Studies in Magic from Latin Literature - Softcover

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1916 edition. Excerpt: ... chapter ii magic and the prevention of disease On account of the universal and continuous importance of magic in ancient Italy it will be manifestly impossible to treat the subject in its entirety in an essay of the present compass. There were, however, some problems of life that to the early Italian appeared beyond ordinary human solution, and that offered, accordingly, a peculiarly inviting field for the employment of magic. Of these none was more important than the problem of preventing or curing human physical ills. It is the purpose of the present chapter, therefore, to show that the Romans of all periods resorted to magic as a supplement to medicine in general, and to make a detailed study of their use of prophylactic magic.1 This end can be satisfactorily attained by a consideration of (1) the relation of medical magic to religion; (2) the relation of medical magic to scientific medicine; (3) prophylactic magic among the Romans. I. Medical Magic And Religion (1) The Gods as Workers of Magic.--The proof we have already offered2 that the earliest Roman religion contained many magic elements will be strengthened by a closer study of the medical magic of Italy. Concerning the advent of religion among primitive peoples there is much that is in dispute. It seems probable, however, 1 The Romans made use of magic in curative and causative as well as in preventive medicine. The limitations of space, however, will not permit the treatment of these important divisions of our subject in this dissertation. 2 Supra, 24-25. that in the early history of any people magic is older than religion,3 and that the transition from magic to religion is marked by the belief that the gods themselves are magicians.4 Latin literature furnishes considerable...