Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa I

8/3/2019 Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa I

1/39

Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa: Of Occult Philosophy,

Book I. (part 1)

This digital edition by Joseph H. Peterson, Copyright 2000. All rights reserved.

You will need a Hebrew ontinstalled to read so!e o this boo".

#or an e$%ellent edition o this i!portant boo", see Three &oo"s o '%%ult Philosophy .

Heinri%h Cornelius Agrippa ()*+-)/ is the !ost inluential writer o 1enaissan%e

esoteri%a, and indeed all o estern o%%ultis!. ithout doubt, his boo" de occultaphilosophiashould be at the top o any re3uired reading list or those interested in

estern !agi% and esoteri% traditions.

ritten in three boo"s between the years )04 and ))0 (he would have been 2/ at the

ti!e, it was an a!bitious atte!pt to re5uvenate the art o !agi% whi%h had degeneratedduring the dar" ages. He did this by asse!bling an intelle%tual and theoreti%al oundation

ro! his e$tensive %olle%tion o sour%es. Agrippa started with a 6syste!ati% e$position

o ... #i%inian spiritual !agi% and Trithe!ian de!oni% !agi% (and ... treatised inpra%ti%al !agi%6 (7. P. Couliano inHidden Truths)4+8, p. ))*. 'ther !a5or sour%es

used by Agrippa in%ludeLiber de mirabilibus mundio pseudo-Albertus 9agnus,

:iovanni Pi%o;s Oratio de Dignitate HominisandApologia, Johannes 1eu%hlin;sDe

Verbo Mirifico, Pliny;sHistoria Naturalis,as well asPicatrixand the Her!eti% and


2/39

Hindoo Magic & 'ndian Occultism, (Chi%ago, )4)G He !anaged the ;Hindoo; part by

repla%ing %ertain o the Hebrew na!es with pseudo-Fans"rit abri%ations.

This edition is a trans%ription o the :regory 9oule edition (9oule Bondon, )). 7have added te$t in I pri!arily to a%ilitate sear%hes, but also to in%lude so!e %orre%tions

based on the original Batin (Beiden D.J. &rill, )442. ?ln (Cologne Batin edition.

TH1DD &''>F'#

'%%ult Philosophy,17TTD< &Y

Henr" ornelius Agrippa,'#


3/39

&''> '


4/39

and in other Things in %ertain Parts and 9e!bers.

Chap. 2). ' the vertues o Things whi%h are in the! only in their Bie Ti!e, and Fu%h

as 1e!ain in the! even Ater their =eath.

Chap. 22. How 7nerior Things are Fub5e%ted to Fuperior &odies, and how the &odies,

the A%tions, and =ispositions o 9en are As%ribed to Ftars and Figns.

Chap. 2/. How we shall >now what Ftars natural Things are @nder, and what Thingsare under the Fun, whi%h are %alled Folary.

Chap. 2*. hat Things are Bunary, or @nder the Power o the 9oon.

Chap. 2. hat Things are Faturnine, or @nder the Power o Faturn.

Chap. 2. hat Things are @nder the Power o Jupiter, and are %alled Jovial.

Chap. 28. hat Things are @nder the Power o 9ars, and are %alled 9artial.

Chap. 2+. hat things are @nder the Power o enus, and are %alled enereal.

Chap. 24. Things are @nder the Power o 9er%ury, and are %alled 9er%urial.

Chap. /0. That the hole Fublunary orld, and those Things whi%h are in 7t, are=istributed to Planets.

Chap. /). How Provin%es and >ingdo!s are =istributed to Planets.Chap. /2. hat Things are @nder the Figns, the #i$ed Ftars, and their 7!ages.

Chap. //. ' the Feals and Chara%ters o


5/39

Chap. 2. ' the Countenan%e and :esture, the Habit and the #igure o the &ody, and

to what Ftars any o these do Answer -- when%e Physiogno!y, and9etopos%opy, and Chiro!an%y, Arts o =ivination, have their :rounds.

Chap. /. ' =ivination, and the >inds thereo.

Chap. *. ' divers %ertain Ani!als, and other things, whi%h have a Fignii%ation in

Auguries.Chap. . How Auspi%as are eriied by the Bight o


6/39

The life of Henr Cornelius Agrippa, !night.

This introdu%tion is not ound in the )// edition.

-nr" ornelius Agrippa,=es%ended ro! a noble #a!ily oNetteshimin$elgia,=o%tor

o the Baws and Physi%" !edi%ineI, 9aster o the 1ols, and Judge o the spirituall Court,

ro! his youth he applyed his !inde to learning, and by his happy wit obtained great

"nowledge in all Arts and F%ien%esK aterwards also he ollowed the Ar!y o the Prin%es,and or his valor was %reated >night in the #ieldK when 5e was by these !eans a!ous or

learning and Ar!s about )/0. He gave his !inde to writing, and %o!posed three &oo"sOf Occult Philosoph".aterward an 7nve%tive or Cyni%all de%la!ation o the un%ertaintyand vanity o all things, in whi%h he tea%heth that there is no %ertainty in any thing, but in

the solid words o :od, and that, to lie hid in the e!inen%y o :ods wordK he also wrote

an History o the double Coronation o the D!peror harls,and also o the e$%ellen%y othe e!inine se$e, and o the apparitions o spiritsK but seeing that he published

%o!!entaries on theArs $re/iso+a"mundus Lull"1a!on BlullI, and was very !u%h

addi%ted to '%%ult Philosophy and Astrology, there were those who thought that he

en5oyed %o!!er%e with devils, who! notwithstanding he %onuted in his publishedApology, and shewed, that he "ept hi!sel within the bounds o Art, )/+, He wrote

!any learned orations, whi%h !aniest to all the e$%ellen%y o his witK but espe%ially tenK

the irst onPlatoes&en3uet, uttered in theAcadem"o Tricina%ontaining the praise oBoveK the se%ond onHermes Trismegistus,and o the power and wisdo! o :odK the

third or one who was to re%eive his degree o =o%torK the ourth or the Bords oMet0,

when he was %hosen their Advo%ate, Fyndi%e and 'ratorK the ith to the Fenate oLuxenburg,or the Bords oMet0.The si$th to salute the Prin%e and &ishop thereo,

written or the Bords oMet0.the seventh to salute as noble !an, written li"ewise or the

Bords oMet0.the eighth or a %ertain "ins!an o his, a armelite,!ade &a%helor o=ivinity, when he re%eived his regen%y atParis.the ninth or the son o ristiern>ing o

Denmar", Nor1a",and 21eden,delivered at the %o!ing o the D!perorK the tenth at the

#unerall o the BadyMargret,Prin%ess oAustriaand$urgund".he wrote also a

=ialogue %on%erning !an, and a =e%la!ation o a disputable opinion %on%erning

originall sin to the &ishop o "rene.an Dpistle toMichael de Arando&ishop o FaintPaul.a %o!plaint upon a %alu!ny not proved, Printed at 2trasburg)/4. and thereore

by these !onu!ents published, the na!e o corneliusor his variety o Bearning wasa!ous, not only a!ongst the #ermanes,but also other


7/39

Diogenes%onte!neth all thingsK thisAgrippaspareth none, he %onte!neth, "nows, is

ignorant, weeps, laught, is angry, pursueth, %arps at all things, being hi!sel a

Philosopher, a =e!on, an Heroes heroI, a god, and all things.

To " "ost honora#le, an$ no less learne$ %rien$,Robert Childe,&octor

of 'hsick.

71G :reat !en de%line, !ighty !en !ay all, but an honest Philosopher "eeps his stationor ever. To your sel thereore 7 %rave leave to present, what 7 "now you are able to

prote%tK not with sword, but by reasonK not that only, but what by your a%%eptan%e youare able to give a lustre to. 7 see it is not in vain that you have %o!passed Fea and Band,

or thereby you have !ade a Proselyte, not o another, but o your sel, by being

%onverted ro! vulgar, and irrational in%redulities to the rational e!bra%ing o thesubli!e, Her!eti%all, and Theo!agi%all truths. You are s"illed in the one as iHermes

had been your TutorK have insight in the other, as iAgrippayour 9aster. 9any

trans!arine Philosophers, whi%h we only read, you have %onversed with !anyCountries, rarities, and anti3uities, whi%h we have only heard o, and ad!ire, you have

seen.


8/39

!ost %o!!only indu%e a ashion, espe%ially i any on%e begin to approve o their habit.

Your approbation is that whi%h will stand in need o, and whi%h will render !e,

F71,9ost obligedly yours,

() *)

Pragmatic% 2choolmen, men made up of pride,

And ra"ling Arguments, 1ho truth deride,And scorn all else but 1hat "our sel/es de/ise,

And thin% these high4learned Tracts to be but lies,

Do not presume, unless 1ith hallo1ed handTo touch these boo%s 1ho 1ith the 1orld shall stand.

The are indeed m"sterious, rare and rich,And far transcend the ordinar" pitch)

7o. &oo"er.

[Agrippa] To the ea$er.

7 do not doubt but the Title o our boo" of ccult 'hilosoph, or of *agick, !ay by therarity o it allure !any to read it, a!ongst whi%h, so!e o a %rasie languid, eebleI

5udge!ent, and so!e that are perverse will %o!e to hear what 7 %an say, who, by their

rash ignoran%e !ay ta"e the na!e oMagic%in the worse sense, and though s%ar%e

having seen the title, %ry out that 7 tea%h orbidden Arts, sow the seed o Heresies, oendpious ears, and s%andaliEe e$%ellent witsK that 7 a! a sor%erer, and superstitious and

divellish devilishI, who indeed a! a 9agi%ian to who! 7 answer, that a 9agi%ian doth

not a!ongst learned !en signiie a sor%erer, or one that is superstitious or divellishdevilishIK but a wise !an, a priest, a prophetK and that the Fybils were 9agi%ianesses,

thereore prophe%yed !ost %leerly o ChristK and that 9agi%ians, as wise !en, by the

wonderul se%rets o the world, "new Christ, the author o the world, to be born, and

%a!e irst o all to worship hi!K and that the na!e o 9agi%"e was re%eived byPhylosophers philosophersI, %o!!ended by =ivines, and not una%%eptable to the

:ospel. 7 believe that the super%ilious %ensors will ob5e%t against the Fybils, holy9agi%ians and the :ospel it sel sooner then re%eive the na!e o 9agi%" into avorK so

%ons%ientious are they, that neitherApollo, nor all the 9uses, nor an Angel ro! Heaven

%an redee! !e ro! their %urse. ho! thereore 7 advise, that they read not our

ritings, nor understand the!, nor re!e!ber the!. #or they are perni%ious, and ull opoyson poisonIK the gate oAcheronis in this boo"K it spea"s stones, let the! ta"e heed


9/39

that it beat not out their brains. &ut you that %o!e without pre5udi%e to read it, i you have

so !u%h dis%retion o pruden%e, as &ees have in gathering honey, read se%urely, and

believe that you shall re%eive no little proit, and !u%h pleasureK but i you shall ind anythings that !ay not please you, let the! alone and !a"e no use o the!, or 7 do not

approve o the!, but de%lare the! to youK but do not reuse other things, or they that

loo" into the boo"s o Physi%ians, do together with antidotes and !edi%ines, read alsopoysons poisonsI. 7 %oness that 9agi%" it sel tea%heth !any superluous things, and

%urious prodigies or ostentationK leave the! as e!pty things, yet be not ignorant o their

%auses. &ut those things whi%h are or the proit o !an, or the turning away o evilevents, or the destroying o sor%eries, or the %uring o diseases, or the e$ter!inating o

phantas!es, or the preserving o lie, honor, or ortune, !ay be done without oense to

:od, or in5ury to 1eligion, be%ause they are, as proitable, so ne%essary. &ut 7 have

ad!onished you, that 7 have writ !any things, rather narratively then air!ativelyK orso it see!ed needul that we should pass over ewer things ollowing the 5udg!ents o

Platonists, and other :entile Philosophers when they did suggest an argu!ent o writing

to our purposeK thereore i any error have been %o!!itted, or any thing hath been spo"en

!ore reely, pardon !y youthK or 7 wrote this being s%ar%e a yong youngI !an, that 7!ay e$%use !y sel, and say, 6whilest 7 was a %hild, 7 spa"e as a %hilde, and 7 understood

as a %hild, but being be%o!e a !an, 7 retra%ted those things whi%h 7 did being a boy, andin !y boo" of the +anit an$ uncertaint of ciences7 did or the !ost part retra%t this

boo".6 &ut here haply you !ay bla!e !e again, saying, 6&ehold thou being a youth didst

write, and now being old hast retra%ted itK what thereore hast thou set orthM6 7 %onesswhilst 7 was very yong youngI, 7 set upon the writing o these boo"s, but, hoping that 7

should set the! orth with %orre%tions and enlarge!ents, and or that %ause 7 gave the!

to TritemiusTrithe!iusI aNeapolitanianAbbot, or!erly a 2panhemensian, a !an very

industrious ater se%ret things. &ut it happened aterwards, that the wor" beinginter%epted, beore 7 inished it, it was %arryed about i!pere%t, and i!polished, and did

ly abroad in'tal", in*rance, in #erman"through !any !ens hands, and so!e !en,

whether !ore i!patiently, or i!prudently, 7 "now not, would have put it thus i!pere%tto the press, with whi%h !is%hei !is%hieI, 7 being ae%ted, deter!ined to set it orth

!y sel, thin"ing that there !ight be less danger i these boo"s %a!e out o !y hands

with so!e a!end!ents, thwn to %o!e orth torn, and in rag!ents out o other !enshands. 9oreover, 7 thought it no %ri!e i 7 should not suer the testi!ony o !y youth to

perish. Also we have added so!e Chapters, and we inserted !any things, whi%h did see!

unit to pass by, whi%h the %urious 1eader shall be able to understand by the ine3uality o

the very phraseK or we were unwilling to begin the wor" anew, and to unravell all thatwe had done, but to %orre%t it, and put so!e lourish upon it. hereore now 7 pray thee,

Curteous %ourteousI 1eader, again, weigh not these things a%%ording to the present ti!e

o setting the! orth, but pardon !y %urious youth, i thou shalt indd any thing in the!that !ay displease thee.

hen Agrippa irst wrote his Occult Philosoph"he sent it to his riend Trithe!ius, an

Abbot o urtEburg, with the ensuing letter. Trithe!ius detained the !essenger until he

had read the !anus%ript and then answered Agrippa;s letter with su%h sound advi%e as!ysti%s would do well to ollow or all ti!e to %o!e. Trithe!ius is "nown as a !ysti%

author and s%holar.


10/39

To . '. &. Iohn Trithe"ius, an A##ot of aint -a"es in the u#ur#s of

Her#ipolis, Henr Cornelius Agrippa of etteshe" sen$eth

greeting.

hen 7 was o late (!ost reverend #ather or a while %onversant with you in your

9onastery oHerbipolis,we %onerred together o divers things %on%erning Chy!istry

%he!istryI, 9agi%", and Cabalie >abbalahI, and o other things, whi%h as yet lye lieIhid in Fe%ret F%ien%es, and ArtsK and then there was one great 3uestion a!ongst the rest,

why 9agi%", whereas it was a%%ounted by all an%ient Philosophers the %hieest F%ien%e, by the an%ient wise !en, Priests was always held an great veneration, %a!e at last

ater the beginning o the Catholi"e Catholi%I Chur%h to be alwaies odious to, and

suspe%ted by the holy #athers, and then e$ploded by =ivines, and %onde!ned by sa%redCanons, and !oreover by all laws, and ordinan%es orbidden.


11/39

Hen%e those things, whi%hLucanrelates o Thessalathe 9agi%ianess, andHomero the

o!nipoten%y o irce,whereo !any 7 %oness are as well o a alla%ious opinion, as a

superstitious diligen%e, d perni%ious labor, as when they %annot %o!e under a wi%"edArt, yet they presu!e they !ay be able to %loa" the!selves under that venerable title o

9agi%". Fin%e then these things are so, 7 wondered !u%h, and was not less angry, that as

yet there hath been no !an, who did %hallenge this subli!e and sa%red dis%ipline with the%ri!e o i!piety, or had delivered it purely and sin%erely to us, sin%e 7 have seen o our

!odern writers+oger $acon, +oberto Yor",I an Dnglish !an,Peter Apponusi.e.

Peter de AbanoI,Albertus9agnusI the Teutonich, Arnoldas de /illa No/a, AnselmetheParmensian,Picatrix the 2paniard,icclus Asculuso*lorence,and !any others, but

writers o an obs%ure na!e, when they pro!ised to treat o 9agi%", do nothing but

irrationall toies toysI, and superstitions unworthy o honest !en. Hen%e !y spirit was

!oved, and by reason partly o ad!iration, and partly o indignation, 7 was willing toplay the Philosopher, supposing that 7 should do no dis%o!!endable wor", who have

been always ro! !y youth a %urious, and undaunted sear%her or wonderull ee%ts, and

operations ull o !ysteriesK i 7 should re%over that an%ient 9agi%" the dis%ipline o all

wise !en ro! the errors o i!piety, puriie puriyI and adorn it with its proper lustre,and vindi%ate it ro! the in5uries o %alu!niatorsK whi%h thing, though 7 long deliberated

o it in !y !ind, yet never durst as yet underta"e, but ater so!e %oneren%e betwi$t uso these things atHerbipolis,your trans%ending "nowledge, and learning, and your ardent

adhortation put %ourage, and boldness into !e. There sele%ting the opinions o

Philosophers o "nown %redit, and purging the introdu%tion o the wi%"ed (whodisse!blingly, with a %ountereited "nowledge did tea%h, that traditions o 9agi%ians

!ust be learned ro! very reprobate boo"s o dar"ness, as ro! institutions o wonderull

operations and re!oving all dar"ness, have at last %o!posed three %o!pendious boo"s

o 9agi%", and titled the! Of Occult Philosoph", being a title less oensive, whi%hboo"s 7 sub!it (you e$%elling in the "nowledge o these things to your %orre%tion and

%ensure, that i 7 have wrote any thing whi%h !ay tend either to the %ontu!ely o nature,

oending :od, or in5ury o 1eligion, you !ay %onde!n the errorK but i the s%andal oi!piety be dissolved and purged, you !ay deend the tradition o truthK and that you

would do so with these boo"s, and 9agi%" it sel, that nothing !ay be %on%ealed whi%h

!ay be proitable, and nothing approved o whi%h %annot but do hurt, by whi%h !eansthese three boo"s having passed your e$a!ination with approbation, !ay at length be

thought worthy to %o!e orth with good su%%ess in publi"e publi%I, and !ay not be

araid to %o!e under the %ensure o posterity.

*are1ell, and pardon these m" bold underta%ings)

-ohn Trithe"ius, A##ot of aint -a"es of Her#ipolis, for"erl of

panhe"ia, to his Henr Cornelius Agrippa of etteshei", health

an$ lo+e.

Your wor" (!ost renownedAgrippa Dntituled Of Occult Ph"losoph", whi%h you have

sent by this bearer, to !e to be e$a!ined, with how !u%h pleasure 7 re%eived it, no
http://www.esotericarchives.com/picatrix.htmhttp://www.esotericarchives.com/picatrix.htmhttp://www.esotericarchives.com/picatrix.htmhttp://www.esotericarchives.com/picatrix.htmhttp://www.esotericarchives.com/picatrix.htm


12/39

!ortall tongue %an e$press, nor the pen o any writeK 7 woundred wonderedI at your

!ore then vulgar learning, That you being so yong should penetrate into su%h se%rets as

have been hide ro! !ost learned !en, and not only %leerly, and truly, but also properly,and elegantly set the! orth. hen%e irst 7 give you than"s or your good will to !e, and

i 7 shall ever be able, 7 shall return you than"s to the ut!ost o !y powerK Your wor",

whi%h no learned !an %an sui%iently %o!!end, 7 approve o.


13/39

To the e+eren$ %ather in Christ, an$ "ost Illustrious 'rince,

Her"annus, /arl of 0$a, # the race of o$ Arch#ishop of the

hol Church of Colonia, 'rince /lector of the hol o"ane /"pire,

an$ Chief Chancellor through Ital, &uke of 0estphalia, an$

Angaria, an$ $escen$e$ of the 2egate of the hol Church of o"e,

one of the 3icar enerals Court, Henr Cornelius Agrippa of

ettes4he", sen$eth greeting.

@%h is the greatness o your renowned a!e (!ost reverend, and 7llustriuos Prin%e su%his the greatness o your vertues, and splendor o learning, and re3uent e$er%ise o the

best learning, and grave oration, with solid pruden%e, and elegant readines o spea"ing,"nowledge o !any things, %onstant 1eligion, and %o!!endable %onditions, with whi%h

you are endowed beyond the %o!!on %usto! o othersK 7 say nothing o those an%ient

!onu!ents o your e!inent nobility, the treasures o your ri%hes, both old, and new, thelargness o your do!inion, the orna!ents o the sa%red dignities, with the e$%ellen%y

whereo you e$%el, together with the %o!ely or!, and strength o the body. Through all

these things be very great, yet 7 estee! you ar greater then all these, or those yourHeroi%", and super-illustrious vertues, by whi%h you truly have %aused that by how !u%h

the !ore any one is learned, loves vertue, so !u%h the !ore he !ay desire to insinuate

hi!sel into your avor, when%e 7 also a! resolved that your avor shall be obtained by

!e, but ater the !anner o the people oParthia, i)e)not without a present, whi%h%usto! o saluting Prin%es, is indeed derived ro! the Ages o the An%ients, unto these

very ti!es, and still we see it observed. And when 7 see %ertain other very learned !en to

urnish you with air, and great presents o their learning, least 7 only should be anegle%ter o your worship and reveren%e, 7 durst not apply !y sel with e!pty hands to

your greatness.


14/39

in the! see!ed to !e, being older, as !ost proitable, so !ost ne%essary to be "nown.

You have thereore the wor", not only o !y youth, but o !y present Age, or 7 have

%orre%ted !any Drrataes o the wor" o !y yuth, 7 have inserted !any things in !anypla%es, and have added !any things to !any Chapters, whi%h !ay easily be per%eived by

the ine3uality o the stile styleIK and so shall you "now that 7 shall all !y lie be devoted

to your pleasure. #arewell !ost happy Prin%e o happy olonia)

%ro" *echlinia, Anno *.&.555I. In the "oneth of -anuar.

Here is the outside, and the inside o PhilosophyK but the or!er without the latter is but

an e!pty lourishK yet with this alone !ost are satisied. To have a bare notion o a =iety,to apprehend so!e !otions o the Celestials, together with the %o!!on operations

thereo, and to %on%eive o so!e Terrestial produ%tions, is but what is superi%iall, and

vulgarK &ut this is true, this is subli!e, but Occult Philosoph".to understand the!ysterious inluen%es o the intelle%tuall world upon the Celestial, and o both upon the

TerrestiallK and to "now how to dispose, and it our selves so, as to be %apable o

re%eiving those superiour operations, whereby we !ay be enabled to operate wonderullthings, whi%h indeed see! i!possible, or at least unlawull, when as indeed they !ay be

ee%ted by a naturall power, and without either oen%e to :od, or violation o 1eligion.

To deend >ingdo!s, to dis%over the se%ret %ounsels o !en, to over%o!e ene!ies, toredee! %aptives, to in%rease ri%hes, to pro%ure the avor o !en, to e$pell diseases, topreserve health, to prolong lie, to renew youth, to oretell uture events, to see and "now

things done !any !iles o, and su%h li"e as these, by vertue o superior inluen%es, !ay

see! things in%redibleK Yet read but the ensuing Treatise, and thou shalt see thepossibility thereo %onir!ed both by reason, and e$a!ple. 7 spea" now to the 5udi%ious,

or as or others, they neither "now, nor believe, nor will "now any thing, but what is

vulgar, nay they thin", that beyond this there is s%arse any thing "nowableK when asindeed there are proound !ysteries in all beings, even ro! :od in the highest heavens,

to the divels devilsI in the lowest hellK Yea in very nu!bers, na!es, letters, %hara%ters,

gestures, ti!e. pla%e, and su%h li"e, all whi%h are by this learned Author prooundly

dis%ussed. 7 %annot deny but in this his wor" there is !u%h superstition, and vanity. &utre!e!ber that the best :old !ust have the greatest allowan%eK %onsider the ti!e o

dar"ness, and o his youth, when, the pla%e where, and the things whi%h he harh

dis%overed and wrote, and thou wilt rather ad!ire his solidity, then %onde!n his vanity.:old hath !u%h bla%"ness adgearing to it assoon as it is ta"en out o the earth.

9ysterious truths do not presently shine li"e rayes o the Fun assoon as they are

re%overed ro! a long dar"ness, but are %louded with so!e obs%urity.


15/39

that only the sons o Art !ight understand the!. He perhaps !ight !i$ %hae with his

wheat, that 3ui%"-sighted birds only !ight ind it out, and not swine tra!ple it underoot.

#ro! saying !u%h as tou%hing the e$%using, or %o!!ending this Author, 7 a! alreadypreventedK #or at the beginning and ending o this boo" there are several Dpistles o his

own to others, wherein he e$%useth what !ay be e$%epted against hi!K and o others tohi! sui%iently %o!!ending what is praise worthy in hi!K to whi%h !ay be added that

honorable testi!ony given to hi! by the author o that !ost witty, subli!e The4anthroposophia Theo4magica,Anthroposophia Theomagicaby Tho!as aughanI lately

set orth. All that 7 shall say to perswade thee to read this boo", is but to desire thee to

%ast thine eye upon the 7nde$ o the Chapters %ontained therein, whi%h is at the endthereo &oo" ),&oo" 2,&oo" /I and thou shalt therein see su%h variety o wonderul

sub5e%ts, that at the sight thereo thou wilt be i!patient till thou hast read the!. 7 shall

%rave leave now to spea" one word or !y sel. 7 this !y translation shall neither answerthe worth o the Author, or e$pe%tation o the readerK %onsider that the un%uothness o the

Authors stile styleI in !any pla%es, the !aniold Drrata;s, as well literall, as those in

respe%t o :ra!!ati%al %onstru%tion, !ay happily o%%asion so!e !ista"es in this !ytranslation. Yet notwithstanding, 7 hope 7 have, though without !u%h elegan%y (whi%h

indeed the !atter would not bear put it into as intelligible an Dnglish phrase as the

original would aord. As or the ter!s o art, whi%h are !any, divers o the! would not

bear any Dnglish e$pression, thereore 7 have e$pressed the! in Batinis!s or :re%is!s,a%%ording as 7 have ound the!. 7 hope an Artist will be able to understand the!K as or

Drrata;s, as 7 %ursorily read over the boo", 7 observed these as you see !entioned. 7 thou

shalt !eet with any !ore, as it is possible thou !ayst, be thou %andid, and i!pute the! tothe Printers !ista"eK or whi%h, as also or ta"ing in the best sense, what here 7 present

thee withall, thou shalt or ever oblige thy riend,

J. #.

Drrata o!itted sin%e they are in%orporated into this edition.I
http://www.esotericarchives.com/agrippa/agrippa1.htm#contentshttp://www.esotericarchives.com/agrippa/agrippa1.htm#contentshttp://www.esotericarchives.com/agrippa/agrippa2.htm#contentshttp://www.esotericarchives.com/agrippa/agrippa2.htm#contentshttp://www.esotericarchives.com/agrippa/agrippa3.htm#contentshttp://www.esotericarchives.com/agrippa/agrippa1.htm#contentshttp://www.esotericarchives.com/agrippa/agrippa2.htm#contentshttp://www.esotericarchives.com/agrippa/agrippa3.htm#contents


16/39

Three Books of ccult 'hilosoph, or of

9agi%"K ritten by that #a!ous 9an

Henr" ornelius Agrippa,>night,

And =o%tor o both Baws, Counsellor to

6sarsFa%red 9a5esty, and Judge o the

Prerogative Court.

B! I.

Chap. i. Ho6 *agicians Collect +ertues fro" the three4fol$ 0orl$, is

$eclare$ in these three Books.

eeing there is a three-old orld, Dle!entary, Celestiall, and 7ntelle%tual, and every

inerior is governed by its superior, and re%eiveth the inluen%e o the vertues thereo, so

that the very original, and %hie or"er o all doth by Angels, the Heavens, Ftars,Dle!ents, Ani!als, Plants, 9etals, and Ftones %onvey ro! hi!sel the vertues o his

'!nipoten%y upon us, or whose servi%e he !ade, and %reated all these things ise !en

%on%eive it no way irrationall that it should be possible or us to as%end by the sa!edegrees through ea%h orld, to the sa!e very originall orld it sel, the 9a"er o all

things, and irst Cause, ro! when%e all things are, and pro%eedK and also to en5oy notonly these vertues, whi%h are already in the !ore e$%ellent "ind o things, but also

besides these, to draw new vertues ro! above. Hen%e it is that they see" ater the vertueso the Dle!entary world, through the help o Physi%" O!edi%ineI, and


17/39

9agi%" is a a%ulty o wonderull vertue, ull o !ost high !ysteries, %ontaining the !ost

proound Conte!plation o !ost se%ret things, together with the nature, power, 3uality,

substan%e, and vertues thereo, as also the "nowledge o whole nature, and it doth instru%tus %on%erning the diering, and agree!ent o things a!ongst the!selves, when%e it

produ%eth its wonderull ee%ts, by uniting the vertues o things through the appli%ation

o the! one to the other, and to their inerior sutable sub5e%ts, 5oyning and "nitting the!together thoroughly by the powers, and vertues o the superior &odies. This is the !ost

pere%t and %hie F%ien%e, that sa%red and subli!er "ind o Phylosophy philosophyI, and

lastly the !ost absolute pere%tion o all !ost e$%ellent Philosophy. #or seeing that allregulative Philosophy is divided into


18/39

Ho1 th5 2un doth rule 1ith t1el/e :odiac% 2igns,

The Orb thats measur5d round about 1ith Lines,

't doth the Hea/ens 2tarr" 1a" ma%e %no1n,And strange -clipses of the 2un, and Moon)

Arcturus also, and the 2tars of +ain,

The 2ea/en 2tars li%e1ise, andCharles his ain,h" inter 2uns ma%e to15rds the est so fast.

hat ma%es the Nights so long ere the" be past;

All whi%h is understood by 9athe!ati%all Philosophy.

-----Hence b" the Hea/ens 1e ma" fore%no1

The seasons all. times for to reap and so1,And 1hen 5tis fit to launch into the deep,

And 1hen to ar, and 1hen in peace to sleep,

And 1hen to dig up Trees, and them again

To set. that so the" ma" bring forth amain)


19/39

in Theologie theologyI, wherein are !aniested those i!!ateriall substan%es, whi%h

dispen%e dispenseI, and !inister all things, he %annot be possibly able to understand the

rationality o 9agi%". #or there is no wor" that is done by !eer 9agi%", nor any wor"that is !eerly 9agi%all, that doth not %o!prehend these three #a%ulties.

Chap. iii. f the four /le"ents, their 8ualities, an$ "utuall "i9tions.

There are our Dle!ents, and originall grounds o all %orporeall things, #ire, Darth,ater, Aire, o whi%h all ele!entated ineriour bodies are %o!poundedK not by way o

heaping the! up together, but by trans!utation, and unionK and when they are destroyed,

they are resolved into Dle!ents. #or there is none o the sensible Dle!ents that is pure,but they are !ore or less !i$ed, and apt to be %hanged one into the other Dven as Darth

be%o!ing dirty, and being dissolved, be%o!es ater, and the sa!e being !ade thi%" and

hard, be%o!eth Darth againK but being evaporated through heat, passeth into Aire, and

that being "indled, passeth into #ire, and this being e$tinguished, returns ba%" again intoAire, but being %ooled again ater its burning, be%o!eth Darth, or Ftone, or Fulphur, and

this is !aniested by Bightening lightningIPlatoalso was o that opinion, that Darth

was wholly %hangeable, and that the rest o the Dle!ents are %hanged, as into this, so intoone another su%%essively. &ut it is the opinion o the subtiller sort o Philosophers, that

Darth is not %hanged, but relented and !i$ed with other Dle!ents, whi%h do dissolve it,

and that it returns ba%" into it sel again.


20/39

Chap. i+. f a three4fol$ consi$eration of the /le"ents.

There are then, as we have said, our Dle!ents, without the pere%t "nowledge whereo

we %an ee%t nothing in 9agi%".


21/39

it sel, and !aniesting its greatness to things that re%eive itK A%tive, Powerull, 7nvisibly

present in all things at on%eK it will not be aronted or opposed, but as it were in a way o

revenge, it will redu%e on a sudden things into obedien%e to it selK in%o!prehensible,i!palpable, not lessened, !ost ri%h in all disensations o it sel. #ire (as saithPlin" is the

boundless, and !is%hievous part o the nature o things, it being a 3uestion whether it

destroys, or produ%eth !ost things. #ire it sel is one, and penetrates through all things (assay theP"thagorians also spread abroad in the Heavens, and shining but in the inernall

pla%e streightened, dar", and tor!enting, in the !id way it parta"es o both. #ire

thereore in it sel is one, but in that whi%h re%eives it, !aniold, and in diering sub5e%tsit is distributed in a dierent !anner, as leantheswitnesseth in icero)That ire then,

whi%h we use is et%hed out o other things. 7t is in stones, and is et%hed out by the stro"e

o the steeleK it is in Darth, and !a"es that, ater digging up, to s!oa"e s!o"eI it is in

ater, and heats springs, and wells it is in the depth o the Fea, and !a"es that, beingtossed with winds, war! it is in the Aire, and !a"es it (as we otenti!es see to burn.

And all Ani!als, and living things whatsoever, as also all egetables are preserved by

heat and every thing that lives, lives by reason o the in%losed heat. The properties o the

#ire that is above, are heat, !a"ing all things #ruitull, and light, giving lie to all things.The properties o the inernall #ire are a par%hing heat, %onsu!ing all things, and

dar"ness, !a"ing all things barren. The Celestiall, and bright #ire drives away spirits odar"nessK also this our #ire !ade with ood drives away the sa!e, in as !u%h as it hath

an Analogy with, and is the /ehiculumo that Fuperior lightK as also o hi!, who saith,'

am the Light of the orld,whi%h is true #ire, the #ather o lights, ro! who! every goodthing that is given, Co!esK sending orth the light o his #ire, and %o!!uni%ating it irst

to the Fun, and the rest o the Celestiall bodies, and by these, as by !ediating

instru!ents, %onveying that light into our #ire. As, thereore the spirits o dar"ness are

stronger in the dar" so good spirits, whi%h are Angels o Bight, are aug!ented, not onlyby that light, whi%h is =ivine, o the Fun, and Celestiall, but also by the light o our

%o!!on #ire. Hen%e it was that the irst, and !ost wise institutors o 1eligions, and

Cere!onies ordained, that Prayers, Fingings, and all !anner o =ivine orshipswhatsoever should not be peror!ed without lighted Candles, or Tor%hes. (Hen%e also

was that signii%ant saying oP"thagoras,=o not spea" o :od without a Bight and they

%o!!anded that or the driving away o wi%"ed spirits, Bights and #ires should be"indled by the Corpses o the dead, and that they should not be re!oved untill the

e$piations were ater a Holy !anner peror!ed, and they buried. And the great(eho/ah

hi!sel in the old Baw Co!!anded that all his Fa%rii%es should be oered with #ire,

and that #ire should always be burning upon the Altar, whi%h Custo!e the Priests o theAltar did always observe, and "eep a!ongst the+omanes)


22/39

it are great se%rets, i at any ti!e it shall be puriied by the help o #ire, and redu%ed unto

its si!pli%ity by a %onvenient washing. 7t is the irst !atter o our Creation, and the truest

9edi%ine that %an restore, and preserve us.

Chap. +i. f the 6on$erfull atures of 0ater, Aire, an$ 0in$s.

The other two Dle!ents, /i0)ater, and Aire, are not less ei%a%ious then the or!erKneither is nature wanting to wor" wonderull things in the!. There is so great a ne%essity

o ater, that without it no living thing %an live.


23/39

$ut onl" tast 8taste9, their 1its no longer %eep,

Or forth1ith fall into a deadl" sleep)

ho atClitoriusfountain thirst remo/e,Loath ine, and abstinent, meer ater lo/e)

ith streams oppos5d to theseBin%estusflo1es!

The" reel, as drun%, 1ho drin% too much of those)A La%e in fairAr%adiastands, of old

all5dPheneusKsuspected, as t1ofold!

*ear, and forbear to drin% thereof b" night!$" night un1holesome, 1holesome b" da"4light)

(osephusalso !a"es relation o the wonderull nature o a %ertain river betwi$t Arcea,

and+aphanea,Cities o 2"ria!whi%h runs with a ull Channell all the Fabboth FabbathI

=ay, and then on a sudden %easeth, as i the springs were stopped, and all the si$ dayesyou !ay pass over it dry-shod but again, on the seaventh day (no !an "nowing the

reason o it the aters return again in abundan%e, as beore. hereore the inhabitants

thereabout %alled it the Fabboth-day river, be%ause o the Feaventh day, whi%h was holyto the Jews. The :ospel also testiies to a sheep-pool, into whi%h whosoever stepped irst,

ater the ater was troubled by the Angel, was !ade whole o whatsoever disease he

had. The sa!e vertue, and ei%a%y we read was in a spring o the'onian N"mphs,whi%h

was in the territories belonging to the Town o-lis,at a illage %alledHeraclea,neer theriver itheron!whi%h whosoever stepped into, being diseased, %a!e orth whole, and

%ured o all his diseases.Pausaniasalso reports, that inL"ceus,a !ountain oArcadia,

there was a spring %alledAgria,to whi%h, as oten as the dryness o the 1egion threatnedthreatenedI the destru%tion o ruits,(upitersPriest oL"ceuswent, and ater the oering

o Fa%rii%es, devoutly praying to the aters o the Fpring, holding a &ough o an '"e

oa"I in his hand, put it down to the botto!e o the hallowed FpringK Then the waters

being troubled, a apour as%ending ro! then%e into the Air was blown into Clouds, withwhi%h being 5oyned together, the whole Heaven was overspread whi%h being a little ater

dissolved into rain, watered all the Country !ost wholso!ly wholeso!elyI. 9oreover

+uffusa Physitian physi%ianI o Dphesus, besides !any other Authours, wrote strangethings %on%erning the wonders o aters, whi%h, or ought 7 "now, are ound in no other

Authour.

7t re!ains that 7 spea" o the Aire. This is a vitall spirit, passing through all &eings,giving lie, and subsisten%e to all things, binding, !oving, and illing all things. Hen%e it

is that the Hebrew =o%tors re%"on it not a!ongst the Dle!ents, but %ount it as aMedium

or glew glueI, 5oyning things together, and as the resounding spirit o the worlds

instru!ent. 7t i!!ediately re%eives into it sel the inluen%es o all Celestiall bodies, andthen %o!!uni%ates the! to the other Dle!ents, as also to all !i$t !i$edI bodies Also it

re%eives into it sel, as it were a divine Boo"ing-glass, the spe%ies o all things, as well

naturall, as artii%iall, as also o all !anner o spee%hes, and retains the!K And %arryingthe! with it, and entering into the bodies o 9en, and other Ani!als, through their pores,

!a"es an 7!pression upon the!, as well when they sleep, as when they be awa"e, and

aords !atter or divers strange =rea!s and =ivinations. Hen%e they say it is, that a !anpassing by a pla%e where a !an was slain, or the Car"ase %ar%assI newly hid, is !oved


24/39

with ear and dreadK be%ause the Aire in that pla%e being ull o the dreadull spe%ies o

9an-slaughter !anslaughterI, doth, being breathed in, !ove and trouble the spirit o the

!an with the li"e spe%ies, when%e it is that be %o!es to be araid. #or every thing that!a"es a sudden i!pression, astonisheth nature. hen%e it is, that !any Philosophers

were o opinion that Aire is the %ause o drea!s, and o !any other i!pressions o the

!ind, through the prolonging o 7!ages, or si!ilitudes, or spe%ies (whi%h are allen ro!things and spee%hes, !ultiplyed in the very Aire untill they %o!e to the senses, and then

to the phantasy, and soul o hi! that re%eives the!, whi%h being reed ro! %ares, and no

way hindred, e$pe%ting to !eet su%h "ind o spe%ies, is inor!ed by the!. #or the spe%ieso things, although o their own proper nature they are %arryed to the senses o !en, and

other ani!als in generall, !ay notwithstanding get so!e i!pression ro! the Heaven,

whilest they be in the Aire, by reason o whi%h, together with the aptness and disposition

o hi! that re%eives the!, they !ay be %arryed to the sen%e senseI o one rather then oanother. And hen%e it is possible naturally, and ar ro! all !anner o superstition, no

other spirit %o!ing between, that a !an should be able in a very ti!e to signiie his !ind

unto another !an, abiding at a very long and un"nown distan%e ro! hi!K although he

%annot pre%isely give an esti!ate o the ti!e when it is, yet o ne%essity it !ust be within2* hoursK and 7 !y sel "now how to do it, and have oten done it. The sa!e also in ti!e

past did the Abbot TritemiusTrithe!iusI both "now and do. Also, when %ertainappearan%es, not only spirituall, but also naturall do low orth ro! things, that is to say,

by a %ertain "ind o lowings orth o bodies ro! bodies, and do gather strength in the

Air, they oer, and shew the!selves to us as well through light as !otion, as well to thesight as to other senses, and so!eti!es wor" wonderull things upon us, asPlotinus

proves and tea%heth. And we see how by the Fouth wind the Air is %ondensed into thin

%louds, in whi%h, as in a Boo"ing-glass are rele%ted representations at a great distan%e o

Castles, 9ountains, Horses, and 9en, and other things, whi%h when the %louds are gone,presently vanish. AndAristotlein his 9eteors shews, that a 1ainbow is %on%eived in a

%loud o the Aire, as in a Boo"ing-glass. And Albertussaith, that the eigies o bodies

!ay by the strength o nature, in a !oist Aire be easily represented, in the sa!e !anneras the representations o things are in things. AndAristotletels o a !an, to who! it

happened by reason o the wea"ness o his sight, that the Aire that was near to hi!,

be%a!e as it were a Boo"ing-glass to hi!, and the opti%" bea! did rele%t ba%" uponhi!sel, and %ould not penetrate the Aire, so that whithersoever he went, he thought he

saw his own i!age, with his a%e towards hi!, go beore hi!. 7n li"e !anner, by the

artii%ialnes o so!e %ertain Boo"ing-glasses, !ay be produ%ed at a distan%e in the Aire,

beside the Boo"ing-glasses, what i!ages we pleaseK whi%h when ignorant !en see, theythin" they see the appearan%es o spirits, or soulsK when indeed they are nothing else but

se!blan%es "in to the!selves, and without lie. And it is well "nown, i in a dar" pla%e

where there is no light but by the %o!ing in o a bea! o the sun so!ewhere through alitle hole, a white paper, or plain Boo"ing-glass be set up against that light, that there !ay

be seen upon the!, whatsoever things are done without, being shined upon by the Fun.

And there is another sleight, or tri%" yet !ore wonderull. 7 any one shall ta"e i!agesartii%ially painted, or written letters, and in a %lear night set the! against the bea!s o

the ull 9oon, whose rese!blan%es being !ultiplyed in the Aire, and %aught upward, and

rele%ted ba%" together with the bea!s o the 9oon, any other !an that is privy to the

thing, at a long distan%e sees, reads, and "nows the! in the very %o!pass, and Cir%le o
http://www.esotericarchives.com/tritheim/stegano.htmhttp://www.esotericarchives.com/tritheim/stegano.htmhttp://www.esotericarchives.com/tritheim/stegano.htm


25/39

the 9oon, whi%h Art o de%laring se%rets is indeed very proitable or Towns, and Cities

that are besieged, being a thing whi%hP"thagoraslong sin%e did oten do, and whi%h is

not un"nown to so!e in these dayes, 7 will not e$%ept !y sel. And all these, and !any!ore, and greater then these, are grounded in the very nature o the Aire, and have their

reasons, and %auses de%lared in 9athe!ati%"s, and 'pti%"s. And as these rese!blan%es

are rele%ted ba%" to the sight, so also so!eti!es to the hearing, as is !aniest in the-cho)&ut there are !ore se%ret arts then these, and su%h whereby any one !ay at a very

re!ote distan%e hear, and understand what another spea"s, or whispers sotly.

There are also ro! the airy Dle!ent inds. #or they are nothing else, but Air !oved

and stirred up. ' these there are our that are prin%ipall, blowing ro! the our %orners othe Heaven, /i0) Notusro! the Fouth,$oreasro! the


26/39

ToPersis andFabea, Durusflies.

hose gums perfume the blushing Mornes up4rise!

Next to the -/ening, and the oast that glo1sith settingPhoebus,flo1r"eph;rus blo1s!

'nF%ythia horrid&oreas holds his rain,

$eneath&oites, and the fro0en ain!The land to this oppos5d doth Auster steep

ith fruitfull sho1res, and clouds 1hich e/er 1eep)

Chap. +ii. f the kin$s of Co"poun$s, 6hat relation the stan$ in to the

/le"ents, an$ 6hat relation there is #et6i9t the /le"ents

the"sel+es, an$ the soul, senses, an$ $ispositions of "en.


27/39

Aire others also are iery, living in the #ire, as Fala!anders, and Cri%"ets, su%h as are o

a iery heat, as Pigeons, Dstri%hes ostri%hesI, Bions, and su%h as the wise !an %als beasts

breathing #ire. &esides, in Ani!als the &ones rese!ble the Darth, #lesh the Aire, thevital spirit the #ire, and the hu!ors the ater. And these hu!ors also parta"e o the

Dle!ents, or yellow %holler %holerI is instead o #ire, blood instead o Aire, #leg!e

phleg!I instead o ater, and bla%" %holler %holerI, or !elan%holy instead o Darth.And lastly, in the Foul it sel, a%%ording toAustinAugustineI, the understanding

rese!bles #ire, reason the Aire, i!agination the ater, and the senses the Darth. And

these senses also are divided a!ongst the!selves by reason o the Dle!ents, or the sightis iery, neither %an it per%eive without #ire, and Bight the hearing is airy, or a sound is

!ade by the stri"ing o the AireK The s!ell, and tast tasteI rese!ble the ater, without

the !oisture o whi%h there is neither s!ell, nor tast tasteIK and lastly the eeling is

wholly earthy, and ta"eth gross bodies or its ob5e%t. The a%tions also, and the operationso !an are governed by the Dle!ents. The Darth signiies a slow, and ir! !otionK The

water signiies earulness, sluggishness, and re!isseness in wor"ing Aire signiies

%hearulness %heerulnessI, and an a!iable disposition but #ire a ier%e, 3ui%" and angry

disposition. The Dle!ents thereore are the irst o all things, and all things are o, anda%%ording to the!, and they are in all things, and diuse their vertues through all things.

Chap. +iii. Ho6 the /le"ents are in the Hea+ens, in tars, in &i+els

[$e+ils], in Angels, an$ lastl in o$ hi"self.

7t is the unani!ous %onsent o all Platonists, that as in the originall, and e$e!plary

orld, all things are in allK so also in this %orporeal world, all things are in allK so also the

Dle!ents are not only in these inerior bodies, but also in the Heavens, in Ftars, in =ivelsdevilsI, in Angels, and lastly in :od, the !a"er and originall e$a!ple o all things.


28/39

Phlegethon,airy oc"tus,watery 2t"x,earthyAcheron)Also in the :ospel we read o

Hell #ire, and eternall #ire, into whi%h the Cursed shall be %o!!anded to go and in the

1evelation we read o a Ba"e o #ire, and'saiahspea"s o the da!ned, that the Bord wills!ite the! with %orrupt Aire. And in(ob,They shall s"ip ro! the aters o the Fnow

to e$tre!ity o heat, and in the sa!e we read, That the Darth is dar", and %overed with

the dar"ness o death, and !iserable dar"ness. 9oreover also these Dle!ents are pla%edin the Angels in Heaven, and the blessed 7ntelligen%iesK there is in the! a stability o their

essen%e, whi%h is an earthly vertue, in whi%h is the stedast seat o :odK also their !er%y,

and piety is a watery %leansing vertue. Hen%e by thePsalmistthey are %alled aters,where he spea"ing o the Heavens, saith, ho rulest the aters that are higher then the

Heavens Ps)*+.*KI also in the! their subtill subtleI breath is Aire, and their love is

shining #ire. Hen%e they are %alled in F%ripture the ings o the indK and in another

pla%e thePsalmistspea"s o the!, ho ma%est Angels th" 2pirits, and th" Ministers aflaming fire)Also a%%ording to orders o Angels, so!e are iery, as 2eraphinFeraphi!I,

and authorities, and powersK earthy as herubinCherubi!IK watery as Thrones, and

Ar%hangels airy as =o!inions, and Prin%ipalities. =o we not also read o the original

!a"er o all things, that the earth shall he opened and bring orth a FaviourM 7s it notspo"en o the sa!e, that he shall be a ountain o living ater, %leansing and

regeneratingM 7s not the sa!e Fpirit breathing the breath o lieK and the sa!e a%%ordingtoMoses,andPaulstesti!ony,A consuming *ire;That Dle!ents thereore are to be

ound every where, and in all things ater their !anner, no !an %an deny #irst in these

ineriour bodies e%ulent and gross, and in Celestials !ore pure, and %learK but insuper%elestials living, and in all respe%ts blessed. Dle!ents thereore in the e$e!plary

world are'dea5so things to be produ%ed, in 7ntelligen%ies are distributed powers, in

Heavens are vertues, and in ineriour bodies gross or!s.

Chap. i9. f the +ertues of things aturall, $epen$ing i""e$iatl upon

/le"ents.

' the naturall vertues o things, so!e are Dle!entary, as to heat, to %ool, to !oisten, to

dryK and they are %alled operations, or irst 3ualities, and the se%ond a%t or these3ualities only do wholly %hange the whole substan%e, whi%h none o the other 3ualities

%an do. And so!e are in things %o!pounded o Dle!ents, and these are !ore then irst

3ualities, and su%h are those that are !aturating, digesting, resolving, !olliying,

hardening, restringing, absterging, %orroding, burning, opening, evaporating,strengthening, !itigating, %onglutinating, obstru%ting, e$pelling, retaining, attra%ting,

reper%ussing, stupiying stupeyingI, bestowing, lubriying, and !any !ore. Dle!entary

3ualities do !any things in a !i$t !i$edI body, whi%h they %annot do in the Dle!ents

the!selves. And these operations are %alled se%ondary 3ualities, be%ause they ollow thenature, and proportion o the !i$tion o the irst vertues, as largely it is treated o in

Physi%" 9edi%alI &oo"s. As !aturation, whi%h is the operation o naturall heat,a%%ording to a %ertain proportion in the substan%e o the !atter. 7nduration is the

operation o %oldK so also is %ongelation, and so o the rest. And these operations

so!eti!es a%t upon a %ertain !e!ber, as su%h whi%h provo"e @rine, 9il", the 9enstrua,

and they are %alled third 3ualities, whi%h ollow the se%ond, as the se%ond do the irst.A%%ording thereore to these irst, se%ond, and third 3ualities !any diseases are both
http://www.esotericarchives.com/vulgate/psalms1.htm#chap148http://www.esotericarchives.com/vulgate/psalms1.htm#chap148


29/39

%ured, and %aused. 9any things also there are artii%ially !ade, whi%h !en !u%h wonder

atK as is #ire, whi%h burns ater, whi%h they %all the :ree" #ire, o whi%h Aristotle

tea%heth !any %o!positions in his parti%ular Treatise o this sub5e%t. 7n li"e !anner thereis !ade a #ire that is e$tinguished with 'yl oilI, and is "indled with %old ater, when it

is sprin"led upon itK and a #ire whi%h is "indled either with 1ain, ind, or the FunK and

there is !ade a #ire, whi%h is %alled burning ater, the Cone%tion whereo is well"nown, and it %onsu!es nothing but it sel and also there are !ade #ires that %annot be

3uen%hed, and in%o!bustible 'yles oilsI, and perpetuall Ba!ps, whi%h %an be

e$tinguished neither with ind, nor ater, nor any other wayK whi%h see!s utterlyin%redible, but that there had been su%h a !ost a!ous Ba!p, whi%h on%e did shine in the

Te!ple o Venus,in whi%h the stoneAsbestosdid burn, whi%h being on%e ired %an never

be e$tinguished. Also on the %ontrary, ood, or any other %o!bustible !atter !ay be so

ordered, that it %an re%eive no har! ro! the #ireK and there are !ade %ertainCone%tions, with whi%h the hands being anointed, we !ay %arry red hot 7ron in the!, or

put the! into !elted 9etall, or go with our whole bodies, being irst anointed therewith,

into the #ire without any !anner o har!, and su%h li"e things as these !ay be done.

There is also a "ind o la$, whi%hPlin"%allsAsbestum,the :ree"s %all , whi%his not %onsu!ed by #ire, o whi%hAnaxilaussaith, that a Tree %o!passed about with it,!ay be %ut down with insensible blows, that %annot be heard.

Chap. 9. f the ccult 3ertues of things.

There are also other vertues in things, whi%h are not ro! any Dle!ent, as to e$pell

poyson poisonI, to drive away the no$ious vapours o 9inerals, to attra%t 7ron, or any

thing elseK and these vertues are a se3uell o the spe%ies, and or! o this or that thingK

when%e also they being little in 3uantity, are o great ei%a%yK whi%h is not granted to anyDle!entary 3uality. #or these vertues having !u%h or!, and litle !atter, %an do very

!u%hK but an Dle!entary vertue, be%ause it hath !ore !ateriality, re3uires !u%h !atter

or its a%ting. And they are %alled o%%ult 3ualities, be%ause their Causes lie hid, and !ansintelle%t %annot in any way rea%h, and ind the! out. hereore Philosophers have

attained to the greatest part o the! by long e$perien%e, rather then by the sear%h o

reason or as in the Fto!a%" sto!a%hI the !eat is digested by heat, whi%h we "nowK soit is %hanged by a %ertain hidden vertue whi%h we "now not or truly it is not %hanged by

heat, be%ause then it should rather be %hanged by the #ire side, then in the Fto!a%"

sto!a%hI. Fo there are in things, besides the Dle!entary 3ualities whi%h we "now, other%ertain i!bred vertues %reated by nature, whi%h we ad!ire, and are a!aEed at, being su%h

as we "now not, and indeed seldo! or never have seen. As we read in O/ido thePhoenix,one only &ird, whi%h renews her sel.

All $irds from others do deri/e their birth,$ut "et one *o1le there is in all the -arth,

all5d b" th5 Ass"riansPhoeni$, 1ho the 1ain

Of age, repairs, and so1s her self again)


30/39

And in another pla%e,

>g"ptus came to see this 1ondrous sight!

And this rare $ird is 1elcom5d 1ith delight)

Bong sin%eMetreas9atreasI brought a very great wonder!ent upon the :ree"s, and1o!ans %on%erning hi!sel. He said that he nourished, and bred a beast that did devour it

sel. Hen%e !any to this day are soli%itous, what this beast o Matreasshould be. ho

would not wonder that #ishes should be digged out o the Darth, o whi%hAristotle,Theophrastus,andPol"biusthe Historian !a"es !entionM And those things whi%h

Pausaniuswrote %on%erning the singing FtonesM All these are ee%ts o o%%ult vertues.

Fo the Dstri%h ostri%hI %on%o%ts %old, and !ost hard 7ron, and digests it into nourish!entor his bodyK whose Fto!a%" sto!a%hI they also report, %annot be hurt with red hot 7ron.

Fo that little #ish %alled-cheneisdoth so %urb the violen%e o the inds, and appease the

rage o the Fea, that, let the Te!pests be never so i!perious, and raging, the Fails also

bearing a ull :ale, it doth notwithstanding by its !eer tou%h stay the Fhips, and !a"es

the! stand still, that by no !eans they %an be !oved. Fo 2alamanders,and Cri%"ets livein the #ireK although they see! so!eti!es to burn, yet they are not hurt. The li"e is said

o a "ind o &itu!en, with whi%h the weapons o theAma0onswere said to be s!earedover, by whi%h !eans they %ould be spoiled neither with Fword nor #ireK with whi%h also

the :ates o aspia,!ade o &rass, are reported to be s!eared over by Alexanderthe

great. e read also thatNoah5sAr" was 5oyned together with this &itu!en, and that itendured so!e thousands o years upon the 9ountains oArmenia)There are !any su%h

"ind o wonderull things, s%ar%e %redible, whi%h notwithstanding are "nown by

e$perien%e. A!ongst whi%h Anti3uity !a"es !ention o Fatyrs, whi%h were Ani!als, in

shape hal !en, and hal bruits brutesI, yet %apable o spee%h, and reasonK one whereoF.Hieromereporteth, spa"e on%e unto holyAntoniusthe Her!ite, and %onde!ned the

errour o the :entiles, in worshipping su%h poor %reatures as they were, and desired hi!that he would pray unto the true :od or hi!K also he air!s that there was one o the!shewed openly alive, and aterwards sent to onstantinethe D!perour.

Chap. 9i. Ho6 ccult 3ertues are infuse$ into the se+erall kin$s of things

# I$eas, through the help of the oul of the 0orl$, an$ raes of the

tars: an$ 6hat things a#oun$ "ost 6ith this 3ertue.

Platonistssay that all ineriour bodies are e$e!pliied by the superiour'deas)


31/39

but one or! but in the Foul o the world they are !any. They are pla%ed in the !inds o

all other things, whether they be 5oyned to the body, or separated ro! the body, by a

%ertain parti%ipation, and now by degrees are distinguished !ore, and !ore. They pla%ethe! in nature, as %ertain s!all seed o or!s inused by the'dea5s,and lastly they pla%e

the! in !atter, as Fhadows. Hereunto !ay be added, that in the Foul o the world there

be as !any Fe!inal #or!s o things, as'dea5sin the !ind o :od, by whi%h or!s shedid in the Heavens above the Ftars ra!e to her sel shapes also, and sta!ped upon all

these so!e propertiesK on these Ftars thereore, shapes, and properties, all vertues o

ineriour spe%ies, as also their properties do dependK so that every spe%ies hath itsCelestiall shape, or igure that is sutable suitableI to it ro! whi%h also pro%eeds a

wonderull power o operating, whi%h proper git it re%eives ro! its own'dea,through

the Fe!inal or!s o the Foul o the world. #or'dea5sare not only essential %auses o

every spe%ies, but are also the %auses o every vertue, whi%h is in the spe%ies and this isthat whi%h !any Philosophers say, that the properties whi%h are in the nature o things

(whi%h vertues indeed are the operations o the'dea5s are !oved by %ertain vertues, /i0)

su%h as have a %ertain, and sure oundation, not ortuitous, nor %asuall, but ei%a%ious,

powerull, and sui%ient, doing nothing in vain.


32/39

the Celestiall souls %on%eive several things, then the !atter is !oved obedientially to it

Also in thiopiaDthiopiaI, with whi%h they report ponds, and la"es

are dryed driedI up, and all things that are shut, to be openedK and we read o an Hearb

herbI %alled Bata%e whi%h thePersian>ings give to their D!bassadours, thatwhithersoever they shall %o!e, they shall abound with plenty o all things. There is also a

2c"thianHearb herbI, with whi%h being tasted, or at least held in the !outh, they report

the 2c"thianswill endure twelve dayes hunger, and thirstK andApuleiussaith, that he wastaught by an 'ra%le that there were !any "inds o Hearbs herbsI, and Ftones, withwhi%h !en !ight prolong their lives or ever, but that it was not lawull or !en to

understand the "nowledge o those things, be%ause, whereas they have but a short ti!e to

live, they study !is%hie with all their !ight, and atte!pt all !anner o wi%"ednessK ithey should be sure o a very long ti!e, they would not spare the :ods the!selves. &ut

ro! when%e these vertues are, none o all these have shewed, who have set orth huge

olu!es o the properties o things, notHermes,not$ochus,notAaron,not Orpheus,


33/39

not Theophrastus,not Thebith,not:enothemis,not:oroaster,not-/ax,notDioscorides,

not'saaic%the Jew, not:achariasthe &abilonian &abylonianI, notAlbertus,not

Arnoldus.and yet all these have %onessed the sa!e, that:achariaswrites toMithridites,that great power, and hu!ane destinies are %ou%hed in the vertues o Ftones and Hearbs

herbsI. &ut to "now ro! when%e these %o!e, a higher spe%ulation is re3uired.

Alexanderthe peripateti%"e not going any urther then his senses, and 3ualities, is o theopinion that these pro%eed ro! Dle!ents, and their 3ualities, whi%h haply !ight be

supposed to be true, i those were o the sa!e spe%iesK but !any o the operations o the

Ftones agree neither in genere,norspecie. ThereorePlato,and his F%hollers s%holarsIattribute these vertues to'dea5s, the or!ers o things. &utA/icenredu%eth these "inds o

operations to 7ntelligen%ies,Hermesto the Ftars,Albertusto the spe%ii%all or!s o

things. And although these Authors see! to thwart one the other, yet none o the!, i

they be rightly understood, goes beside the truth sin%e all their sayings are the sa!e inee%t in !ost things. #or :od in the irst pla%e is the end, and begining o all ertues, he

gives the seal o the'dea5sto his servants the 7ntelligen%iesK who as aithull oi%ers sign

all things intrusted entrustedI to the! with an 7deall ertue, the Heavens, and Ftars, as

instru!ents, disposing the !atter in the !ean while or the re%eiving o those or!swhi%h reside in =ivine 9a5esty (as saithPlatoin Timeus and to be %onveyed by FtarsK

and the :iver o or!s distributes the! by the 9inistry o his 7ntelligen%ies, whi%h hehath set as 1ulers, and Controllers over his or"s, to who! su%h a power is intrusted in

things %o!!itted to the!, that so all ertues o Ftones, Hearbs herbsI, 9etals, and all

other things !ay %o!e ro! the 7ntelligen%ies, the :overnours. The #or! thereore, andertue o things %o!es irst ro! the'dea5s, then ro! the ruling, and governing

7ntelligen%ies, then ro! the aspe%ts o the Heavens disposing, and lastly ro! the

te!pers o the Dle!ents disposed, answering the inluen%ies o the Heavens, by whi%h

the Dle!ents the!selves are ordered, or disposed. These "inds o operations thereore areperor!ed in these ineriour things by e$press or!s, and in the Heavens by disposing

vertues, in 7ntelligen%ies by !ediating rules, in the original Cause by'dea5s,and

e$e!plary or!s, all whi%h !ust o ne%essity agree in the e$e%ution o the ee%t, andvertue o every thing.

There is thereore a wonderull vertue, and operation in every Hearb herbI and Ftone,

but greater in a Ftar, beyond whi%h, even ro! the governing 7ntelligen%ies every thing

re%eiveth, and obtains !any things or it sel, espe%ially ro! the Fuprea! Cause, withwho! all things do !utually, and e$a%tly %orrespond, agreeing in an har!onious %onsent,

as it were in Hy!nes, alwaies praising the highest 9a"er o all things, as by the three

Children in the iery urna%e were all things %alled upon to praise :od with singings.&less ye the Bord all things that grow upon the Darth, and all things whi%h !ove in the

aters, all owls o the Heavens, &easts, and Cattle, together with the sons o !en. There

is thereore no other %ause o the ne%essity o ee%ts, then the %onne$ion %onne%tionI oall things with the irst Cause, and their %orresponden%y with those =ivine patterns, and

eternall'dea5s,when%e every thing hath its deter!inate, and parti%ular pla%e in the

e$e!plary world, ro! when%e it lives, and re%eives its originall beingK And every vertue

o Hearbs herbsI, Ftones, 9etals, Ani!als, ords, and Fpee%hes, and all things that areo :od, is pla%ed there.


34/39

Mediumsbeing laid aside, or their oi%iating being suspended wor"s those things

i!!ediatly by hi!sel, whi%h wor"s then are %alled 9ira%les &ut whereas se%ondary

%auses, whi%hPlato,and others %all hand!aids, do by the Co!!and, and appoint!ent othe irst Cause, ne%essarily a%t, and are ne%essitated to produ%e their ee%ts, i :od shall

notwithstanding a%%ording to his pleasure so dis%harge, and suspend the!, that they shall

wholly desist ro! the ne%essity o that Co!!and, and appoint!entK then they are %alledthe greatest 9ira%les o :od. Fo the ire in the Chaldeans urna%e did not burn the

Children Fo also the Fun at the Co!!and o(oshuawent ba%" ro! its %ourse the spa%e

o one whole dayK so also at the prayer oHe0e%iahit went ba%" ten degrees, or hours. Fowhen Christ was Cru%iied the Fun was dar"ened, though at ull 9oon And the reasons

these operations %an by no rationall dis%ourse, no 9agi%", or o%%ult, or proound F%ien%e

whatsoever be ound out, or understood, but are to be learned, and in3uired into by

=ivine 'ra%les only.

Chap. 9i+. f the pirit of the 0orl$, 6hat it is, an$ ho6 # 6a of

"e$iu" it unites occult 3ertues to their su#;ects.

Democritusand Orpheus,and !any Pythagorians having !ost diligently sear%hed intothe vertues o Celestiall things, and natures o inerior things, said, That all things are ull

o :od, and not without %ause #or there is nothing o su%h trans%ending vertues, whi%h

being destitute o =ivine assistan%e, is %ontent with the nature o it sel. Also they %alled

those =ivine Powers whi%h are diused in things, :ods whi%h:oroaster%alled =ivineallure!ents, 2"nesiusFy!boli%all inti%e!ents, others %alled the! Bives, and so!e also

Fouls, saying, that the vertues o things did depend upon theseK be%ause it is the property

o the Foul to be ro! one !atter e$tended into divers things, about whi%h it operates Fois a !an, who e$tends his intelle%t unto intelligible things, and his i!agination unto

i!aginable thingsK and this is that whi%h they understood, when they said, /i0)That the

Foul o one thing went out, and went into another thing, altering it, and hindering theoperations o it As the =ia!ond hinders the operation o the Boadstone, that it %annot

attra%t 7ron.


35/39

Ftones, 9etals, and Ani!als, through the Fun, 9oon, Planets, and through Ftars higher

then the Planets.


36/39

a !ore e!inent !anner then in any other thing, and in these let us ta"e that part in whi%h

su%h a property, or ertue is !ost vigorous as i at any ti!e we would pro!ote love, let

us see" so!e Ani!all whi%h is !ost loving, o whi%h "ind are Pigeons, Turtles,Fparrows, Fwallows, agtailes and in these ta"e those !e!bers, or parts, in whi%h the

enerall venereal, i.e. se$ualI appetite is !ost vigorous, su%h as the heart, testi%les,

!atri$ wo!bI, yard penisI, sper!e, and !enstrues. And it !ust be done at that ti!ewhen these Ani!als have this ae%tion !ost intense or then they do provo"e, and draw

love. 7n li"e !anner to in%rease boldness, let us loo" or a Byon lionI, or a Co%", and o

these let us ta"e the heart, eyes, or orehead. And so we !ust understand that whi%hPsellusthePlatonistsaith, /i0)that =ogs, Crows, and Co%"s %ondu%e !u%h to

wat%hulness also the


37/39

whi%h she daily loo"s into, he shall thereby be%o!e bold, %onident, i!pudent, and

wanton. 7n li"e !anner they say, that a %loth that was about a dead Corpse hath re%eived

ro! then%e the property o sadness, and !elan%holyK and that the halter wherewith a!an was hanged hath %ertain wonderull properties. The li"e story telsPlin",i any shall

put a green BiEard !ade blind, together with 7ron, or :old 1ings into a glass-vessel,

putting under the! so!e earth, and then shutting the vessel, and when it appears that theBiEard hath re%eived his sight, shall put hi! out o the glass, that those 1ings shall help

sore eyes. The sa!e !ay be done with 1ings, and a eesel weaselI, whose eyes ater

they are with any "ind o pri%" put out, it is %ertain are restored to sight again. @pon thesa!e a%%ount 1ings are put or a %ertain ti!e in the nest o Fparrows, or Fwallows, whi%h

aterwards are used to pro%ure love, and avor.

Chap. 9+ii. Ho6 # en"it an$ frien$ship the +ertues of things are to #e

tre$, an$ foun$ out.

7n the ne$t pla%e it is re3uisite that we %onsider that all things have a riendliness, and

en!ity a!ongst the!selves, and every thing hath so!ething that it ears dreads, that isan ene!y, and destru%tive to itK and on the %ontrary so!ething that it re5oy%eth, anddelighteth in, and is strengthened by. Fo in the Dle!ents, #ire is an ene!y to ater, and

Aire to Darth, but yet they agree a!ongst the!selves. And again, in Celestiall bodies,

Mercur", (upiter,the 2un,andMoonare riends to 2aturn. Mars,and Venusene!ies to

hi!, all the Planets besidesMarsare riends to(upiter,also all besides VenushateMars.(upiter,and Venuslove the 2un, Mars, Mercur",and theMoonare ene!ies to hi!, all

besides 2aturnelove Venus. (upiter, Venus,and 2aturneare riends toMercur",the 2un,

Moon,andMarshis ene!ies.(upiter, Venus, 2aturneare riends to theMoon, Mars,andMercur"her ene!ies. There is another "ind o en!ity a!ongst the Ftars, /i0)when they

have opposite housesK as 2aturneto the Fun and 9oon,(upitertoMercur", Marsto

Venus)And their en!ity is stronger, whose e$altations are opposite as o 2aturne,andthe FunK o(upiter,andMars.o Venus,andMercur")&ut their riendship is the

strongest, who agree in nature, 3uality, substan%e, and powerK asMarswith the Fun, as

Venuswith the 9oon, as(upiterwith Venus,as also their riendship whose e$altation isin the house o another, as that o 2aturnewith Venus,o(upiterwith the 9oon, oMars

with 2aturn,o the Fun withMars,o Venuswith(upiter,o the 9oon with Venus)And

o what sort the riendships, and en!ities o the superiours be, su%h are the in%linations o

things sub5e%ted to the! in these ineriour. These dispositions thereore o riendship, anden!ity are nothing else but %ertain in%linations o things o the one to another, desiring

su%h, and su%h a thing i it be absent, and to !ove towards it, unless it be hindered, and to

a%3uiess a%3uies%eI in it when it is obtained, shunning the %ontrary, and dreading the

approa%h o it, and not resting in, or being %ontented with it.Heraclitusthereore beingguided by this opinion, proessed that all things were !ade by en!ity riendship.


38/39

whereo when the bough o one shall tou%h the bough o the other, they old the!selves

into !utual e!bra%es, neither doth the e!ale bring orth ruit without the !ale. And the

Al!ond tree, when she is alone is less ruitull. The ines love the Dl!e, and the 'live-tree, and !yrtle love one the other also the 'live-tree, and #ig tree.


39/39

Documents

Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa I