TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER I
ILLUSTRATIONS OF BELIEF IN MAGIC IN MEDIÆVAL AND IN EARLY MODERN TIMES
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General belief in witchcraft, in astrology, and in the existence of magicians [11]
Even the most educated men believed in astrology [12]
Further illustration of such beliefs among men of learning, and even among scientists [13]
Isidore and Bede [14]
Alexander of Neckam [15]
Michael Scot [16]
Roger Bacon [18]
Bacon’s acceptance of astrology [18]
Bacon’s belief in occult influence [19]
Vincent de Beauvais, Bernard Gordon, Albertus Magnus, Arnald of Villanova [19]
Cabalistic doctrines of Renaissance scholars [20]
Jerome Cardan [22]
Paracelsus and Tycho Brahe [22]
Francis Bacon [23]
Summary of these beliefs [23]
Question whether they are all closely connected [24]
Question whether they were regarded by their authors as magic [25]
Importance of magic [26]
CHAPTER II
MAGIC; ITS ORIGINS, AND RELATIONS TO SCIENCE
Magic once regarded as a reality [27]
Magic præternatural rather than supernatural [27]
Belief in magic perhaps older than belief in divine beings [28]
Magic not originally a secret art [28]
Attitude of primitive man towards nature [29]
His effort to explain strange phenomena [30]
His belief in lucky things [31]
His desire to know the future [31]
Hence the probable origin of belief in magic [31]
Chief characteristics of magic [32]
Difficulty in defining magic [33]
Gradual disappearance of magic before science [34]
Possible union of magic and science [34]
Importance of union of magic and science [35]
Method of treating that theme in this essay [36]
CHAPTER III
PLINY’S NATURAL HISTORY
A fitting starting-point for our discussion [37]
I. The Character of the Work:
Its extensive treatment of both science and magic [37]
Objections to regarding it as a true picture of ancient science [38]
Reasons for so regarding it [39]
Pliny the Boswell of ancient science [40]
Pliny’s relation to mediæval science [41]
II. Pliny’s Discussion of Magic:
Its significance [41]
Pliny’s remarks concerning the history of magic [42]
“Magic” false, according to Pliny [42]
“Magic” an obscene and criminal art, according to Pliny [44]
III. Illustrations of Pliny’s Fundamental Belief in Magic:
Inconsistency of his declared scepticism [44]
His belief that animals possess magic properties [45]
His belief that plants have similar occult virtues [45]
Strange qualities of minerals [46]
Magical powers of man [47]
Efficacy of magical ceremonial [48]
Pliny’s belief unmistakable [49]
Though probably limited [49]
Question as to extent of his belief in astrology [50]
His account of the heavenly bodies [50]
Influence of the stars upon our planet [51]
Influence of the stars upon man [52]
Belief of Pliny in portents [53]
Attitude of Pliny towards various popular superstitious observances [53]
Pliny not esoteric [54]
Conclusions to be drawn from the Natural History [54]
CHAPTER IV
SOME ANTECEDENTS OF THE BELIEF IN MAGIC IN THE ROMAN EMPIRE
Derivative and cosmopolitan character of intellectual life during the imperial period [56]
Extent of our discussion of its antecedents [56]
Question as to freedom of Greek thought from magic [57]
Some evidence to the contrary [57]
Doctrines of the Stoics favorable to magic [59]
Pythagorean theory of numbers [59]
Attitude of Plato towards “magic,” as he understood the word [60]
Plato’s fantastic view of nature [60]
Aristotle’s acceptance of astrology [61]
Aristotle’s History of Animals [62]
Cato’s De Re Rustica [63]
CHAPTER V
BELIEF IN MAGIC IN THE EMPIRE
Outline of contents of this chapter [65]
I. General Attitude:
Prejudice against “magic” and condemnation of Magi [65]
Views of Apuleius and of Philostratus [66]
In reality a widespread belief in magic [67]
Explanation of apparent opposition to astrology [68]
Galen [69]
Neo-Platonism [70]
Philosophy confounded with magic [71]
II. Philo of Alexandria and Allegorical Interpretation:
Question as to connection of allegorical interpretation with magic [72]
Historical importance of allegorical interpretation and of Philo [73]
Nature of Philo’s allegorical interpretation [73]
His influence in the Middle Ages [75]
III. Seneca’s Problems of Nature and Divination:
Scientific traits of Seneca [75]
His tendency to be esoteric and mystical [76]
Ground covered by his book [77]
His partial rejection of magic [77]
His acceptance of divination [78]
His discussion of divination from thunder [79]
IV. Ptolemy’s Tetrabiblos and Astrology:
An illustration of the astrology of the scientist [80]
Ptolemy and his influence [80]
Scientific tone of the preliminary remarks in the Tetrabiblos [81]
An attempt to base astrology upon natural law [82]
Ptolemy’s explanation of the influence of the planets [82]
Summary of remaining contents of his first book [83]
Contents of the other three books [83]
V. The Hermetic Books and Occultism:
Their nature and history, legendary and actual [84]
Their contents [86]
Their importance [87]
CHAPTER VI
CRITICS OF MAGIC
Review of the usual attitude towards magic in the Roman Empire [88]
I. Opponents of Astrology:
Cicero, Favorinus and Sextus Empiricus [89]
Considerations which discount their scepticism [89]
Inadequacy of their arguments [90]
Astrology attacked as being impracticable [91]
General problem of sidereal influence left untouched [92]
II. Cicero’s Attack upon Divination:
In a way an attack upon magic as a whole [93]
Form and arrangement of De Divinatione [94]
Its relations to the past and to the future [94]
Appeal of Quintus to antiquity and to tradition [94]
Cicero’s reply; condemnation of reliance on tradition [95]
Divination declared quite distinct from science [95]
Divination declared quite contrary to the laws of science [96]
Idea of magical sympathy rejected [97]
Cicero’s attitude very unusual for his time [98]
Question as to his consistency [98]
CHAPTER VII
THE LAST CENTURY OF THE EMPIRE
Intellectual characteristics of the period [99]
Marcellus of Bordeaux [99]
Ammianus Marcellinus [99]
His description of the state of learning at Alexandria [100]
His justification of divination as a science [101]
His extraordinary misquoting of Cicero [102]
Synesius [103]
His belief that all parts of the universe are in magic sympathy [103]
Further instances of his trust in magic [104]
Macrobius [106]
CHAPTER VIII
Conclusion [108]