Iamblichus: On the Mysteries · 203 of 218 · tr. Thomas Taylor
Chapter VIII-aq
και αετοι μεν, και δρακοντες, βιωσιμοι αυτοις προς υγειαν υποθεσις´ αιλουροι δε και κυνες, και κορακες αγρυπνητικα συμβολα.
κηρος δε και πηλος εις τας των μοριων συμπλασεις παραλαμβανονται.
φανταζει δε πολλακις, και πυρος ουρανιου εδοσεις, και διαμειδιωσι επι τουτων αγαλματα· πυρί δε αυτοματῳ λαμπαδες αναπτονται .
i.
e.
“ Goeteia , or witchcraft , is a certain art respecting material and terrestrial dæmons, whose images it causes to become visible to the spectators of this art.
And some of these dæmons it leads up, as it were from Hades, but others it draws down from on high; and these, too, such as are of an evil species.
This art, therefore, causes certain phantastic images to appear before the spectators.
And before the eyes of some, indeed, it pours exuberant streams; but to others it promises freedom from bonds, delicacies, and favours.
They draw down, too, powers of this kind by songs and incantations.
But magic , according to the Greeks, is a thing of a very powerful nature.
For they say that this forms the last part of the sacerdotal science.
Magic, indeed, investigates the nature, power, and quality of every thing sublunary; viz.
of the elements, and their parts, of animals, all-various plants and their fruits, of stones, and herbs: and in short, it explores the essence and power of every thing.
From hence, therefore, it produces its effects.
And it forms statues which procure health, makes all-various figures, and things which become the instruments of disease.
It asserts, too, that eagles and dragons contribute to health; but that cats, dogs, and crows are symbols of vigilance, to which, therefore, they contribute.
But for the fashioning of certain parts wax and clay are used.
Often, too, celestial fire is made to appear through magic; and then statues laugh, and lamps are spontaneously enkindled.” This curious passage throws light on the following extract from the first book of the Metaphorsis of Apuleius: “Magico susurranime, amnes agiles reverti, mare pigrum colligari, ventos inanimes expirare, solem inhiberi, lunam despumari, stellas evelli, diem tolli, noctem teneri.” i.
e.
“By magical incantation rapid rivers may be made to run back to their fountains, the sea be congealed, winds become destitute of spirit, the sun be held back in his course, the moon be forced to scatter her foam, the stars be torn from their orbits, the day be taken away, and the night be detained.” For it may be inferred from Psellus, that witches formerly were able to cause the appearance of all this to take place.
The Hermetic axiom that the structure of the cosmos is reflected at every scale — 'as above, so below; as within, so without' — making each level a legible map of the others.
The text links terrestrial dæmons with celestial fire and the power to influence statues and lamps.
Augustinian and Plotinian doctrine that evil has no positive being of its own but is a lack, distortion, or absence of the good — denying ontological dualism while preserving moral seriousness.
Evil species of dæmons are contrasted with health-promoting ones, implying a lack of positive being.
Gurdjieff and Ouspensky's claim that ordinary human beings live in a state of waking sleep, reacting mechanically without unified will or consciousness, and that the spiritual path begins with recognising this condition.
Witches are described as using art to manipulate dæmons rather than relying on personal spiritual insight.
Iamblichean ritual practice that engages the gods directly through consecrated material symbols and actions, on the premise that divine power descends into properly prepared matter — distinct from philosophical contemplation alone.
The passage defines magic as an art that investigates the nature of all sublunary things and produces effects through consecrated material symbols like wax and clay.