrificed to Satan's honor, but
slaughtered to the praise of God and for the sake of food, for which the
Giver of all good gifts must be thanked.
[41] "_Creberrima fama est multique se expertos vel ab eis qui experti
essent, de quorum fide dubitandum non est, audisse confirmant, silvanos et
faunos, quos incubos vocant, improbos saepe exstitisse mulieribus et earum
appetisse ac peregisse concubitum, et quosdam daemones, quos Dusios Galli
nuncupant, hanc assidue immunditiam et tentare et efficere plures talesque
asseverant, ut hoc negare impudentiae videatur._" (De civitate Dei. lib.
15, cap. 23).
[42] "Recognitiones divi Clementis ad Jacob," lib. II.
[43] This view is expressed already in Henoch's book and in the writings
of the Rabbi. Like them even the fathers interpreted the "Sons of God"
mentioned in Genesis who "were fascinated by the daughters of men" as
fallen angels. Thus Cyrillus, Anthenagoras, Irenaeus, Lactantius,
Turtullianus, and others. We have just instanced above a quotation from
Augustine. The Greek mythology with its amours between gods and men was
destined to give support to this superstition.--Luther, who could not free
himself from the superstition of his time, tells us often in his
"Tischreden" that the devil can beget children by connection with human
beings. "Es ist wahrlich ein grauelich, schrecklich Exempel," he says in
one place, "dass der Teufel kann die Leute plagen, dass er auch kinder
zeuget."
[44] Reginonis libri duo de synodalibus causis et disciplinis
ecclesiasticis. The work was republished in Leipzig in the year 1840.
[45] "Gott in der Geschichte," III.
[46] It is found complete in its original form in Horst's "Demonomagie,"
II.
[47] Many etymologies as profound occur in the "Witch-hammer." The word
_diabolus_ (devil) is derived from _duo_, "two," and _bolus_, "morsel,"
which is thus explained, that the devil fishes at the same time after two
morsels, the soul and the body.
[48] This deduction, replete with indecencies which can not be handled,
occupies thirty-three pages of the "Witch-hammer." It pretends to be very
convincing. It has also sent women by hundreds of thousands to death.
[49] To give the reader a clearer idea of the really diabolical blindness
and brutality which characterizes the terrible book we are giving an
account of, we quote the following statement from the "Witch-hammer," p.
223: "We (the inquisitors Sprenger and his colleagues) find that of all
women that we have condemned to the flames very few have voluntarily done
harm by sorcery. They have generally been forced by the devil to do it.
After having confessed every thing (on the rack) they generally attempt
suicide before being taken to the stake. It is the devil who tempts them
thus, for he is afraid that by repentance and confession they will receive
the pardon of God. If this wily trick is not successful, and if they are
prevented from destroying themselves, he knows how to rob them of the
chance of grace by other means, namely, by smiting them with fury, madness
or sudden death!"--Behold a sample of how theological arguments founded on
superior natural influences can be used!
[50] Horst: "Demonomagie," I.
[51] Colquhoun.
[52] [Greek: Mela Mandragorou] (in Hebrew _dudaim_) is in the Septuagint a
name for the love-apples with which Leah regaled her husband (Gen. xxx.
14). Pliny speaks of the mandragora as a poisonous herb, dangerous to dig;
now already Columella knows the mandragora as a half-human
being--"_semihomo mandragoras_."
[53] Man sagt: wenn ein Erbdieb, dem, wie den Ziguenern das Stehlen
angeboren ist, oder dessen Mutter, als sie mit ihm schwanger ging,
gestohlen, oder doch gross Geluesten dazu gehabt--nach Einigen; auch ein
Unschuldiger, welcher in der Tortur sich fuer einen Dieb bekennt--und der
ein reiner Junggeselle ist, gehaenkt wird, und das Wasser laesst, oder sein
Same auf die Erde faellt, so waechst an solchem Ort der Alraun.--"Nork:
Sitten und Gebraeuche der Deutschen und ihrer Nachbarvoelker."
[54] So Propertius and Plinius. Virgil (eclog. VIII.) makes a shepherd
sing:
Has herbas, atque haec Ponto mihi lecta venena,
Ipse dedit Moeris: nascuntur plurima Ponto.
_His ego saepe lupum fieri, et se condere selvis
Moerim_ ... vidi.
[55] Melancthon, who firmly believed in the were-wolf, reasoned in the
same way.
[56] As late as 1804 a vagabond named Marechal was accused by the peasants
in Longueville as a sorcerer and were-wolf. At his trial the mysterious
were-wolf excursions were resolved into thieving rambles, and Marechal was
condemned for burglary to the galleys.
[57] During the restauration in 1815, when all the dead rose in their
sepulchres, the famous _von Goerres_ sought to revive the belief in
vampirism. He has written about it a work of mighty learning, wherein he
discourses profusely of the "vegetative" sources of the body, which he
asserts continue their activity after death, and thus enable the soul of
the deceased to reoccupy and for a while reoperate its old machinery.
[58] Some of the popular forms of conjuration are in Latin, though
corrupted so as to be almost beyond recognition. A couple of restored
examples may be given. This is the formula against bloody-flux:
Sanguis mane in venis
Sicut Christus in poenis,
Sanguis mane fixus
Sicut Christus fuit crucifixus.
Against fever:
Deus vos solvet sambuco, panem et sal ego vobis adduco, febrem tertianam
et quotidianam accipite vos, qui nolo eam.
Against epilepsy:
Melchior, Balthaser, portans haec nomina Caspar,
Solvitur e morbo Domini pietate caduco.
Perpetret et ternas defunctis psallere missas.
Barachun. Barachagim. Destrue. Subalgat.
[59] Compare Virgil, Ecl. VIII:
Terna tibi haec primum triplici diversa colore
Licia circumdo....
Necte tribus nodis ternos, Amarylli, colores:
Necte, Amarylli, modo: et Veneris, dic, vincula necto.
[60] Compare same eclogue:
Limus ut hic durescit, et haec ut cera liquescit
Uno eodemque igni: sic nostro Daphnis amore.
[61] The Faust-legend, formed during the time of the Reformation, sought
at first to employ one of the heroes of the learned magic, Henricus
Cornelius Agrippa, as its chief character; but a biography of him,
published by his pupil, Wierus, having dispelled the fantastical halo
enveloping his personality, the creative desire sought a more obscure
object which it could transform according to its bizarre imaginations.
Transcriber's Notes:
Passages in italics are indicated by _italics_.
Passages in fraktur font are indicated by =fraktur=.
The original text includes Greek characters. For this text version these
letters have been replaced with transliterations.
The original text includes Hebrew characters. For this text version these
letters have been replaced with [Hebrew].
End of Project Gutenberg's The Magic of the Middle Ages, by Viktor Rydberg