Lives of the Necromancers William Godwin Lives of the Necromancers Table of Contents Lives of the Necromancers.......................................................................................................................................1 William Godwin.............................................................................................................................................1 PREFACE......................................................................................................................................................4 LIVES OF THE NECROMANCERS.........................................................................................................................7 AMBITIOUS NATURE OF MAN................................................................................................................9 HIS DESIRE TO PENETRATE INTO FUTURITY.....................................................................................9 DIVINATION................................................................................................................................................9 AUGURY.....................................................................................................................................................10 CHIROMANCY..........................................................................................................................................10 PHYSIOGNOMY........................................................................................................................................10 INTERPRETATION OF DREAMS............................................................................................................10 CASTING OF LOTS...................................................................................................................................10 ASTROLOGY.............................................................................................................................................11 ORACLES...................................................................................................................................................11 DELPHI.......................................................................................................................................................11 THE DESIRE TO COMMAND AND CONTROL FUTURE EVENTS....................................................12 COMMERCE WITH THE INVISIBLE WORLD......................................................................................12 SORCERY AND ENCHANTMENT..........................................................................................................13 WITCHCRAFT............................................................................................................................................14 COMPACTS WITH THE DEVIL...............................................................................................................14 IMPS............................................................................................................................................................14 TALISMANS AND AMULETS.................................................................................................................14 NECROMANCY.........................................................................................................................................15 ALCHEMY..................................................................................................................................................15 FAIRIES.......................................................................................................................................................16 ROSICRUCIANS........................................................................................................................................18 SYLPHS AND GNOMES, SALAMANDERS AND UNDINES...............................................................18 EXAMPLES OF NECROMANCY AND WITCHCRAFT FROM THE BIBLE......................................19 THE MAGI, OR WISE MEN OF THE EAST............................................................................................20 EGYPT.........................................................................................................................................................21 STATUE OF MEMNON.............................................................................................................................22 TEMPLE OF JUPITER AMMON: ITS ORACLES...................................................................................22 CHALDEA AND BABYLON.....................................................................................................................23 ZOROASTER..............................................................................................................................................23 GREECE..................................................................................................................................................................24 DEITIES OF GREECE................................................................................................................................24 DEMIGODS.................................................................................................................................................25 DAEDALUS................................................................................................................................................26 THE ARGONAUTS....................................................................................................................................26 MEDEA.......................................................................................................................................................27 CIRCE..........................................................................................................................................................28 ORPHEUS...................................................................................................................................................28 AMPHION...................................................................................................................................................29 TIRESIAS....................................................................................................................................................29 ABARIS.......................................................................................................................................................29 PYTHAGORAS...........................................................................................................................................30 EPIMENIDES..............................................................................................................................................34 EMPEDOCLES...........................................................................................................................................35 i Lives of the Necromancers Table of Contents Lives of the Necromancers ARISTEAS...................................................................................................................................................35 HERMOTIMUS...........................................................................................................................................36 THE MOTHER OF DEMARATUS, KING OF SPARTA..........................................................................36 ORACLES...................................................................................................................................................36 INVASION OF XERXES INTO GREECE.................................................................................................38 DEMOCRITUS............................................................................................................................................39 SOCRATES.................................................................................................................................................39 ROME......................................................................................................................................................................41 VIRGIL........................................................................................................................................................41 POLYDORUS..............................................................................................................................................41 DIDO............................................................................................................................................................41 ROMULUS..................................................................................................................................................42 NUMA.........................................................................................................................................................42 TULLUS HOSTILIUS.................................................................................................................................42 ACCIUS NAVIUS.......................................................................................................................................43 SERVIUS TULLIUS...................................................................................................................................43