The Book of Magic: From Antiquity to the Enlightenment

Name: The Book of Magic: From Antiquity to the Enlightenment
Price: 18.00 USD
Availability: InStock
Author: Copenhaver, Brian
ISBN: 9780141393148

✍️ Copenhaver, Brian

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📚 ABOUT THE BOOK

Unearth the hidden currents of enchantment shaping Western thought from antiquity to the Enlightenment.

This essential anthology meticulously traces the lineage of Western magical traditions, from their surprising roots in ancient scripture to their flourishing during the Renaissance. Brian Copenhaver masterfully compiles an array of primary sources, revealing how notions of magic—a complex tapestry of superstition, earnest inquiry, and spiritual quest—intrigued history's most brilliant minds. It illuminates the persistent, often controversial, presence of the occult, challenging simplistic views of its role in culture and intellectual development.

Key themes

{'title': "Biblical Magic's Legacy", 'body': 'Discover how narratives within the Old and New Testaments provided peculiar validation for magical practices, even as organized religion sought suppression. This collection highlights the enduring tension between sacred texts and emerging, often divergent, magical traditions that drew inspiration, revealing an unexpected lineage.'} {'title': 'Renaissance Occult Fascination', 'body': "Explore how the European Renaissance, an era of scientific and artistic rebirth, was deeply intertwined with occult studies. The book brings to light the contributions and curiosities of luminaries like John Dee and Paracelsus, demonstrating magic's central, though sometimes clandestine, role in the era's intellectual currents."} {'title': 'Diverse Magical Practices', 'body': 'Delve into the rich variety of magical expressions documented across centuries, from protective charms and potent curses to elaborate summonings and healing rituals. This anthology showcases the sheer breadth of historical magical thought and practice, presenting a fascinating mosaic of beliefs and applications that shaped daily life.'}

🏛 Penguin Classics 📅 2017 📖 704 pages 📔 Paperback 📐 Paperback ISBN: 9780141393148

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Fun fact

Copenhaver's "Book of Magic" is an unparalleled resource, offering a meticulously curated window into the historical Western occult. It excels in presenting primary sources, allowing the reader to engage directly with the original voices of magic. Those seeking a modern interpretation or practical spellbook will be disappointed; this is a scholarly, yet accessible, anthology. It firmly establishes itself as a foundational text for anyone serious about the academic study of esotericism.

📝 Description: The Book of Magic: From Antiquity to the Enlightenment

A rich, wondrous anthology of the Western magical tradition, from the Old Testament to Doctor Faustus and Paradise Lost, now in a Penguin Classics black spine edition ". . . as when iron is drawn to a magnet, camphor is sucked into hot air, crystal lights up in the Sun, sulfur and a volatile liquid are kindled by flame, an empty eggshell filled with dew is raised towards the Sun . . ." The Bible is full of stories featuring forms of magic and possession--from Moses battling with Pharaoh's wizards to the supernatural actions of Jesus and his disciples. As, over the following centuries, the Christian church attempted to stamp out "deviant" practices, a persistent interest in magic drew strength from this Biblical validation. A strange blend of mumbo-jumbo, fear, fraud, and deeply serious study, magic was at the heart of the European Renaissance, fascinating many of its greatest figures. This is a book filled with incantations, charms, curses, summonings, cures, and descriptions of extraordinary, shadowy, only half-understood happenings from long ago. It features writers as various as Thomas Aquinas, John Milton, John Dee, Ptolemy, and Paracelsus along with anonymous ancient and medieval works that were, in some cases, viewed as simply too dangerous even to open. The Book of Magic will be welcomed by everyone from those with the most casual interest in the magical tradition to anyone drawn to the Renaissance and the tangled, arcane roots of the scientific tradition. For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.

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⭐ Esoterica editorial review Editorial rating 4.4/5

★★★★★

If you're drawn to the esoteric roots of Western civilization, or wish to understand the complex interplay between religion, science, and the mystical, this collection is indispensable. It's for curious minds seeking to unravel the genuine historical magic, beyond mere folklore.

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❓ Frequently asked questions

This comprehensive anthology spans from the earliest references to magic in antiquity, including the Old Testament, through to the intellectual vibrancy of the Enlightenment era.

It is primarily an anthology, compiling original texts and fragments from historical figures and anonymous authors, allowing readers direct engagement with the historical magical discourse.

📖 Who should read this

🎯 Key themes and symbolism

Biblical Magic's Legacy

Discover how narratives within the Old and New Testaments provided peculiar validation for magical practices, even as organized religion sought suppression. This collection highlights the enduring tension between sacred texts and emerging, often divergent, magical traditions that drew inspiration, revealing an unexpected lineage.

Renaissance Occult Fascination

Explore how the European Renaissance, an era of scientific and artistic rebirth, was deeply intertwined with occult studies. The book brings to light the contributions and curiosities of luminaries like John Dee and Paracelsus, demonstrating magic's central, though sometimes clandestine, role in the era's intellectual currents.

Diverse Magical Practices

Delve into the rich variety of magical expressions documented across centuries, from protective charms and potent curses to elaborate summonings and healing rituals. This anthology showcases the sheer breadth of historical magical thought and practice, presenting a fascinating mosaic of beliefs and applications that shaped daily life.

💬 Quotes from the book

«...as when iron is drawn to a magnet, camphor is sucked into hot air, crystal lights up in the Sun, sulfur and a volatile liquid are kindled by flame, an empty eggshell filled with dew is raised towards the Sun...»

«The persistence of magical thought, even amid theological condemnation, reveals a profound human desire to understand and influence the unseen forces governing existence, often blending empirical observation with symbolic interpretation.»

📜 Historical context

This anthology stands as a cornerstone in Western esotericism, providing direct access to primary texts that defined magic from antiquity through the early modern period. It illuminates a crucial, often overlooked, intellectual lineage, contextualizing how magical thought evolved alongside philosophical and scientific inquiry, shaping European culture.

📚 Glossary

Incantations
Occultism
Renaissance

📔 Questions to reflect on

How does the portrayal of magic in ancient texts compare to its representation in modern fantasy or spiritual practices?
Reflect on the societal implications of "deviant" practices being suppressed by religious institutions throughout history.
Consider the fine line between early scientific inquiry and magical experimentation as depicted in this anthology.