European Magic and Witchcraft: A Reader
© 2018
Magic, witches, and demons have drawn interest and fear throughout human history. In this comprehensive primary source reader, Martha Rampton traces the history of our fascination with magic and witchcraft from the first through to the seventeenth century. In over 80 readings presented chronologically, Rampton demonstrates how understandings of and reactions toward magic changed and developed over time, and how these ideas were influenced by various factors such as religion, science, and law. The wide-ranging texts emphasize social history and include early Merovingian law codes, the Picatrix, Lombard’s Sentences, The Golden Legend, and A Midsummer Night’s Dream. By presenting a full spectrum of source types including hagiography, law codes, literature, and handbooks, this collection provides readers with a broad view of how magic was understood through the medieval and early modern eras.
Rampton’s introduction to the volume is a passionate appeal to students to use tolerance, imagination, and empathy when travelling back in time. The introductions to individual readings are deliberately minimal, providing just enough context so that students can hear medieval voices for themselves.
Product Details
- Series: Readings in Medieval Civilizations and Cultures
- World Rights
- Page Count: 480 pages
- Dimensions: 6.0in x 1.0in x 9.0in
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Reviews
"Anyone looking for significant attention paid to the medieval period, and especially the earlier medieval centuries, will find it here. And for the late medieval and early modern periods, its attention to different kinds of sources, especially its mix of literature and drama along with legal and demonological texts, is a welcome addition."
Michael D. Bailey, Iowa State University
The Medieval Review"This is a wonderful collection of sources on witchcraft and magic in the medieval and early modern periods. It is quite thorough, including excerpts from many key texts on witchcraft and witch-hunting and covering a very wide temporal range, and would be very useful as a teaching aide as well as for general research on these topics."
Sierra Dye, University of Guelph"A stupendous contribution to an already outstanding series of thematic primary source readers. Gripping selections from theological, legal, literary, artistic, and, of course, magical sources demonstrate the many ways people have conceived of and reacted to the occult and supernatural. This reader will be indispensable for all students of the history of premodern European magic and witchcraft."
Michael A. Ryan, University of New Mexico"Anyone seeking an anthology of magic and witchcraft sources that spans the full temporal range from antiquity to the early modern period need look no further. The well-considered study questions that appear at the end of each reading make this collection perfect for the classroom."
David Porreca, University of Waterloo -
Author Information
Martha Rampton is Professor of History at Pacific University. She concentrates on the early medieval period with an emphasis on social history and the activities and roles of women. She is the founder and director of the Pacific University Center for Gender Equality. -
Table of contents
Acknowledgements
Preface
Chapter One: Late Classical and Early Christian Archetypes
1. Moses and Aaron Challenge Pharaoh’s Magicians
2. The Pythoness Brings the Dead to Life: The Witch of Endor
3. Odysseus and Circe the Sorceress
4. Medea: The Classic Witch
5. Erictho: Divination through the Dead
6. Simon Magus: Money for Miracles
7. Goddess Diana of the Ephesians Bests the Apostle Paul
8. Hecate and the Chaldean Oracles
9. Magic Transforms One into a Bird, Another into an Ass
10. Justin Martyr and the Fallen Angels
11. The Apostle Peter Bests Simon Magus
12. Antony of the Desert Combats Demons
13. Curse Tablets and Binding Spells
14. Saint Martin Battles with Pagans and Demons
15. Augustine: Demons and Magic in the City of GodChapter Two: Post-Roman Kingdoms of Europe: Traffic with Demons (500–750)
16. Three Post-Roman Law Codes against Malicious Magic
17. Caesarius of Arles Preaches against Magic and Paganism
18. Continuity in Magic Spells
19. A Warning to Peasants about the Evils of Trafficking with Demons
20. Sorcery in Gregory of Tours’s Sixth-Century Gaul
21. Saint Patrick Battles Pagan Magicians
22. Early Medieval Sainthood and Demons: Saint Radegund
23. Isidore of Seville Defines Magic: The Etymologies
24. Penance for Sins of Magic
25. A Demoniac in Early Medieval England: BedeChapter Three: The Carolingian Dynasty: Demons Cut Down to Size (750–1000)
26. An Eighth-Century List of Pagan Practices
27. Paganism of the Saxons
28. Beowulf Fights the Demons: Grendel, and Grendel’s Mother
29. Agobard of Lyons and Weather Magic
30. Carolingian Catalogue of Magical Acts: Council of Paris
31. Treatise on Magic: Hrabanus Maurus
32. Magic at the Court of Louis the Pious: Paschasius Radbertus
33. The Devil of Kempten and the Villager
34. Marriage and Magic: The Divorce of Lothar
35. Loosed Women and Night Flight: Canon episcopi
36. Anglo-Saxon Healing Cures and Charms
37. Anglo-Saxon Sermon against Augury: Aelfric of Eynsham
38. A Prayer to Mother Earth and Other Charms
39. An Eleventh-Century Penitential: Burchard of WormsChapter Four: The High Middle Ages: Many Threads (1000–1300)
40. Evil Angels: Lombard’s Sentences
41. Divination and the Court: The Policraticus
42. Lanval and the Fairy Queen: Marie de France
43. The Gentle Werewolf: Marie de France
44. Guide for the Perplexed: Jewish Magic and Maimonides
45. Weather Well and Magic Ring: Chrétien de Troyes
46. Norse Magic: Saga of the Volsungs
47. Magic as a Cautionary Tale: Caesarius of Heisterbach
48. A Saintly Dog and the Changelings
49. Picatrix: Arabic Magic
50. Astronomy: Natural Magic or Necromancy?
51. The Golden Legend: Saints and Devils
52. Heresy versus Sorcery
53. A New Kind of Devil: Thomas AquinasChapter Five: The Fourteenth and Fifteenth Centuries: Diabolism
54. A Priest Dupes His Friend with a Promise of Magic in The Decameron
55. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
56. Key to Occult Mysteries of Solomon
57. Clerical Magic: A Handbook
58. A Warning to the People of Siena to Expunge Witches from the City
59. Trial of Joan of Arc
60. Witch Beliefs Coalesce: Formicarius
61. The Ordinal of Alchemy
62. Natural Magic and Renaissance Humanism: Oration on the Dignity of Man
63. Pope Innocent VIII Empowers the Inquisitors
64. The Witch HammerChapter Six: The Sixteenth and Seventeenth Centuries: The Full Fury of the Witch-Hunts
65. Defending the Harvest: The Cult of the Benandanti
66. In Praise of Natural Magic: Cornelius Agrippa
67. Martin Luther’s Devil
68. Papists, Popedom, and Witchery: John Calvin
69. A Voice of Skepticism from the Medical Profession: Johann Weyer
70. Witch Persecutions in Trier
71. Charms, Tricks, and Day-to-Day Sorcery
72. Demon Mania in France: Jean Bodin
73. Mechanics of Torture: Dr. Fian and Suzanne Gaudry
74. King James and the Witches of North Berwick: “News from Scotland”
75. Skepticism and a Forced Recantation
76. King James I of England: Treatise on Demons and Witchcraft
77. A Midsummer Night’s Dream
78. Shakespeare’s Witches: Macbeth
79. A Jacobean Comedy
80. The Witches’ Sabbath
81. Persecution of the Burgomaster of Bamberg
82. The Witches of Würzburg
83. Witch Panic in Bonn
84. In Defense of the Accused
85. The Demonic Possession of the Nuns of Loudun
86. England’s Witch Finder GeneralSources
Index of Topics
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Subjects and Courses