Agrippa: The Philosophy of Natural Magic, Chapter XLII — Of the Wonderful Virtues of Some Kinds of Sorceries · 3 of 3 · tr. Henry Morley; L. W. de Laurence ed.
Chapter XLII, Section 1c
They say, also, that a tyke, if it be pulled out of the left ear of a dog, and if be it is altogether black, hath great virtue in the prognosticating of life, for if the sick party shall answer him that brought it in, and who, standing at his feet, shall ask of him concerning his disease, there is certain hope of life; and that he shall die if he make no answer.
They say, also, that a stone that is bit with a mad dog hath power to cause discord, if it be put in drink, and that lie shall not be barked at by dogs that puts the tongue of a dog in his shoe under his great toe, especially if the herb of the same name, viz., hound's-tongue, be joined with it.
And that a membrane of the secondines of a dog doth the same; and that dogs will shun him that hath a dog's heart.
And Pliny reports that there is a red toad that lives in briers and brambles, and is full of sorceries and doth wonderful things, for the little bone which is in his left side, being cast into cold water, makes it presently very hot; by which also the rage of dogs is restrained, and their love is procured if it be put in their drink; and, if it be bound to any one, it stirreth up desire.
On the contrary, the little bone which is on the right side makes hot water cold, and that it can never be hot again unless that be taken out; also it is said to cure quartans if it be bound to the sick in a snake's skin, as also all other fevers, and to restrain love and desire.
And that the spleen and heart is an effectual remedy against the poisons of the said toad.
Thus much Pliny writes.
Also, it is said, that the sword with which a man is slain hath wonderful power in sorceries.
For if the snaffle of the bridle, or spurs, be made of it, they say that with these any horse, though never so wild, may be tamed and gentled; and that if a horse should be shod with shoes made of it, he would be most swift and fleet, and never, though never so hard rode, tire.
But yet they will that some certain characters and names should be written upon it.
They say, also, if any man shall dip a sword, wherewith men were beheaded, in wine, and the sick drink thereof, he shall be cured of his quartan.
They say, also, that a cup of liquor being made with the brains of a bear, and drank out of the skull, shall make him that drinks it be as fierce and as raging as a bear, and think himself to be changed into a bear, and judge all things he sees to be bears, and so to continue in that madness until the force of that draught shall be dissolved, no other distemper being all this while perceived in him.
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Cosmic Sympathycosmology
The Stoic and Plotinian doctrine that all parts of the cosmos are bound by hidden affinities, so that a movement in one part resonates through the whole; the metaphysical basis for astrology, magic, and divination.
The text describes how objects like bones and swords exert influence over animals and humans through magical connection.
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