The Magician
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33. sylphs: elemental spirits of the air in Paracelsus’s system
undines: female water sprites who by marrying mortals and bearing children might receive souls adept: skilled alchemist
34. Keys of Solomon: thought by some people to have been written by Solomon, these books were said to hold the knowledge to unlock occult wisdom and powers
Branch of the Blossoming Almond: Eliphas Levi’s Dogme et Rituel de la Haute Magie ascribes powers to one who holds the Branch of the Blossoming Almond in his left hand
Seven Genii: Levi refers to seven genii who command the entire celestial army
35. Arago: François Arago (1786–1853), French physicist
Lactantius: Lucius Caecilius Firmianus Lactantius (240–320), called the “Christian Cicero” because of his commendation of Christianity to men of letters
Saint Augustine of Hippo: Saint Augustine (354–430), bishop recognized as the greatest thinker of Western antiquity
37. Nero: Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus (37–68), Roman emperor noted for his instability and cruelty
38. votaries: ardent followers, adherents, or advocates
40. fellah: Egyptian peasant
41. kohl: a powder, usually antimony, used in the Middle East to darken eyelids
henna: a dye made from the shoots and leaves of the Egyptian privet
attar: fragrant oil derived from rose petals
sirdar: commander in chief of army (in Egypt)
Lord Kitchener: Herbert Kitchener (1850–1916), British field marshal who conquered the Sudan and was commander in chief in the Boer War
45. La Diane de Gabies: a mid-nineteenth-century French sculpture Endymion: In Greek mythology, a beautiful youth who was loved by Selene, goddess of the moon. In John Keats’s poem “Endymion,” the youth is the lover of the goddess Diana, the huntress
46. poudre de riz: toilet powder, face powder
47. Elzevirs: fine books published by the Dutch firm of Elzevir between 1581 and 1712
48. Philippus Aureolus Theophrastus Paracelsus Bombast von Hohenheim: Paracelsus (1493–1541), physician and alchemist who established the role of chemistry in medicine
Grimoire of Honorius: a catalogue of fallen angels and how to raise them said to have been written by Honorius III, pope from 1216 to 1227
49. Torquemada: Tomás Torquemada (1420–1498), first Spanish grand inquisitor, who has come to represent the religious bigotry and cruel fanaticism of the Inquisition
Tableau de l’Inconstance des Démons, by Delancre: Pierre de Lancre, a witch-hunting judge and demonological author, wrote Tableau de l’inconstance des mauvais anges et demons in 1612
Delrio’s Disquisitiones Magicœ: a treatise on demonology and magic, written by Martin Del Rio, a Jesuit, in 1599–1600
Pseudomonarchia Daemonorum of Wierus: Johann Weyer (1515–1588) wrote Pseudomonarchia Daemonorum, a catalogue of demons, in 1583
Hauber’s Acta et Scripta Magica: Eberhard David Hauber’s records of the witch trials in Wurzburg in which 157 people were burned from 1627–29
Sprenger’s Malleus Malefikorum: Johann Sprenger and Heinrich Kraemer, fifteenth-century Dominicans, wrote Malleus Malefikorum (“The Witches Hammer”), which became the authoritative encyclopedia on demonology throughout the Christian world
Clavicula Salomonis: The Key of Solomon
Jacques Casanova: Giovanni Giacomo Casanova (1725–1798), Italian adventurer whose memoirs made his name synonymous with “libertine”
the Pentateuch: the first five books of the Old Testament, traditionally ascribed to Moses
54. Breton bed: a bed of a particular design originating in Brittany coiffe: close cap covering top, sides, and back of head
surplice: loose, full-sleeved vestment worn over cassock by clergy at divine service
55. Eliphas Levi: pseudonym of Alphonse Louis Constant (1810–1875), French occultist and author
Apollonius of Tyana: first-century mythical figure reported to have performed miracles
56. Solomon’s Seal: a six-pointed star (double triangle) known as “the Seal of Solomon,” supposedly the symbol of the universe, in Arabic magic and witchcraft
57. the Pentagram: a five-pointed star formerly used as a mystical symbol
chaplet of vervain leaves: a wreath of a kind of weedy plant with small blue, white, or purple flowers, once believed to have various magical qualities
61. the High: the High (or main) Street
62. euphuism: artificial or affected style of writing
67. porphyry: hard rock composed of crystals of white or red feldspar “C’est tellement intime ici.”: “It is so intimate [or homely] here.”
68. genre: subject, here meaning painting of family life
70. aureum vellus: alchemical writings of Solomon Trismosinus(1598)
philosopher’s stone: a mysterious substance which alchemists believed could transmute base metals into gold
Solomon Trismosinus: mysterious seventeeth-century figure who allegedly taught Paracelsus and gave him the philosopher’s stone Universal Panacea: a goal of the alchemists, one that would cure all diseases and prolong life indefinitely
Paragranum: book (1529–30) by Paracelsus that argues that the body is based on chemical processes and suggests specific chemical treatments for different diseases
71. elephantiasis: skin disease causing the area affected to resemble elephant’s hide
72. Tinctura Physicorum: Paracelsus’s Liber de Tinctura Physicorum (“Book of Physical Tinctures”) deals with pharmacology, poisons, and alchemy
Hermes Trismegistus: perhaps mythological figure who was alleged to teach the magical system known as Hermetism, which comprised magic and alchemy
Albertus Magnus: “Albert the Great,” St Albert Magnus (1206–1280) was an acclaimed scientist, philosopher, and theologian Electrum Magicum: an alchemical alloy
Primum Ens Melissœ: the herb Melissa Oficinalis (lemon balm) and carbonate of potash, a mixture which Paracelsus called “the elixir of life”
Galen: Greek physician who founded experimental physiology Arnold of Villanova: famous thirteenth-century physician who dabbled in astrology and alchemy
74. homunculi: artificial humans said to have been created by alchemists, particularly Paracelsus
75. Die Sphinx: an account of homunculi supposedly generated in Tyrol in 1775
79. funk: coward
83. La Gioconda: famous portrait also called the ‘Mona Lisa’ painted by Leonardo da Vinci between 1503 and 1506
Walter Pater: English essayist and critic of literature and art (1839–1894)
84. Bacchus: Greek god of wine
Bronzino: Florentine painter and poet (1503–1572) renowned for his portraits
85. Ribera: José de Ribera (1591–1652), Spanish painter and printmaker noted for his depictions of religious and mythological subjects
Valdes Leal: Juan de Valdés Leal (1622–1690), Spanish painter cope: long cloak worn by ecclesiastics in processions
Gustave Moreau: French painter (1826–1898) known for his erotic paintings of mythological subjects
87. the daughter of Herodias: Salome, whose dance so pleased Herod that he granted her wish to have the head of John the Baptist brought in on a platter
Iokanaan: John the Baptist, Jewish prophet executed by Herod
88. Orpheus’s lyre: an ancient Greek legendary figure with superhuman skill in music, Orpheus is said to have saved the Argonauts from the music of the sirens by the more beautiful music of his lyre Pythagoras: Greek philosopher and mathematician (580–500 BC) who founded the Pythagorean brotherhood, a religious group
Circe’s wand: in Greek mythology, Circe was a sorceress who could change humans into wolves, lions, and swine
91. Jezebel: wife of Ahab, king of Israel, she fomented so much discord among the Israelites that she has become known as the archetypal wicked woman
Messalina: Valeria Messalina (22–48), wife of Roman emperor Claudius I, notorious for her licen
tious behaviour
92. Albrecht Dürer: painter and printmaker (1471–1528) recognized as the greatest German Renaissance artist
cerecloths: cloths impregnated with wax or oil to make a waterproof covering or winding sheet
Le Nain: Louis Le Nain (1593–1648), French painter famous for his scenes of religious and peasant life
97. Phèdre of Racine: Phèdre, a play written by Jean Racine (1639–1699) in 1677, was based on the Greek myth of Phaedra (see note 173)
98. maison meublée: furnished house
99. damascened: ornamented with inlaid gold or silver
100. warp: threads stretched lengthwise on a loom to be crossed by weft (woof )
woof: that which is woven onto the warp
110. petit bleu: express letter
111. “Parfaitement, Mademoiselle”: “Certainly, Miss”
112. petit déjeuner: small breakfast of coffee and rolls
123. Magnum Opus: an alchemical term for the matching of the philosopher’s stone and the elixir of life
receipts: recipes
144. the odd trick: a term from the card games whist or bridge, here meaning that Haddo has won a round
146. Pardons: in Brittany, a local processional or pilgrimage bonne: maid
147. Arsenal: la Bibliothèque de l’Arsenal, considered the second most important library in France
chambre ardente: fiery chamber
152. Titans: in Greek mythology, a race of giant beings
156. Gilles de Rais: marshal of France and man of wealth (1404–1440) who was hanged for satanism and the reputed murder of 140 children. His name later became connected with the story of Blue-beard
162. “Mais, mon ami, vousêtes fou”: “But, my friend, you are mad”
163. B.M.J.: British Medical Journal
170. Phaedra: The wife of Theseus, king of Athens, who was made to fall passionately in love with her stepson, Hippolytus, whose rejection of her caused her to kill herself
Minos: the son of Zeus and Europa, he was the legendary ruler of Crete and the father of Phaedra
Myrrha: Greek mythological figure who, unable to master her lust for her father, had sex with him and was punished by being turned into a Myrrh tree
175. paling: fence of pointed wood, boundary
186. holland: linen fabric
195. canticles: little songs, hymns
Table of Contents
Introduction by ROBERT CALDER
Suggestions for Further Reading
THE MAGICIAN
Explanatory Notes