And here it may not be uninstructive to remark the different tone
of the record of the acts of Ziito, the Bohemian, and Faustus of
Wittenburg, though little more than half a century elapsed between
the periods at which they were written. Dubravius, bishop of Olmutz
in Moravia, to whose pen we are indebted for what we know of Ziito,
died in the year 1553. He has deemed it not unbecoming to record in
his national history of Bohemia, the achievements of this magician,
who, he says, exhibited them before Wenceslaus, king of the country,
at the celebration of his marriage. A waggon-load of sorcerers arrived
at Prague on that occasion for the entertainment of the company. But,
at the close of that century, the exploits of Faustus were no longer
deemed entitled to a place in national history, but were more
appropriately taken for the theme of a romance. Faustus and his
performances were certainly contemplated with at least as much horror
as the deeds of Ziito. But popular credulity was no longer wound to
so high a pitch: the marvels effected by Faustus are not represented
as challenging the observation of thousands at a public court, and
on the occasion of a royal festival. They "hid their diminished heads,"
and were performed comparatively in a corner.
SABELLICUS.
A pretended magician is recorded by Naudé, as living about this time,
named Georgius Sabellicus, who, he says, if loftiness and arrogance
of assumption were enough to establish a claim to the possession of
supernatural gifts, would beyond all controversy be recognised for
a chief and consummate sorcerer. It was his ambition by the most
sounding appellations of this nature to advance his claim to immortal
reputation. He called himself, "The most accomplished Georgius
Sabellicus, a second Faustus, the spring and centre of necromantic
art, an astrologer, a magician, consummate in chiromancy, and in
agromancy, pyromancy and hydromancy inferior to none that ever lived."
I mention this the rather, as affording an additional proof how highly
Faustus was rated at the time in which he is said to have flourished.
It is specially worthy of notice, that Naudé, whose book is a sort
of register of all the most distinguished names in the annals of
necromancy, drawn up for the purpose of vindicating their honour,
now here [Errata: _read_ no where] mentions Faustus, except once
in this slight and cursory way.
PARACELSUS
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account