Latin — 1533, repaired
Ultra verborum atque nominum uirtutes alia quoque maior uirtus reperitur in orationibus complexis a ueritate in eis contenta, quae maximam uim imprimendi, immutandi, ligandi et stabiliendi habet, adeo ut exagitata magis spleandeat, impugnata magis firmetur et consolidetur: quia ueritatis uirtus non est in uerbis simplicibus, sed in enunciationibus, quibus aliquid affirmatur aut negatur, cuiusmodi sunt carmina, incantamenta, imprecationes, deprecationes, orationes, inuocationes, obtestationes, adiurationes, exorcismata et huiusmodi. In componendis itaque carminibus et orationibus pro attrahenda stellae aut numinis alicuius uirtute, oportet diligenter considerare quas in se quaelibet stella continet uirtutes, effectus et operationes, atque haec carminibus inserere laudando, extollendo, ampliando, exornando, quae solet stella huiusmodi afferre et influere, deprimendo et improbando quae solet destruere et impedire, supplicando et obtestando pro eo quod cupimus adipisci, accusando et detestando id quod uolumus destrui et impediri, atque ea ratione orationem carminis componere ornatam, elegantem, ac per articulos certis competentibusque numeris et proportionibus debite distinctam. Iubent praeterea magi inuocandum et precandum per nomina eiusdem stellae siue numinis, quibus tale carmen attinet, et per sua mirabilia siue miracula, per cursus suos et uias suas in sphaera sua, per lumen suum, per nobilitatem regni sui, per gratiam et claritatem quae in eo est, per fortes et mirabiles uirtutes suas, et per horum similia. Quemadmodum apud Apuleium Psyche precatur Cererem: 'Rogo te,' inquiens, 'per frugiferam tuam dexteram constanter deprecor, per laetificas messium caerimonias, per tacita sacra cistarum, per famulorum tuorum draconum pinnata curricula, et glebae Siculae sulcamina, et currum rapacem, et terram tenacem, et illuminatarum Proserpinae nuptiarum demeacula, et luminosarum filiae inuentionum remeacula, et caetera quae silentio tegit Eleusis, Attice sacrarium.' Praeterea cum multiiugis stellarum nominibus, iubent nos etiam inuocare per nomina intelligentiarum ipsis stellis praesidentium, de quibus suo loco dicemus latius. Qui autem ampliora horum exempla cupit, hymnos Orphei scrutetur, quibus nihil in magia naturali est efficacius, si illis debita harmonia cum omni attentione, caeteraeque circunstantiae quas norunt sapientes, adhibitae fuerint. Sed ad propositum nostrum reuertamur. Eiusmodi itaque carmina apte atque rite ad stellarum normam composita, intellectu sensuque plenissima, uehementi affectu opportune pronuntiata, tum secundum eorum articulorum numerum et proportionem, atque secundum formam ex articulis resultantem unam, atque per imaginationis impetum, uim maximam conspirant in incantante, atque subinde traiiciunt in rem incantatam ad illam ligandam aut dirigendam, spectantem ad id quo affectus sermonesque incantantis intenduntur. Instrumentum uero ipsum incantantium, est spiritus quidam purissimus, harmonicus, calens, spirans, uiuens, motum, affectum, significatum secum ferens, ex articulis compositus, praeditus sensu, ratione denique conceptus: per huius itaque spiritus qualitatem, per caelestem eius similitudinem, praeter ea quae dicta sunt, etiam ex opportunitate temporis excellentissimas caelitus concipiunt carmina uirtutes, multo quidem sublimiores et efficaciores, quam spiritus et uapores ex ui uegetabili, ex herbis, radicibus, gummis, aromatibus, suffitibus et his similibus exhalantes. Atque idcirco solent magi incantantes res simul afflare, et uerba carminis inhalare, seu uirtutem ipso spiritu inspirare, ut sic tota animae uirtus dirigatur in rem incantatam ad suscipiendam dictam uirtutem dispositam. Atque hic est notandum, quod omnis oratio, et scriptura, et uerba, sicut per consuetos suos numeros et proportiones atque formam consuetos inducunt motus, ita etiam praeter solitum ordinem et retrograde prolata aut scripta ad insolitos mouent effectus.
Close translation
Beyond the powers of words and names, another and greater power is found in complex orations, arising from the truth contained in them, which has the greatest power of impressing, changing, binding, and confirming, so much so that, being agitated, it shines the more, and being attacked, it is the more strengthened and consolidated: because the power of truth is not in simple words, but in statements, by which something is affirmed or denied — of which sort are songs, incantations, imprecations, entreaties, orations, invocations, adjurations, solemn bindings, exorcisms, and the like. In composing, then, songs and orations for drawing to oneself the power of some star or deity, one must carefully consider what powers, effects, and operations that star contains in itself, and insert these into the song by praising, extolling, amplifying, and adorning what such a star is accustomed to bring and infuse, by disparaging and condemning what it is accustomed to destroy and hinder, by supplicating and beseeching for that which we desire to obtain, by accusing and abhorring that which we wish to be destroyed and hindered — and by that method to compose the oration of the song ornate, elegant, and duly distinguished through its clauses with fitting numbers and proportions. The magi further bid us invoke and pray by the names of that same star or deity to which such a song pertains, and by its wonders or miracles, by its courses and paths in its own sphere, by its light, by the nobility of its kingdom, by the grace and brightness that is in it, by its strong and wondrous powers, and by the like of these. As in Apuleius, where Psyche prays to Ceres — 'I ask you,' she says, 'I entreat you steadfastly by your fruit-bearing right hand, by the joyous rites of the harvests, by the silent mysteries of the sacred chests, by the winged courses of your servant dragons, and the furrows of Sicilian soil, and the ravishing chariot, and the clinging earth, and the descent into the shadowed marriage of Proserpine, and the return of the discovery of your radiant daughter, and all else that Eleusis, the Attic sanctuary, keeps veiled in silence.' Moreover, along with the manifold names of the stars, they bid us also invoke by the names of the intelligences that preside over those same stars, of which we shall speak more fully in its place. Whoever desires fuller examples of these things, let him examine the Hymns of Orpheus, than which nothing in natural magic is more efficacious, if they are applied with the harmony that is their due, with all attention, and the other circumstances which the wise know. But let us return to our purpose. Songs of this kind, then, aptly and duly composed according to the rule of the stars, most full of sense and understanding, opportunely pronounced with vehement affection — both according to the number and proportion of their clauses, and according to the one form resulting from those clauses, and through the force of the imagination — conspire the greatest force in the one incantating, and thereupon cast it into the thing incantated, so as to bind or direct it, aiming at that toward which the affections and speech of the incantator are directed. The very instrument of those who incantate is a certain spirit, most pure, harmonic, warm, breathing, living, carrying with it motion, affect, and meaning, composed out of articulated parts, endowed with sense, and finally conceived by reason: through the quality of this spirit, then, through its celestial likeness, besides what has been said, songs also conceive from heaven, given the opportuneness of the time, the most excellent powers — powers indeed far more sublime and efficacious than the spirits and vapors that exhale from vegetable power, from herbs, roots, gums, aromatics, fumigations, and the like. And for this reason the magi who incantate are accustomed at the same time to breathe upon things, and to breathe in the words of the song, or to inspire the power by the very breath, so that the whole power of the soul may thus be directed into the thing incantated, so disposed as to receive the said power. And here it must be noted, that every oration, and writing, and words — just as through their accustomed numbers and proportions and accustomed form they induce their motions — so likewise, uttered or written contrary to their usual order and backwards, they move toward unaccustomed effects.
Modern rendering
Beyond the power of individual words and names, there's a still greater power found in complex speeches — one that comes from the truth they contain. That power has enormous force to impress, change, bind, and fix things in place; in fact, the more it's attacked, the brighter it shines, and the more it's opposed, the firmer and more solid it becomes. That's because the power of truth doesn't live in simple words but in statements — sentences that affirm or deny something. That covers things like songs, incantations, curses, pleas, prayers, invocations, adjurations, solemn oaths, exorcisms, and so on. So when composing a song or prayer meant to draw on the power of some star or deity, you need to carefully work out what powers, effects, and operations that star carries, and build these into the song: praise, exalt, amplify, and glorify whatever that star typically brings and grants, while disparaging and condemning whatever it typically destroys and blocks; beg and plead for what you want to gain, and denounce and reject what you want destroyed or stopped. Compose the whole thing elegantly and gracefully, its clauses properly measured out in fitting rhythms and proportions. The magi also tell us to invoke and pray using the names of that same star or deity the song is directed at, and by its wonders and marvels, by its courses and paths through its own sphere, by its light, by the majesty of its domain, by the grace and brilliance found in it, by its strong and marvelous powers, and other things along those lines. Take, for instance, Apuleius's account of Psyche praying to Ceres: "I ask you," she says, "I beg you steadily by your fruitful right hand, by the joyful rites of harvest, by the silent mysteries kept in the sacred baskets, by the winged flight of your servant dragons, by the furrowed fields of Sicily, by the ravishing chariot and the clinging earth, by the descent into Proserpine's shadowed marriage and the return that followed the finding of your radiant daughter, and by everything else that Eleusis, that Attic sanctuary, keeps veiled in silence" (quoted from Apuleius). Beyond invoking the stars by their many names, we're also told to invoke the intelligences that govern each star — a subject to be taken up more fully later. Anyone wanting more examples should study the Orphic Hymns, than which nothing in natural magic works better, provided they're delivered with the proper harmony, full attention, and the other conditions the wise are familiar with. But back to our subject. A song composed properly and correctly to match the pattern of the stars — full of sense and meaning, spoken at the right moment with intense feeling, shaped by the number and proportion of its clauses and by the single overall form that results from them, and driven by the force of imagination — concentrates tremendous power in the one performing the incantation, and then transfers that power into the thing being enchanted, binding or directing it toward whatever the speaker's feelings and words are aimed at. The actual instrument the enchanter uses is a kind of spirit: extremely pure, harmonious, warm, breathing, alive, carrying motion, feeling, and meaning within it, built up out of articulated speech, endowed with sense, and ultimately shaped by reason. Through the quality of this spirit, and its kinship with the heavens, songs draw down — especially when the timing is right — the most excellent powers from above, powers far more elevated and effective than the vapors given off by plant-based substances: herbs, roots, gums, aromatics, incense, and the like. That's why enchanters typically breathe on the things they're working on and breathe the words of the song into them, or infuse the power through their very breath, so that the whole force of the soul gets directed into the enchanted object, which is thereby made ready to receive that power. One more thing worth noting: just as any speech, writing, or set of words produces its usual effects through its normal rhythms, proportions, and form, the same speech or writing, delivered or written contrary to its normal order and backwards, produces unusual effects instead.
Editorial flags — draft status
- uncertain: Several short stretches around 'hoc modo...' mid-chapter contain marginal glosses or catchwords bled into the main OCR text (e.g. 'hHiiii a', 'sptrittam dam', 'cantmwm wrQ', 'J. cnr#'); these have been treated as page furniture and removed from the reading rather than forced into sense, per spec rule 5, but a page-image check is recommended to confirm nothing substantive was lost there.
- uncertain: The Apuleius quotation (Psyche's prayer to Ceres, Metamorphoses/Golden Ass Bk VI) is reproduced from the reconstructed Latin skeleton visible in the OCR; it is a genuine quotation of Apuleius rather than Agrippa's own prose, and the close/modern renderings are marked as quoted material. Cross-check against a critical edition of the Metamorphoses recommended given OCR noise in this stretch.
- list: The catalogue of invocation formulas ('per nomina...per mirabilia...per cursus...') and the planet/deity-attribute list embedded in the Apuleius quote are legible but of the correspondence-list type the spec flags for manual re-keying against page images.