Archidoxis magica explained

The Archidoxis magica (The Archidoxes of Magic) is a pseudo-Paracelsian grimoire of the 16th century. The book discusses magical sigils for the use on talismans or amulets.

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Sigill Lunae, a 9×9 magic square (sum 369), to be inscribed on a silver talisman.^[1]

It was first printed in 1591 as part of the tenth and final volume of the collected works of Paracelsus by Johannes Huser of Basel.Even at this time, the editor expressed doubts as to the text being a genuine work by Paracelsus.^[2]

The work is the main reason for Paracelsus' reputation as a magician: While Paracelsus did publish works on astrology and divination, there is no reliable evidence that he was pursuing talismanic magic.Schneider (1982) has compared the text of all extant manuscript and printed versions with the text of a then-newly discovered early manuscript, with the conclusion that Paracelsian authorship seems "less unlikely" than previously thought, as the presumed original composition may indeed date to the lifetime of Paracelsus (d. 1541), but Schneider still concludes that the work as a whole is "spurious" even though portions (especially the first four books) might indeed be based on writings by Paracelsus, and might be contemporary with Paracelsus' own Neun Bücher Archidoxis (a work on medicine written c. 1526 and first printed in 1567).

It was translated into English by R. Turner in 1656, as Of the Supreme Mysteries of Nature. Turner's text is in three parts, The Secrets of Alchemy (pp. 1 - 28), Of Occult Philosophy (pp. 29 - 90), Of the Mysteries of the Signes of the Zodiack (pp. 91 - 158), followed by a short text on The transmutation of metals.

The Lesser Key of Solomon, a grimoire of the mid-17th century, is substantially based on the Archidoxis magica.

References

editions and translations

• Joh. Huser (ed.), Zehender Theil der Bücher und Schrifften [...] Paracelsi , Basel (1591), 319 - 359.
• Robert Turner (trans.) Paracelsus, Of the Supreme Mysteries of Nature (1656, facsimile from the Library of Congress; reprints: Askin Publishers & Samuel Weiser, 1975; Ibis Publishing 2004).
• Nicholas Goodrick-Clarke, Paracelsus. Essential Readings, North Atlantic Books (1999), 192 - 197.

secondary sources

• Wolfgang Schneider, Paracelsus - Autor der Archidoxis Magica? (1982).
• Charles Webster, "Paracelsus Confronts the Saints: Miracles, Healing and the Secularization of Magic", Soc Hist Med 8(3), December 1995, 403 - 21.

Notes and References

1. Book: Huserum Brisgoium, Johannem. Zehender Theil Der Bücher und Schriften Adiunctus est Index rerum et verborum accuratiß. et copiosissimus.. 1591. 359. Franckfort am Meyn . This is one of the magic squares published by Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa in 1531.
2. Vol. 10 of Huser's edition (Zehender Theil der Bucher und Schrifften)is primarily devoted to alchemy, astrology and magic, containing Astronomia magna, Archdoxis magica, Ausslegung der Figuren, Fasciculus prognosticationum, Philosophia sagax and an Appendix.In a paragraph ad lectorem on p. 318, Huser says Es soll aber auch nit ungemelt bleiben, das etliche an diesen Büchern Archidoxis Magicae dubitieren, ob sie Theophrasti seyen [...] Jedoch weil sie Theophrasti Sachen nicht ungemesz, und von vielen für seine Bücher angenommen und erkennt werden, mögen sie auff disz mal neben den andern unterlauffen, bis man desz Auctori gewisser werde ("It shall not be concealed that several have doubted, whether these books Archidoxis Magicae are Theophrast's [...] but because they are not untypical to the material treated by Theophrast, and because they are accepted and recognized by many as his books, may they pass among the others for this time, until there is greater certainty regarding the author.")