Divine Madness

Agrippa: The Philosophy of Natural Magic, Chapter LX — Of Madness, and Divinations which are made when men are awake, and of the Power of a Melancholy Humor, by which Spirits are sometimes induced into Men's Bodies | Chapter LX, Section 1a

“CHAPTER LX. Of Madness, and Divinations which are made when men are awake, and of the Power of a Melancholy Humor, by which Spirits are sometimes induced into Men's Bodies . It happens also, sometimes, that not only they that are asleep,…”

Agrippa: The Philosophy of Natural Magic, Chapter LX — Of Madness, and Divinations which are made when men are awake, and of the Power of a Melancholy Humor, by which Spirits are sometimes induced into Men's Bodies | Chapter LX, Section 1b

“And this thing, they think, happens under a three-fold difference, according to a three-fold apprehension of the soul, viz., imaginative, rational, and mental; they say, therefore, that when the mind is forced with a melancholy humor, nothi…”

The Heroic Enthusiasts, Part I (Gli Eroici Furori) | INTRODUCTION-c

“Bruno also wrote a book upon the Sphere, which was lost. He expounded the system of Copernicus, and talked to his pupils with enthusiasm about the movement of the earth and of the plurality of worlds. As in that same Liguria Columbus firs…”

The Heroic Enthusiasts, Part I (Gli Eroici Furori) | INTRODUCTION-i

“The life of man is more than an experience or trial; it is an effort, a struggle to reproduce and represent upon earth some of that goodness, beauty, and truth which are diffused over the universe and constitute its harmony. Long, slow, an…”

The Heroic Enthusiasts, Part I (Gli Eroici Furori) | INTRODUCTION-l

“There he passed the first day of that imprisonment which was to last for eight years. The next day he went over the lagoon in a gondola, in the company of his jailors, who took him to the prison of the Holy Office, and left him there. Lev…”

The Heroic Enthusiasts, Part I (Gli Eroici Furori) | First Dialogue-a

“. Tansillo, Cicada. Tans. The enthusiasms most suitable to be first brought forward and considered are those that I now place before you in the order that seems to me most fitting. Cic. Begin, then, to read. Tansillo. 1. Ye Muses, t…”

The Heroic Enthusiasts, Part I (Gli Eroici Furori) | First Dialogue-b

“They do not consider that those rules serve principally as a frame for the Homeric poetry, and for other similar to it, and they set up one as a great poet, high as Homer, and disallow those of other vein, and art, and enthusiasm, who in th…”

The Heroic Enthusiasts, Part I (Gli Eroici Furori) | First Dialogue-c

“Hence he cries: "O mountain of Parnassus, where I abide! Muses, with whom I converse! Fountain of Helicon, where I am nourished. Mountain, that affordest me a quiet dwelling-place! Muses, that inspire me with pro found doctrines. Fount…”

Psychic Self-Defence (Dion Fortune) | 7. The Pathology Of Non-Human Contacts-f

“I smashed my way through two entire tea-sets and all the mantelpiece ornaments. The ornaments just fell off the mantelpiece one by one of their own accord. I actually saw two of them do it. I did not know at the time that the Element of…”

Psychic Self-Defence (Dion Fortune) | 11. The Psychic Element In Mental Disturbance-d

“The older faiths knew this, but popular Christianity, which has no roots in tradition, has forgotten it. Protestant Christianity threw away its occult aspect at the Reformation. All the pagan pantheons have gross aspects of divinities as…”

The Tarot of the Bohemians (Papus) | Chapter XVII (part 7)

“Third hour of Apollonius: " The serpents, the dogs, and fire ." The first manifestation of force applied externally to inert matter for affecting transmutations; this is Alchemy. The Neophyte having attained this step in practice must be r…”

Tertium Organum (P.D. Ouspensky) | Chapter XVII (part 9)

“In ourselves, visual consciousness goes with our eyes, tactile consciousness with our skin. But although neither skin nor eye knows aught of the sensations of the other, they come together and figure in some sort of relation and combinatio…”

Tertium Organum (P.D. Ouspensky) | Chapter XIX (part 7)

“In the reduction of your soul to its simplest self, its divine essence, you realize this union—this identity. But this sublime condition is not of permanent duration. It is only now and then that we can enjoy this elevation above the limi…”

Tertium Organum (P.D. Ouspensky) | Chapter XX (part 2)

“Only by the repudiation of everything will the possibility of entering into a new life be realized. With the beginning of the gradual loss of the old world, the logic of the two-dimensional being—or that which stood for it for logic—will s…”

Tertium Organum (P.D. Ouspensky) | Chapter XXI (part 3)

“All attempts to penetrate mentally into that higher, noumenal world, or world of causes, by means of the logic of the phenomenal world, if they did not fail altogether, or did not lead to castles in the air , gave only one result: in becomi…”

Tertium Organum (P.D. Ouspensky) | Chapter XXI (part 5)

“Penetrating there, it first of all renounces its fundamental axioms of identity and difference. In the world of infinite and fluent magnitudes, a magnitude may be not equal to itself; a part may be equal to the whole; and of two equal magn…”

Plato: Phaedrus | Section 1f

“"I believe that I have said enough; but if there is anything more which you desire or which in your opinion needs to be supplied, ask and I will answer." Now, Socrates, what do you think? Is not the discourse excellent, more especially in…”

Plato: Phaedrus | Section 1l

“And I bethink me of an ancient purgation of mythological error which was devised, not by Homer, for he never had the wit to discover why he was blind, but by Stesichorus, who was a philosopher and knew the reason why; and therefore, when he…”

Plato: Phaedrus | Section 1m

“For prophecy is a madness, and the prophetess at Delphi and the priestesses at Dodona when out of their senses have conferred great benefits on Hellas, both in public and private life, but when in their senses few or none. And I might also…”

Plato: Phaedrus | Section 1q

“Thus far I have been speaking of the fourth and last kind of madness, which is imputed to him who, when he sees the beauty of earth, is transported with the recollection of the true beauty; he would like to fly away, but he cannot; he is li…”

Plato: Phaedrus | Section 1r

“But he whose initiation is recent, and who has been the spectator of many glories in the other world, is amazed when he sees any one having a godlike face or form, which is the expression of divine beauty; and at first a shudder runs throug…”

Plato: Phaedrus | Section 1u

“And the beloved when he has received him into communion and intimacy, is quite amazed at the good-will of the lover; he recognises that the inspired friend is worth all other friends or kinsmen; they have nothing of friendship in them worth…”

Plato: Phaedrus | Section 1ab

“The two speeches, as you may remember, were unlike-I the one argued that the lover and the other that the non-lover ought to be accepted. Phaedr. And right manfully. Soc. You should rather say "madly"; and madness was the argument of th…”

Plato: Symposium | Section 1b

“But when I hear another strain, especially that of you rich men and traders, such conversation displeases me; and I pity you who are my companions, because you think that you are doing something when in reality you are doing nothing. And I…”

Orphic Hymns | Hymn X

“X. TO PAN * The FUMIGATION from VARIOUS ODORS I Call strong Pan, the substance of the whole, Etherial, marine, earthly, general soul, Immortal fire; for all the world is thine, And all are parts of thee, O pow'r divine. p. 131 Come, blessed…”

Orphic Hymns | Hymn XXIII. THE NEREIDS

“XXIII. TO THE NEREIDS. The FUMIGATION from AROMATICS. DAUGHTERS of Nereus, resident in caves Merg'd deep in Ocean, sporting thro' the waves; Fanatic fifty nymphs, who thro' the main Delight to follow in the Triton's train, Rejoicing close b…”

Orphic Hymns | Hymn XXVI. THE MOTHER OF THE GODS

“XXVI. TO THE MOTHER OF THE GODS. The FUMIGATION from a Variety of ODORIFEROUS SUBSTANCES. Mother of Gods, great nurse of all, draw near, Divinely honor'd, and regard my pray'r: Thron'd on a car, by lions drawn along, By bull-destroying lion…”

Orphic Hymns | Hymn XXIX. BACCHUS

“XXIX. TO BACCHUS. The FUMIGATION from STORAX. BACCHUS I call, loud-sounding and divine, Fanatic God, a two-fold shape is thine: Thy various names and attributes I sing, O, first-born, thrice begotten, Bacchic king: 4 Rural, ineffable, two-f…”

Orphic Hymns | Hymn XXX. THE CURETES

“XXX. TO THE CURETES. A HYMN. LEAPING Curetes, who with dancing feet And circling measures, armed footsteps beat: Whose bosom's mad, fanatic transports fire, Who move in rythm to the founding lyre: Who traces deaf when lightly leaping tread,…”

Orphic Hymns | Hymn XXXIII. APOLLO

“XXXIII. TO APOLLO. The FUMIGATION from MANNA. BLEST Pæan, come, propitious to my pray'r, Illustrious pow'r, whom Memphian tribes revere, Slayer of Tityus, and the God of health, Lycorian Phœbus, fruitful source of wealth . Spermatic, golden…”

Orphic Hymns | Hymn XXXVII. THE CURETES +

“XXXVII. TO THE CURETES + . The FUMIGATION from FRANKINCENSE. Brass-beating Salians, ministers of Mars, Who guard his arms the instruments of wars p. 168 Whose blessed frames, heav'n, earth, and sea compose, And from whose breath all animals…”

Orphic Hymns | Hymn XLIV. DIONYSIUS BASSAREUS TRIENNALIS

“XLIV. TO DIONYSIUS BASSAREUS TRIENNALIS * . A HYMN COME, blessed Dionysius, various nam'd, Bull-fac'd, begot from Thunder, Bacchus fam'd. Bassarian God, of universal might, Whom swords, and blood, and sacred rage delight: In heav'n rejoicin…”

Orphic Hymns | Hymn XLV. LIKNITUS + BACCHUS

“XLV. TO LIKNITUS + BACCHUS. The FUMIGATION from MANNA. LIKNITAN Bacchus, bearer of the vine, Thee I invoke to bless these rites divine: p. 179 Florid and gay, of nymphs the blossom bright, And of fair Venus, Goddess of delight, 'Tis thine m…”

Orphic Hymns | Hymn L. THE NYMPHS

“L. TO THE NYMPHS. The FUMIGATION from AROMATICS. NYMPHS, who from Ocean's stream derive your birth, Who dwell in liquid caverns of the earth p. 182 Nurses of Bacchus secret-coursing pow'r, Who fruits sustain, and nourish ev'ry flow'r: Earth…”

Orphic Hymns | Hymn LI. TRIETERICUS

“LI. TO TRIETERICUS. The FUMIGATION from AROMATICS. BACCHUS fanatic, much-nam'd, blest, divine, Bull-fac'd Lenæan, bearer of the vine; From fire descended, raging, Nysian king, From whom initial ceremonies spring: Liknitan Bacchus, pure and…”

Orphic Hymns | Hymn LIII. SILENUS, SATYRUS, and the PRIESTESSES of BACCHUS

“LIII. To SILENUS, SATYRUS, and the PRIESTESSES of BACCHUS. The FUMIGATION from MANNA. GREAT nurse of Bacchus, to my pray'r incline., Silenus, honor'd by the pow'rs divine And by mankind at the triennial feast Illustrious dæmon, reverenc'd a…”

Orphic Hymns | Hymn LIV. VENUS

“LIV. TO VENUS. A HYMN. HEAV'NLY, illustrious, laughter-loving queen, Sea-born, night-loving, of an awful mien; p. 186 Crafty, from whom necessity first came, Producing, nightly, all-connecting dame: 'Tis thine the world with harmony to join…”

Orphic Hymns | Hymn LVII. CUPID, OR LOVE

“LVII. TO CUPID, OR LOVE. The FUMIGATION from AROMATICS. I Call great Cupid, source of sweet delight, Holy and pure, and lovely to the sight; Darting, and wing'd, impetuous fierce desire, With Gods and mortals playing, wand'ring fire: Cautio…”

Orphic Hymns | Hymn LXXV. THE MUSES

“LXXV. TO THE MUSES. The FUMIGATION from FRANKINCENSE. Daughters of Jove, dire-sounding and divine, 1 Renown'd Pierian, sweetly speaking Nine; p. 206 To those whose breasts your sacred furies fire Much-form'd, the objects of supreme desire:…”

The Golden Verses of Pythagoras | Section 13 (part 11)

“Εἴπατε δ᾽, ὡς τὰ πρῶτα θεοὶ καὶ γαῖα γένοντο καὶ ποταμοὶ καὶ πόντος ἀπείριτος, οἴδματι θυίων, ἄστρα τε λαμπετόωντα καὶ οὐρανὸς εὐρὺς ὕπερθεν 110 οἵ τ᾽ ἐκ τῶν ἐγένοντο θεοί, δωτῆρες ἐάων ὥς τ᾽ ἄφενος δάσσαντο καὶ ὡς τιμὰς διέλοντο ἠδὲ καὶ ὡς…”

Iamblichus: On the Mysteries | Chapter IV

“Afterwards, also, you say, “ that many, through enthusiasm and divine inspiration, predict future events, and that they are then in so wakeful a state, as even to energize according to sense, and yet they are not conscious of the state they…”

Iamblichus: On the Mysteries | Chapter V

“There are, therefore, many species of divine possession, and divine inspiration is multifariously excited; whence, also, the signs of it are many and different. For either the Gods are different, by whom we are inspired, and thus produce a…”

Iamblichus: On the Mysteries | Chapter VII

“It is not, however, sufficient to learn these things alone, nor will he who only knows these become perfect in divine science. But it is requisite also to know what enthusiasm is, and how it is produced. It is falsely, therefore, supposed t…”

Iamblichus: On the Mysteries | Chapter VIII

“If, therefore, true divination was a solution of the divine part of the soul from the other parts of it, or if it was a separation of intellect, or a certain extension of it; or if it was a vehemence 128 and extension of energy or passion,…”

Iamblichus: On the Mysteries | Chapter IX

“What you afterwards say is as follows: “ That some of those who suffer a mental alienation, energize enthusiastically on hearing cymbals or drums, or a certain modulated sound, such as those who are Corybantically inspired, those who are po…”

Iamblichus: On the Mysteries | Chapter X

“Let us, however, discuss what pertains to divination more particularly; not asserting this, that nature leads each thing to its like; for the enthusiastic energy is not the work of nature; nor again asserting that the temperature of the air…”

Iamblichus: On the Mysteries | Chapter VIII-m

“Thus, for instance, if the allotment of the soul was as far as to philosophy, the soul would be able, though it should not choose a philosophic but some other life, to energize in that life somewhat philosophically. There are also said to…”

Iamblichus: On the Mysteries | Chapter VIII-n

“As, therefore, it is possible for the tyrannic life, when suddenly changed, to become aristocratic, through employing strenuous promptitude and a divine allotment, but the gradual ascent is from a tyrannic to a democratic, and from this to…”

Corpus Hermeticum 9: The Decalogue | Section 1a

“On Thought and Sense <This somewhat diffuse essay covers a series of topics, starting with (and to some extent from) the concept that the set of perceptions we call "thoughts" and the set we call "sensory perceptions" are not significantly…”

Corpus Hermeticum 10: The Sermon on the Mount | Section 1b

“For It doth will to be, and It is both Itself and most of all by reason of Itself. Indeed, all other things beside are just bacause of It; for the distinctive feature of the Good is "that it should be known". Such is the Good, O Tat. Tat…”

Corpus Hermeticum 10: The Sermon on the Mount | Section 1f

“But God is o'er them all, and God contains them all. God's rays, to use a figure, are His energies; the Cosmos's are natures, the arts and sciences are man's. The energies act through the Cosmos, thence through the nature-rays of Cosmos u…”

Corpus Hermeticum 13: The Discourse of Hermes to Tat | Section 1b

“Thou seest me with eyes, my son; but what I am thou dost not understand [even] with fullest strain of body and of sight. 4. Tat: Into fierce frenzy and mind-fury hast thou plunged me, father, for now no longer do I see myself. Hermes: I…”

The Masnavi, Book I (Rumi) | PROLOGUE-a

“HEARKEN to the reed-flute, how it complains, Lamenting its banishment from its home: "Ever since they tore me from my osier bed, My plaintive notes have moved men and women to tears. I burst my breast, striving to give vent to sighs, And t…”

The Masnavi, Book I (Rumi) | STORY I-a

“The Prince and the Handmaid. A prince, while engaged on a hunting excursion, espied a fair maiden, and by promises of gold induced her to accompany him. After a time she fell sick, and the prince had her tended by divers physicians. As,…”

The Masnavi, Book I (Rumi) | STORY I-b

“That precious Soul caught my skirt, Smelling the perfume of the garment of Yusuf; And said, "For the sake of our ancient friendship, Tell forth a hint of those sweet states of ecstasy, That earth and heaven may be rejoiced, And also Reason…”

The Masnavi, Book I (Rumi) | STORY XV-a

“Counsels of Reserve given by the Prophet to his Freedman Zaid. At dawn the Prophet said to Zaid, "How is it with thee this morning, O pure disciple?" He replied, "Thy faithful slave am I." Again he said, "If the garden of faith has bloomed…”

The Life and Doctrines of Jacob Boehme | Chapter 1 (part 10)

“It is itself the most secret thing, which can be known by no one except by him who has experienced it; neither do those that live entirely within the realm of animality, or within that of the speculating intellect, believe that such a state…”

The Life and Doctrines of Jacob Boehme | Chapter 3 (part 4)

“The will cannot attain this light, and the more it desires for freedom the greater will be the attraction caused by the desire." ( Six Theosophical Points , i, 38.) "There must be au opposition, for the will desires not to be dark, and this…”

Gospel of Thomas | Logion 2

“Jesus said, "Let him who seeks continue seeking until he finds. When he finds, he will become troubled. When he becomes troubled, he will be astonished, and he will rule over the All."…”

Gospel of Thomas | Logion 13

“Jesus said to his disciples, "Compare me to someone and tell me whom I am like." Simon Peter said to him, "You are like a righteous angel." Matthew said to him, "You are like a wise philosopher." Thomas said to him, "Master, my mouth is who…”

The Writings of Chuang Tzu (Inner Chapters) | Book IV (part 8)

“'This, indeed,' said he, 'is a tree good for nothing, and it is thus that it has attained to such a size. Ah! and spirit-like men acknowledge this worthlessness (and its result) 3 .' In Sung there is the district of King-shih 4 , in which…”

The Writings of Chuang Tzu (Inner Chapters) | Book IV (part 10)

“214:2 Not meaning the king of Khû; but the Tâo, whose will was to be found in his nature and the conditions of his lot. 215:1 A member of the Yen family of Lû. We shall meet with him again in Books XIX, XXVIII, and XXXII. 215:2 A ministe…”

The Poetic Edda: Hovamol | Section 1m

“I ween that I hung | on the windy tree, Hung there for nights full nine; With the spear I was wounded, | and offered I was To Othin, myself to myself, On the tree that none | may ever know What root beneath it runs. [138. In the manuscrip…”