Agrippa: The Philosophy of Natural Magic, Chapter LI — Of Certain Observations, Producing Wonderful Virtues · 2 of 2 · tr. Henry Morley; L. W. de Laurence ed.
Chapter LI, Section 1b
In like manner, spittle carried in the hand, or to spit in the shoe of the right foot before it be put on, is good when any one passeth through a dangerous place.
They say that wolves will not come to a field if one of them be taken and his blood let by little and little out of his legs, being unbroken, with a knife, and sprinkled about the outside of the field, and he himself be buried in that place from whence he was first drawn.
The Methanenses, citizens of Trezenium, accounted it as a present remedy for preserving of vines from the wrong of the southern wind, having always found it by most certain experience, if, whilst the wind blows, a white cock should be pulled to pieces in the middle by two men, both of whom, each keeping his part, must walk each way around the vineyard, until both meet in the place from whence they began their circuit, and must in that place bury the pieces of the cock.
Also, if any one shall hold a viper over a vapor with a staff, he shall prophesy, and that the staff wherewith a snake was beaten is good against female diseases.
These things Pliny recites.
It is said that in gathering roots and herbs we must draw three circles round about them first, with a sword, and then dig them up, meanwhile taking heed of any contrary wind.
Also they say, that if any one shall measure a dead man with a rope, first from the elbow to the biggest finger, then from the shoulder to the same finger, and afterwards from the head to the feet, making thrice those mensurations; if any one afterwards shall be measured with the same rope, in the same manner, he shall not prosper, but be unfortunate and fall into misery and sadness.
Albertus of Chyrannis saith, that if any woman hath enchanted thee to love her, take the gown she sleepeth in out of doors and spit through the right sleeve thereof, when the enchantment will be quitted.
And Pliny saith, that to sit by women far with child, or when a medicine is given to any one of them, the fingers being joined together like the teeth of a comb, is a charm; so much the more if the hands be joined about one or both knees.
Also, to sit cross legged is sorcery; therefore it was forbidden to be done in the counsels of princes and rulers, as a thing which hindered all acts.
And, it is said, if any one shall stand before a man's chamber door, and call to him by name and the man answer, if then he fasten a knife or needle on the door, the edge or point being downward, and break it, he that be in the room shall be unable of his intention so long as those things shall be there.
§ Ask Guru about this passage →Themes
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 specific actions that influence natural phenomena like wind direction and plant health through magical efficacy.
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