Eros and Magic in the Renaissance

by Ioan Petru Culianu, Mircea Eliade (Foreword), Margaret Cook (Translation)

It is a widespread prejudice of modern, scientific society that "magic" is merely a ludicrous amalgam of recipes and methods derived from primitive and erroneous notions about nature. Eros and Magic in the Renaissance challenges this view, providing an in-depth scholarly explanation of the workings of magic and showing that magic continues to exist in an altered form even today.

Renaissance magic, according to Ioan Couliano, was a scientifically plausible attempt to manipulate individuals and groups based on a knowledge of motivations, particularly erotic motivations. Its key principle was that everyone (and in a sense everything) could be influenced by appeal to sexual desire. In addition, the magician relied on a profound knowledge of the art of memory to manipulate the imaginations of his subjects. In these respects, Couliano suggests, magic is the precursor of the modern psychological and sociological sciences, and the magician is the distant ancestor of the psychoanalyst and the advertising and publicity agent.

In the course of his study, Couliano examines in detail the ideas of such writers as Giordano Bruno, Marsilio Ficino, and Pico della Mirandola and illuminates many aspects of Renaissance culture, including heresy, medicine, astrology, alchemy, courtly love, the influence of classical mythology, and even the role of fashion in clothing.

Just as science gives the present age its ruling myth, so magic gave a ruling myth to the Renaissance. Because magic relied upon the use of images, and images were repressed and banned in the Reformation and subsequent history, magic was replaced by exact science and modern technology and eventually forgotten. Couliano's remarkable scholarship helps us to recover much of its original significance and will interest a wide audience in the humanities and social sciences.

Genres: History, Philosophy, Religion, Nonfiction, Renaissance, Occult, Magic

271 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1984

About the author

Ioan Petru Culianu was a Romanian historian of religion, culture, and ideas, a philosopher and political essayist, and a short story writer. He served as professor of the history of religions at the University of Chicago from 1988 to his death, and had previously taught the history of Romanian culture at the University of Groningen.

An expert in gnosticism and Renaissance magic, he was encouraged and befriended by Mircea Eliade, though he gradually distanced himself from his mentor. Culianu published seminal work on the interrelation of the occult, Eros, magic, physics, and history.

Culianu was murdered in 1991. It has been much speculated his murder was in consequence of his critical view of Romanian national politics. Some factions of the Romanian political right openly celebrated his murder. The Romanian Securitate, which he once lambasted as a force "of epochal stupidity", has also been suspected of involvement and of using puppet fronts on the right as cover.

Reviews

[M.A. Demers · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of my favourite books from my university days. Not for the faint of intellect -- it took me three tries to really understand it -- but once you do a door opens into a whole new understanding of Renaissance philosophy. And it's also fun to learn the origin of myths like why vampires don't reflect in glass, or to see the origins of quantum physics in the writings of a ninth-century Arab philosopher. The title is spot-on: I loved it. It's magic.

[Alessandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can hardly do justice to this brilliant history of the development of magic during the Renaissance. This is not superstitious hocus-pocus, but rather a serious theological and philosophical study of the rise of Hermetic thought which presages modern psychology and science of the brain. Professor Couliano was the world authority, and it is a bitter tragedy that he was lost to us so young. This book should be of interest to those interested in the history of science, since early scientific thinking grew out of the philosophical study of magic.

[Lavinia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Imi pare rau sa o spun, dar prezentarea lui Sorin Antohi ma lasa rece si imi transmite o insiruire de termeni meniti sa puna potentialul cititor: a. pe fuga b. pe ginduri. Daca cititorul face parte din categoria b si are curiozitatea sa rasfoiasca putin, bravo lui, s-ar putea sa aiba sansa unei lecturi reusite. Daca, in schimb, ramine doar cu citirea prezentarii si renunta (categoria a, deci) acest neajuns cade absolut in circa lui S.A. Pentru ca, asa cum spuneam, are o prezentare anosta, rasuflata si presupus intelectuala din care nu pricepi nimic.

Thank God pentru prezentarea in engleza la editia din 1987 Eros and Magic in the Renaissance Chicago Original Paperback

It is a widespread prejudice of modern, scientific society that "magic" is merely a ludicrous amalgam of recipes and methods derived from primitive and erroneous notions about nature. Eros and Magic in the Renaissance challenges this view, providing an in-depth scholarly explanation of the workings of magic and showing that magic continues to exist in an altered form even today.

Renaissance magic, according to Ioan Couliano, was a scientifically plausible attempt to manipulate individuals and groups based on a knowledge of motivations, particularly erotic motivations. Its key principle was that everyone (and in a sense everything) could be influenced by appeal to sexual desire. In addition, the magician relied on a profound knowledge of the art of memory to manipulate the imaginations of his subjects. In these respects, Couliano suggests, magic is the precursor of the modern psychological and sociological sciences, and the magician is the distant ancestor of the psychoanalyst and the advertising and publicity agent.

In the course of his study, Couliano examines in detail the ideas of such writers as Giordano Bruno, Marsilio Ficino, and Pico della Mirandola and illuminates many aspects of Renaissance culture, including heresy, medicine, astrology, alchemy, courtly love, the influence of classical mythology, and even the role of fashion in clothing.

Just as science gives the present age its ruling myth, so magic gave a ruling myth to the Renaissance. Because magic relied upon the use of images, and images were repressed and banned in the Reformation and subsequent history, magic was replaced by exact science and modern technology and eventually forgotten. Couliano's remarkable scholarship helps us to recover much of its original significance and will interest a wide audience in the humanities and social sciences.

[Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

extremely dense and erudite book about magic/occultism in the renaissance, featuring quite a bit of space devoted to your friend and mine, giordano bruno. argues, among other things, that bruno's magic system(and the related system of memnotechnics) was an effective science of mass manipulation, intended to allow the magician to control individuals and more so groups of people, in a way that is sort of a precursor to modern day mass psychology/public relations/etc. also has some cool shorter sections on demonology and the effect of the protestant reformation on the european imagination. after reading this i am seriously entertaining the idea that giordano bruno was a forerunner of mkultra

[Rika · Rating 5 out of 5]

Este libro es una auténtica joya. Recomendado tanto si vienes con curiosidad filosófica, literaria o cultura general (/histórica). El contenido es denso y riguroso, pero el estilo de Culianu lo hace ligero y se entiende todo perfectamente si lo lees en orden. Su estilo impersonal salpicado con una ironía muy medida, lo hacen ameno. Recomendadísimo. Ojalá lo reediten.

[Gordan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant, radical, esoteric, complex, difficult, sheer genius.

[Jim · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was really good. Not only did I get a great insight into how much Renaissance magic owed to Greek philosophy but I got a great insight into where our modern culture really came from.

[Constantin]

Historians of religions being as insufferable as always but that's not news :)) Interesting if a little unapproachable.

[Jonathan Wright · Rating 5 out of 5]

Who knew that Evola was just Bruno 2.0? This book may be the best I've read in a long time. Utterly mind blowing application of medieval magic that you can see played out today in media and government. This book quite literally changed the way I see the world. I will be investing much time into reading the source materials for this book. The knowledge you get from this book, if applied, weighs as much as the knowledge of every self-betterment book written in the last 50 years combined. I cannot stress the importance of this book. My Lord, no wonder the author was assassinated.

[paper0r0ss0 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Un saggio di quelli che, per complessita' e bellezza, vien voglia di riprendere appena terminati. "Eros e magia....." e' probabilmente uno dei capolavori antropologici del '900 per come scopre e analizza quel filo rosso che, dalla filosofia greca classica, passando per il neoplatonismo rinascimentale, si collega in modo inaspettato con le odierne discipline psicologiche, scientifico-sociali. Culianu descrive in maniera a dir poco entusiasmante il passaggio epocale dall'eta' umanistico-rinascimentale a quella protomoderna. Sono gli albori della societa' del dominio apparente della speculazione scientifico induttiva. Non e' stata una cesura netta come si puo' credere. La figura del mago rinascimentale, abile operatore in grado di gestire le mille forme dell'eros, dell'astrologia, dell'alchimia, della negromanzia, non si e' dissolta improvvisamente sotto i colpi del nuovo che avanzava con roghi, torture e repressione. I lasciti sono stati enormi e insospettati. Interessante l'identificazione della Riforma come motore primo di questo cambiamento culturale del quale "non si sentiva il bisogno". Cambiamento in definitiva reazionario e repressivo (la controparte cattolica si allineera' di buon grado) indirizzato all'eliminazione spietata dell'immaginario fantastico rinascimentale cosi' aperto e variegato. I cascami liberali e democratici della Riforma sono quindi letti come un accidente di percorso e non una conseguenza diretta, cosi' come la nascita del metodo scientifico sarebbe in realta' alienazione dalla Natura. Natura che cessa di essere tramite e punto di incontro tra Dio e Uomo per diventare la principale causa di separazione.

[Christopher · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book that combines my love for Giordano Bruno with a study on magic as social and individual manipulation? And written by a young but well loved University of Chicago professor who was heavily into politics and the occult, only to be murdered in mysterious circumstances? I think this was written specifically for me (even though I was only 2 when it was published)! Very good, scholarly book. My 5 stars however may be a little biased...

[Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

A challenging read, but the author makes a solid case about the current scientific worldview and the worldview of Renaissance magicians being related and that the current view point addresses some of the psychic needs addressed in the Renaissance, and neglects others.

[Diana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very difficult, deeply interesting. I need to go straight back to the beginning and try agaain as I know I missed so much.

[Poiq Wuy · Rating 4 out of 5]

## Resumen

Libro interesante pero algo desordenado en su estructura. Es una recopilación de lecturas y pensadores renacentistas que dibuja un argumento: en el centro del espíritu renacentista se encontraba la fantasía, herramienta privilegiada del espíritu para el contacto con los fantasmas y las imágenes de las esferas celestiales; junto a ella el eros —fuerza natural omnipresente que vincula y acerca las cosas— y la memoria son los conceptos más importantes para entender a los filósofos/magos renacentistas desde [[Marsilio Ficino]] hasta [[Giordano Bruno]]. Este espíritu fantástico se opone a la racionalidad fría de la escolástica medieval. De esta manera el autor pretende invertir la imagen tradicional que se tiene del medievo como edad oscura del dogma y la irracionalidad, y el Renacimiento como una época de luces, de regreso a la racionalidad de los antiguos griegos y romanos. Sería la Reforma y Contrarreforma —equiparadas por el autor debido a sus efectos similares, dice, en el plano del pensamiento y la filosofía— la que causaría una censura de lo fantástico para forzar una vuelta a la razón fría y calculada, de la que nacería la modernidad occidental en la que nos encontramos, atravesada igualmente por la tecnociencia y las neurosis individuales, ambas nacidas, según el autor, del mismo abandono de lo fantástico.

## Magia renacentista

> La magia es una operación fantástica que saca partido de la continuidad del pneuma individual y del pneuma universal.
> p.131

Quizá la mejor referencia de magia renacentista es el [[De vita coelitus comparanda - Ficino]]. Ver también la [[Steganographia - Trithemius]]. [[Marsilio Ficino]] no habló de demonomagia, [[Trithemius]] sí. Ambos son originales y recopilan fuentes anteriores. Según el autor, tanto [[Agrippa]] como [[Giordano Bruno]], que también escribieron sobre magia, no fueron originales. Agrippa hizo una

> audaz amalgama de teoría ficiniana y demonomagia.
> p.347.

Mientras que

> La «magia matemática» de Bruno no es más que una mezcla de esteganografía y demonomagia calcada de Agrippa.
> p.348.

De esta trata el [[De magia - Bruno]]. Los demonios tienen capacidad de actuar y sentido interno. Los clasifica en cinco tipos, que habitan distintos lugares y tienen distintas personalidades.

Bruno clasifica varios tipos más de magia. Su «magia natural» es su versión de la «magia espiritual» de Ficino. Trata de ella y su relación con el *eros* en el [[De vinculis in genere - Bruno]].

Entre Agrippa y bruno hay diferencia: ver p.260. Agrippa es más difícil de clasificar. Hombre inquieto, más de acción que de recogimiento, nunca tuvo la madera de mago, que es la del asceta. Consideró que era su labor más la de recopilar la sabiduría mágica, para abrir la puerta a otros, que realizarla el mismo. En cierta medida, con la reforma reniega, al menos aparentemente, de algunos de los elementos más condenables de su obra y pasa a «formar parte de los reformistas». No es así Bruno. Según el autor, es un llanamente un representante de la edad fantástica del Renacimiento en la época de la Reforma. Ambos son impulsivos, pero Bruno es orgulloso y tiene la ambición de defender sus ideas hasta el martirio. Es sorprendente, indica el autor, que se le haya considerado un héroe de la razón sacrificado por el irracionalidad dogmática religiosa, cuando es ciertamente lo opuesto: un defensor de la fantasía antigua sacrificado por la razón religiosa moderna.

Los fantasmas-imaginaciones pueden invadir desde fuera —algo, dice el autor, que en cierto sentido se puede comparar a la esquizofrenia— o pueden ser invocados/creados por el mago. (p.?).

## Reforma-Contrarreforma, lo fantástico renacentista y la modernidad

Una de las tesis clave del libro es la siguiente.

> La cultura renacentista era una cultura de lo fantástico. Reconocía un peso inmenso a los fantasmas suscitados por el sentido interno y había desarrollado hasta el extremo la facultad humana de *operar activamente sobre y con los fantasmas*. Había creado toda una dialéctica del eros, en la que los fantasmas, que se imponían primero en el sentido interno, acababan por ser manitulados a voluntad. Creía firmemente en la potencia de los fantasmas, que se transmitían del aparato fantástico del emisor al del receptor. Creía igualmente que el sentido interno enra el lugar por excelencia de las manifestaciones de las fuerzas transnaturales —los demonios y los dioses.

> Estableciendo el carácter idólatra, impío de los fantasmas, la Reforma abolió de un solo golpe la cultura del rRenacimiento. Y, puesto que todas las «ciencias» del Renacimiento eran edificios cuyo material de construcción eran precisamente los fantasmas, tuvieron que sucumbir igualmente bajo el poso de la Reforma.
>
> […] Para responder a Lutero y al puritanismo, La Iglesia [católica] puso en marcha su propia Reforma […]. Ésta, lejos de consolidar las posiciones asumidas por el catolicismo en la época del Renacimiento, se alejó claramente de éstas para ir hacia el mismo sentido quoe el protestantismo. La Reforma se desarrolló, tanto del lado protestante como del lado católico, bajo ed signo del Rigor.
>
> […] En la práctica espiritual de los jesuitas, la cultura fantástica del Renacimineto se muestra una última vez con toda su postencia. En efecto, la educacon del imaginario representa el método enseñado por Ignacio de Loyola en sus Ejercicios espirituales, impresos en 1596.
>
> En Loyola, la cultura de lo fantástico vuelve sus armas contra ella misma. Al cabo de algunos decenios, este proceso de autodestrucción se habrá realizado casi por completo.
> p.253-4

Protestastes y católicos, Reforma y Contrarreforma (esta última es según el autor es una mala denominación de otra Reforma) discrepan en muchas cuestiones, de culto, de dogma, etc., pero son unánimes en su condena de lo fantástico e imaginario (p.264). Es de estas de las que nace la civilización moderna occidental.

> La civilización occidental moderna representa, en conjunto, el progucto de la Reforma —de una reforma que, vaciada de contenido religioso, conservó sin embargo sus formas. En el plano teórico, la gran censura de limaginario conduce a la aparición de la ciencia exacta y de la tecnología moderna.
> En el plano práctico, su resultado es la aparición de todas nuestras neurosis crónicas, debidas a la orientación demasiado unilateral de la civilización reformada, a su rechazo radical del imaginario. Vivimos todavía, por decirlo de algún modo, en un apéndice secularizado de la Reforma y, en realida, muchos fenómenos de nuestre época de los que nunca hemos buscado una explicación histórica se remontan a los grandes confictos espirituales y políticos de los siglos XVI y XVII.
> p.286.

## Comentarios sueltos

En el renacimiento, el sentido común consideraba que todo lo que ocurría se debía al destino. El libre albedrío era una invención de los teólogos y el azar algo inconcebible. (p.157).

> En conclusión, hay sólo dos tipos de operadores de fantasmas: los que han sido invadidos por la producción inconsciente y no han lorado más que a duras penas poner allí orden alguno; y aquellos cuya actividad ha sido plenamente consciente, y que consiste en inventar fantasmas mnemotécnicos a lo s que han prestado una existencia autónoma.
> p.174

[Kenzie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book for its wide-ranging overview of magic in the Renaissance. I thought Culianu did an excellent job connecting trains of thought from different cultures and times to show how concepts of eros and magic evolved up to the Renaissance.

Midway through, though, I wondered whether it was worth continuing. I enjoyed reading about how the evil eye was theorized to function, how Giordano Bruno saw Queen Elizabeth as a type of Diana, and how you can tell someone has a melancholic temperament. These are all interesting facets of the Renaissance, and yet part of me couldn't help but feel that it all had little to do with this present world that I live in.

I am so glad I kept going. The third section of this book addressed this question in exactly the far-seeing, holistic way I had hoped for. According to Culianu, the world we inhabit bears the scars of the Reformation and Counter Reformation, both of which served to eliminate imagination and to banish God from Nature:

The Reformation leads to a total censorship of the imaginary, since phantasms are none other than idols conceived by the inner sense.

As soon as God withdraws into his complete transcendence, every human attempt to examine his design runs into a ghastly silence. This "silence of God" is, in reality, silence of the world, silence of Nature.

This is quite different from the world of the Renaissance, which "conceived of the natural and social world as a spiritual organism in which perpetual exchanges of phantasmic messages occurred. That was the principle of magic and of Eros, Eros itself being a form of magic."

Culianu leaves us with both despair and hope: "our civilization continues to die in the trenches dug by the Reformation and the political events that followed it," and yet, a new Renaissance and birth of the world is possible.

[Rjyan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ioan drops you right in pretty deep at first: if you've no familiarity with the Art of Memory or Marsilio Ficino or Giordano Bruno, it will probably be intimidating. I had read Frances Yates' The Art of Memory so I was somewhat familiar with these wizards, but even so I felt a bit dizzy. Once the fine details behind the science of pneuma, the universal medium of fantasy, is laid down, the going is smoother, and by the end all of the strange particulars are assembled into a very clear (and very surprising) picture of how the Church, quantitative science, and iconoclasm have contributed to the exile of magic from our culture.

[Mitch Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eros and Magic in the Renaissance offers a compelling historical theory of modern Western culture, its institutions and their origins. Couliano suggests that modern Western culture was predominantly conceived and developed during the piques of the European Reformation – presented less as a progressive movement than a conservative one – against the idiosyncratic and imaginative excesses of Renaissance ideals. The Renaissance, then, is framed as a period of imaginative and creative acculturation culminating in the institutional reform of the European Reformation. A reform which ultimately sought to establish a ubiquitous social dogma under the pretense of shared communal values.

However, Couliano does not accuse any particular order or individual of the Reformation's apparent reactionary agenda, but, instead, explicates the broad stabilizing forces and attributes them to cultural trends emanating from the most influential intellectual circles of the time. The philosophical underpinnings of Western antiquity are mentioned regarding their distinction between reproduction and love and the importance of identifying the universal aspects of the eros and the human soul. By the time we arrive to sixteenth century Europe, this distinction – of reproduction and love – and its importance are found to be conflated not just with one another, but with many other arts, philosophies and theologies.

It is no surprise, then, that we find only a few intellects at the time were actually observant enough to see the confusion and also willing to speak out against the popular and appealing theories of the age. Seeing as these efforts were more akin to cultural critiques, Couliano leads us through the relevant works of Ficino and Bruno, among others, in an attempt to establish a potential origin of the modern social institutions.

The bulk of Couliano's theory concerns the sixteenth century notion of the Phantasm (roughly today's psychosomatic symptom) and the contested ideas of these terrifying emotional instabilities and their contraction. The leading idea of Phantasmic contraction at the time claimed that Women, in their possession of [fetishized] beauty, were primary vectors of infection. Of course, as this was sixteenth century Europe, the only potential victim here was the Man. The contraction of a Phantasm and its unfolding maladies were deemed quite serious, many even endowing the Phantasm with a deadly objective, and, so its cure was never a guarantee. The potential remedy of the time was one of indulgence. Indulgence in the images of Phantasy and their subsequent representation in the physical and creative work of the infected.

The baselessness and arbitrariness of such a simplistic theory was the primary incitation for Bruno's earliest work. He goes so far as to label Patrarch (a well respected Italian Renaissance poet) a "repressed sensualist" and that people like him were "lacking the intelligence to apply himself to better things … thereby yielding to the tyranny of base, idiotic and filthy bestiality." It is with these critiques that Bruno states with clarity that "the realm of physical love must be separated from the realm of divine contemplation," and from here, the germ of his further development of the Phantasm and their subsequent use in particular forms of "social magic".

Drawing further support from the culture of the same period, Couliano says that "Machiavelli's Prince is the forebear of the political adventurer, a type that is disappearing." So, it is with Bruno's De Viniculis, that he describes as "the prototype of the impersonal systems of mass media, indirect censorship, [and] global manipulation…" and so Bruno, as suggested by Couliano, appears to be among the first contributors of psychoanalytical theory. It is no wonder, then, that there was no better term for the informing of public opinion, its control and its ability to incite mass action, than the existing term "interpersonal magic."

In fact, Couliano makes clear that the Inquisition itself was, at least in part, a final attempt by the decaying institutions and officials of the Church to prevent the spread and further development of what they saw as a contentious and aberrant worldview. This interpretation becomes all the more apparent in considering how rampant the use of these "magicks" were and the Church's confusion in discerning and understanding them. Couliano reveals other cases of "magic" that, while still psychologically directed at particular individuals, were used to curry favors and heighten the prestige of anyone who was willing to determine and convincingly fulfill the desires of a needy patron or audience.

Ultimately, it is the cultural dialectic which drives and directs social trends in the immediate term and forms particular historical trends in the long term. Given the Reformation was enabled by the arrival of the printing press and the potential mass distribution of ideas, it certainly seems plausible, as Couliano suggests, that the modern theory of scientific philosophy and its social aims has a far more contentious and dubious history than is typically assumed.

Couliano includes so much information in this work that I'm hardly contented by my summary above, as it suggests far more linearity than I think is due. However, much of it was thought provoking and interesting and I'd recommend it to anyone with at least some knowledge of Western philosophy and some ideas of the Renaissance notion of magic and phantasy (insofar as they were treated in absolute sincerity), especially if you are interested in the history and/or philosophy of modern science.

[Tiziano Cancelli · Rating 4 out of 5]

Un libro interessante che riesce a coniugare argomenti apparentemente lontani e complessi. Mi è piaciuta in particolare la comparazione fra magia rinascimentale e moderni modelli dei mass media (social network non ne esistevano ancora). Un ottimo testo d'approfondimento per chi si interessa di esoterismo e magia in chiave non solamente storica.

[Bekka · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author has an intensive knowledge of the topic. The book introduced me to new perspectives on Renaissance magic after having read a growing number of books on the subject and gave me new lines of inquiry to pursue.

[Michael Matejka · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's humbling to confront how little I'm aware of what preoccupied the greatest minds of the Renaissance, and this is a mere introduction to the the thought of Ficino, Mirandola, and Bruno. A stern reminder of my own ignorance. Maybe someday I'll try to find a copy of their work in translation.

[Lette Hass · Rating 3 out of 5]

Magic.... en línea con Lynn Thorndike

[Jönathan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent.

[Telarak Amuna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Un libro davvero stupendo, tanto che me lo sono fatto regalare. Culianu analizza il periodo del Rinascimento con questi due reagenti, l’erotismo e la magia. Della magia segue la sua evoluzione per tutto il periodo, dalla ricezione di un insieme di credenze medievali, alla trasformazione avviata da Ficino e poi ritrasmessa in tutta Europa, dalla caccia alle streghe, fornendo anche varie e interessante ipotesi su cosa possa aver determinato la grande uniformità negli atti dei processi dell’Inquisizione, al graduale abbandono della magia come superstizione, legato al movimento protestante, tendenzialmente più pragmatico e, a differenza del cattolicesimo, molto più austero sul piano rituale e spirituale. Questo primo filo, che davvero intreccia una trama fittissima, che scopriamo anche dietro ad avvenimenti e movimenti di pensiero insospettabili, viene intrecciato a quello dell’erotismo, che lo motiva. La magia infatti è ricercata e operata dal mago per soddisfare un proprio desiderio, da un lato, dall’altro essendo nel Rinascimento legata al neoplatonismo e all’ermetismo, si avvicina anche nell’ambito della simpatia, a un sentimento affettivo, a un legame di affinità che si può dire, in senso lato, amoroso.
Culianu inoltre non tratta la magia come una ridicola superstizione di gente incolta, ma anzi ne evidenzia la paradossale razionalità: il mago desiderava trasmettere messaggi in breve tempo e lontanissimo (oppure spostarsi lui stesso con le medesime modalità), conoscere tantissime cose, trasformare la materia, insomma, tutti desideri che hanno continuato fino ai giorni nostri, dove la tecnologia li ha realizzati. Il mago cercava quindi una soluzione con il mezzo sbagliato, ma era l’unico mezzo che, a quell’epoca, potesse dare una speranza di raggiungerla.
Oltre all’analisi molto acuta, alle svariate intuizioni di grande interesse e alla capacità di tenere tutto coeso e interconnesso, nonostante la vastità della materia, il libro ha un’ulteriore qualità: è scritto in uno stile piano, molto scorrevole e discorsivo, che invoglia proprio a continuare la lettura.

[Craig]

This was a very worthwhile read overall. An in-depth dive into the history of cultural attitudes towards magic and desire in the Renaissance, with the ongoing reminder that the past never really leaves us alone.

The writing itself tends towards the dry and academic but there are moments of apocalypticism as well, such as when describing Giordano Bruno's notions of mass manipulation. One notable moment was when Couliano states that the following important Trithemius quote needs no translation, and then goes on to share a lengthy four lines in Latin which, of course, are translated neither in-text nor in the end notes. So this is generally an unapologetically unapproachable book, but there is quite a lot to appreciate if one either skims to the juicier bits, or grits their teeth and cracks their knuckles for more in-depth study.

I am interested, given this book's 1984 release, to know what Couliano's interpretation of contemporary society would be--whether we have seen the new Renaissance he hoped for, or we are instead in a new Reformation. The Eros Unchained documentary series is one example of scholars continuing his work of taking Renaissance magic seriously and understanding the formal dismissal of phantasy as a veil over the ongoing use of desire and manipulation in the form of public relations, psychology and advertising. So it is both good and horrifying to see Couliano's project brought into the present day.

[Socrate · Rating 4 out of 5]

Existã încã obișnuința de a crede cã un abis desparte viziunea despre lume a contemporanilor noștri și a noastrã înșine de aceea a omului Renașterii. Marca vizibilã a acestei fracturi ar fi tehnologia actualã,fruct al științei cantitative, care se dezvoltã începînd din secolulal XVII-lea. Or, cu toate cã cele mai mari autoritãți în istoria științei ne informeazã cã ideile unor Newton, Kepler, Descartes, Galilei,Bacon n-aveau absolut nimic de-a face cu aceastã pretinsã științã cantitativã, aceleași opinii eronate ale strãmoșilor noștri, raționaliștii veacului al XIX-lea, se perpetueazã totuși. Aceștia credeau neclintit în ideea de rațiune și de progres, pe care o susțineau cu înverșunare. A postula existența unei rupturi între o vîrstã infantilã a omenirii, celua sfîrșit o datã cu Renașterea, și vîrsta maturitãții ei, ce culmina cu apariția tehnicii moderne, slujea în acel moment scopurile socio-politice ale partizanilor progresului, care-și închipuiau cã sînt, sau care erau efectiv, înconjurați de forțe ostile. Astãzi însã, cînd efectele palpabile ale tehnologiei rãpesc orice eficacitate unei priviri prea nostalgice întoarse cãtre trecut, este indispensabil sã revizuim radical aceastã atitudine a cãrei intoleranțã pretinde sã-i ascundã falsitatea.

[Andrei Hognogi · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an amazing surprise this book was. You'd either think that magic is a superficial word meant to evoke the complicated feelings that you feel when you see a beautiful sunset in the company of a beautiful girl, or maybe you think about fireballs or seances.

Magic as plays of fantasy and imagination is not only a better way to think about it, but it has a history and much like how alchemy sets up concepts and abstractions for chemistry, magic sets up concepts and abstractions for many of the definitions and norms we take for granted.

[Claire · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely essential reading for studies in metaphysics, the Renaissance, paganism, early modern Christianity, and other related subjects. You don't have to agree with any or all of his theses (many of which aren't his, but are continuations of other scholars' theses), but to read them and (try) to understand them will open your mind to such hidden wonders of history. Trust me, it's hard to read but worth it if you're dedicated!

[Didi Aphra · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've always had an interest in the esoteric so you can imagine my delight upon finding out about this book. It was not an easy read so I think it's something I will revisit when I'm writing another paper about witchcraft and/or womens' sexuality. I mean, even reading this book gave me the inspiration to write poetry again after a long hiatus. I have so many highlights in this book! If you are interested in magick, witchcraft, Eros/love/the soul, and the Renaissance, this one's for you!

[David DiLoreto · Rating 3 out of 5]

Appreciate the tough scholastic sledding that went into researching the rise and fall of Renaissance sciences. Stilted writing distracts from fully appreciating the work.

[Smiley III · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book you need to read. I wish I could get a copy to Marilyn Manson! It's at about his reading level.

The rest of you might have trouble keeping up.

;)

#smirk