DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.13851#0334
312
OF THE RELIGION OP GREECE.
CHAP. XVIU.
of magic and incantations.
Besides the methods of foretelling future events already mentioned,
and that divination which is commonly called physical because it makes
predictions without any supernatural assistance, by the mere knowledge
of physical, or natural causes, ther* are several others, most of which
are comprehended under the names of Mayei'a/ and EtwJW, i. e. magic
and incantations; between which, though some make a nice distinction
yet they bear a near relation to each other ; and therefore 1 shall treat
of them conjunctly in this place. And though some of the species of
these divinations might be invented in later ages, and never practised
in old Greece, whose customs alone it is my chief design to describe, not
meddling with those innovations that were introduced in later times, after
the Grecians were subjected to the Roman empire ; yet since it is very
difficult to determine exactly of all, which were truly ancient, and which
were truly modern ; since, also, there is frequent mention of them in
writers of the middle ages, especially those that lived towards the decli-
nation of the Roman greatness, I shall beg the reader's leave to give a
brief account of the most remarkable of them : for to enumerate all
would be an endless, as well as unreasonable undertaking; and a great
many of them (such as those wherein the Incubi and Succubi were con-
cerned) contain in them too much of profaneness and horror to be endur-
ed by any civilized ear.
Magical arts are said by the Grecians to have been invented in Persia,
where, at the first, they were laid in great honour and reputation ; for
the Mayai were those that applied thpmselves to the study of philosophy,
and the strict search after the most curious works and mysteries of nature.
They were usually chosen to superintend the divine worship, and all
religious rites and ceremonies; they continually attended upon the kings,
to advise them in all affairs of moment, and were preferred to the high-
est honours, and places of the greatest trust. But afterwards the case
was altered ; for when they left off the contemplation of nature, and
betook themselves to the invocation of demons, and other mean arts,
their fnmer credit and esteem very much diminished.
This art is said to have been introduced among the Grecians by Oe-
thanes, who came into Greece with Xerxes, arid dispersed the rudiments
of it wherever he had an opportunity. It was afterwards much improv-
ed, and brought to some perfection by Democritus, who is said to have
learned it out of the writings of certain Phoenicians. But I shall not
trouble you with any more stories concerning its original, or progress ;
it being more pertinent to my design to give you a short account of the
various species thereof.
First, then, Nsxf«/xavg-£i'a, was a divination in which answers were giv-
en by deceased persons. It was sometimes performed by the magical use
of a bone, or vein of a dead body, especially by the The-*ssalians ; or
by pouring warm blo^d into a carcass, as it were to renew life in it, as
Erichtho doth in Lucan* ; or by some other enchantments to restore dead
* Lib. vi. v. 750.
OF THE RELIGION OP GREECE.
CHAP. XVIU.
of magic and incantations.
Besides the methods of foretelling future events already mentioned,
and that divination which is commonly called physical because it makes
predictions without any supernatural assistance, by the mere knowledge
of physical, or natural causes, ther* are several others, most of which
are comprehended under the names of Mayei'a/ and EtwJW, i. e. magic
and incantations; between which, though some make a nice distinction
yet they bear a near relation to each other ; and therefore 1 shall treat
of them conjunctly in this place. And though some of the species of
these divinations might be invented in later ages, and never practised
in old Greece, whose customs alone it is my chief design to describe, not
meddling with those innovations that were introduced in later times, after
the Grecians were subjected to the Roman empire ; yet since it is very
difficult to determine exactly of all, which were truly ancient, and which
were truly modern ; since, also, there is frequent mention of them in
writers of the middle ages, especially those that lived towards the decli-
nation of the Roman greatness, I shall beg the reader's leave to give a
brief account of the most remarkable of them : for to enumerate all
would be an endless, as well as unreasonable undertaking; and a great
many of them (such as those wherein the Incubi and Succubi were con-
cerned) contain in them too much of profaneness and horror to be endur-
ed by any civilized ear.
Magical arts are said by the Grecians to have been invented in Persia,
where, at the first, they were laid in great honour and reputation ; for
the Mayai were those that applied thpmselves to the study of philosophy,
and the strict search after the most curious works and mysteries of nature.
They were usually chosen to superintend the divine worship, and all
religious rites and ceremonies; they continually attended upon the kings,
to advise them in all affairs of moment, and were preferred to the high-
est honours, and places of the greatest trust. But afterwards the case
was altered ; for when they left off the contemplation of nature, and
betook themselves to the invocation of demons, and other mean arts,
their fnmer credit and esteem very much diminished.
This art is said to have been introduced among the Grecians by Oe-
thanes, who came into Greece with Xerxes, arid dispersed the rudiments
of it wherever he had an opportunity. It was afterwards much improv-
ed, and brought to some perfection by Democritus, who is said to have
learned it out of the writings of certain Phoenicians. But I shall not
trouble you with any more stories concerning its original, or progress ;
it being more pertinent to my design to give you a short account of the
various species thereof.
First, then, Nsxf«/xavg-£i'a, was a divination in which answers were giv-
en by deceased persons. It was sometimes performed by the magical use
of a bone, or vein of a dead body, especially by the The-*ssalians ; or
by pouring warm blo^d into a carcass, as it were to renew life in it, as
Erichtho doth in Lucan* ; or by some other enchantments to restore dead
* Lib. vi. v. 750.