Commentaries On The Occult Philosophy Of Agrippa

Agrippa is known for three books: Natural Magic, Celestial Magic, and Ceremonial Magic. Until Donald Tyson translated books 2 and 3 in 1993, Agrippa's work was not available in English. Schrodter has taken portions of these books -- published in German, and added his own notes and research showing that some of the points Agrippa was making are still valid today.

AGRIPPA, THE 16TH-CENTURY PHILOSOPHER, published a well-known and often referenced esoteric classic -- Three Books of Occult Philosophy (Natural Magic, Celestial Magic, and Ceremonial Magic). Until recently these three volumes were hard to find in English, although they had been translated in the 17th century and published in England. Willy Schrodter saw the value in these texts from a contemporary point of view, and compiled copious notes and commentary on many of the subjects mentioned in Agrippa's opus. His research makes Agrippa understandable, providing scientific confirmation for Agrippa's seemingly outlandish claims with carefully documented parallel cases. It is Schrodter's illuminating examples, taken from the most varied fields of research, that constitute the real and lasting value of this compilation.

This work is a modern study of Agrippa's occult philosophy as a coherent part of his intellectual work. It challenges traditional interpretations of Agrippa as an intellectual dilettante, and uses modern theory and philosophy o elucidate the intricacies of his thought.

A visual feast of eclectic artwork informed and inspired by spiritual beliefs, magical techniques, mythology and otherworldly experiences. Mystical beliefs and practices have existed for millennia, but why do we still chase the esoteric? From the beginning of human creativity itself, image-makers have been drawn to these unknown spheres and have created curious artworks that transcend time and place – but what is it that attracts artists to these magical realms? From theosophy and kabbalah, to the zodiac and alchemy; spiritualism and ceremonial magic, to the elements and sacred geometry – The Art of the Occult introduces major occult themes and showcases the artists who have been influenced and led by them. Discover the symbolic and mythical images of the Pre-Raphaelites; the automatic drawing of Hilma af Klint and Madge Gill; Leonora Carrington's surrealist interpretation of myth, alchemy and kabbalah; and much more. Featuring prominent, marginalised and little-known artists, The Art of the Occult crosses mystical spheres in a bid to inspire and delight. Divided into thematic chapters (The Cosmos, Higher Beings, Practitioners), the book acts as an entertaining introduction to the art of mysticism – with essays examining each practice and over 175 artworks to discover. The art of the occult has always existed in the margins but inspired the masses, and this book will spark curiosity in all fans of magic, mysticism and the mysterious.

• Corrects the many mistranslations, copyist mistakes, and errors introduced from other editions, drawing on new research and access to Agrippa’s source texts • Restores all of Agrippa’s original illustrations • Presents a nearly complete bibliography of Agrippa’s primary sources One of the most important texts in the Western magical tradition for nearly 500 years, Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa’s 1533 work Three Books of Occult Philosophy collates a multitude of sources from the Classical, Medieval, and Renaissance periods and organizes them into a coherent explanation of the magical world. Divided into three parts--the natural world, the celestial world, and the divine world--the book systematically explains the philosophy, logic, and methods of magic and astrology and how they work, offering numerous examples, diagrams, techniques, and analogies. Agrippa’s seminal masterpiece provided the basis for 19th-century magical orders such as the Golden Dawn and has been a primary source for countless books on magical uses of stones, herbs, incense, and astrology. Additionally, Agrippa’s many lists and diagrams, especially the planetary seals and magic squares, have proven invaluable to magicians since the 16th century. Yet, up until now, all English editions of Agrippa’s Three Books were based on the same flawed 1651 translation from the mysterious “J.F.” In this new translation from the original 1533 Latin edition, Eric Purdue corrects the many mistranslations, copyist mistakes, and errors introduced from other editions, as well as restores all of Agrippa’s original illustrations. He notates every correction from earlier editions and offers commentary to rectify the original translator’s mistranslations. Drawing on major developments in the research of older magical and astrological texts since the 1990s, Purdue also presents a nearly complete bibliography of Agrippa’s primary sources, revealing how Agrippa was not writing from missing or secret texts but was a mainstream scholar of his day. Presenting the first new English translation of Three Books of Occult Philosophy in more than 350 years, this three-volume hardcover boxed set repairs the gaps in knowledge pervasive in the original translation as well as restores the magical spirit of Agrippa’s masterpiece, allowing us to hear Agrippa speak again.

Henry Cornelius Agrippa, Descended from a noble Family of Netteshim in Belgia, Doctor of the Laws and Physick [medicine], Master of the Rols, and Judge of the spirituall Court, from his youth he applyed his minde to learning, and by his happy wit obtained great knowledge in all Arts and Sciences; afterwards also he followed the Army of the Princes, and for his valor was created Knight in the Field; when je was by these means famous for learning and Arms about 1530. He gave his minde to writing, and composed three Books Of Occult Philosophy; afterward an Invective or Cynicall declamation of the uncertainty and vanity of all things, in which he teacheth that there is no certainty in any thing, but in the solid words of God, and that, to lie hid in the eminency of Gods word; he also wrote an History of the double Coronation of the Emperor Charls, and also of the excellency of the feminine sexe, and of the apparitions of spirits; but seeing that he published commentaries on the Ars Brevis of Raymundus Lully [Ramon Llull], and was very much addicted to Occult Philosophy and Astrology, there were those who thought that he enjoyed commerce with devils, whom notwithstanding he confuted in his published Apology, and shewed, that he kept himself within the bounds of Art, 1538, He wrote many learned orations, which manifest to all the excellency of his wit; but especially ten; the first on Platoes Benquet, uttered in the Academy of Tricina containing the praise of Love; the second on Hermes Trismegistus, and of the power and wisdom of God; the third for one who was to receive his degree of Doctor; the fourth for the Lords of Metz, when he was chosen their Advocate, Syndice and Orator; the fifth to the Senate of Luxenburg, for the Lords of Metz; The sixth to salute the Prince and Bishop thereof, written for the Lords of Metz; the seventh to salute as noble man, written likewise for the Lords of Metz; the eighth for a certain kinsman of his, a Carmelite, made Bachelor of Divinity, when he received his regency at Paris; the ninth for the son of Cristiern King of Denmary, Norway, and Sweden, delivered at the coming of the Emperor; the tenth at the Funerall of the Lady Margret, Princess of Austria and Burgundy; he wrote also a Dialogue concerning man, and a Declamation of a disputable opinion concerning originall sin to the Bishop of Cyrene; an Epistle to Michael de Arando Bishop of Saint Paul; a complaint upon a calumny not proved, Printed at Strasburg 1539. and therefore by these monuments published, the name of cornelius for his variety of Learning was famous, not only amongst the Germanes, but also other Nations; for Momus himself carpeth at all amongst the gods; amongst the Heroes, Hercules hunteth after Monsters; amongst divels [devils] Pluto the king of hell is angry with all the ghosts; amongst Philosophers Democritus laugheth at all things, on the contrary Heraclitus weepeth at all things; Pirrhias is ignorant of all things, and Aristotle thinketh he knoweth all things; Diogenes contemneth all things; this Agrippa spareth none, he contemneth, knows, is ignorant, weeps, laught, is angry, pursueth, carps at all things, being himself a Philosopher, a Demon, an Heroes [hero], a god, and all things.

Originally published in 1529, the Declamation on the Preeminence and Nobility of the Female Sex argues that women are more than equal to men in all things that really matter, including the public spheres from which they had long been excluded. Rather than directly refuting prevailing wisdom, Agrippa uses women's superiority as a rhetorical device and overturns the misogynistic interpretations of the female body in Greek medicine, in the Bible, in Roman and canon law, in theology and moral philosophy, and in politics. He raised the question of why women were excluded and provided answers based not on sex but on social conditioning, education, and the prejudices of their more powerful oppressors. His declamation, disseminated through the printing press, illustrated the power of that new medium, soon to be used to generate a larger reformation of religion.

An illustrated reference book on a seminal figure of occult philosophy and Renaissance thought • Explains Fludd’s thoughts on cosmic harmonies, divination, the kabbalah, astrology, geomancy, alchemy, the Rosicrucians, and multiple levels of existence • Includes more than 200 of Fludd’s illustrations, representing the whole corpus of Fludd’s iconography, each one accompanied by Godwin’s expert commentary • Explores Fludd’s medical work as an esoteric Paracelsian physician and his theories on the macrocosm of elements, planets, stars, and subtle and divine beings and the microcosm of the human being and its creative activities, including material never before translated One of the last Renaissance men, Robert Fludd (1574-1637) was one of the great minds of the early modern period. A physician by profession, he was also a Christian Hermetist, a Rosicrucian, an alchemist, astrologer, musician, and inventor. His drive to encompass the whole of human knowledge--from music to alchemy, from palmistry to fortification--resulted in a series of books remarkable for their hundreds of engravings, a body of work recognized as the first example of a fully-illustrated encyclopedia. In this in-depth, highly illustrated reference, scholar and linguist Joscelyn Godwin explains Fludd’s theories on the correspondence between the macrocosm of elements, planets, stars, and subtle and divine beings and the microcosm of the human being and its creative activities. He shows how Fludd’s two worlds--the macrocosm and the microcosm--along with Paracelsus’s medical principles and the works of Hermes Trismegistus provided the foundation for his search for the cause and cure of all diseases. The more than 200 illustrations in the book represent the whole corpus of Fludd’s iconography, each one accompanied by Godwin’s expert commentary and explanation. Sharing many passages translated for the first time from Fludd’s Latin, allowing him to speak for himself, Godwin explores Fludd’s thoughts on cosmic harmonies, divination, the kabbalah, astrology, geomancy, and the rapport between the multiple levels of existence. He also analyzes Fludd’s writings in defense of alchemy and the Rosicrucians. An essential reference for scholars of Renaissance thinkers, traditional cosmology, metaphysics, and the Western esoteric tradition, this book offers intimate access to Fludd’s worlds and gives one a feel for an epoch in which magic, science, philosophy, spirituality, and imagination could still cohabit and harmonize within a single mind.