Three Books of Occult Philosophy · 169 of 186

Book III, Ch. 48: Of the third kind of phrensie from Apollo

Now the third kind of phrensie [phrensy] proceeds fom Apollo, viz. from the mind of the world. This doth by certain sacred mysteries, vows, sacrifices, adorations, invocations, & certain sacred arts, or certain secret confections, by which the spirits of their God did infuse vertue, make the soul rise above the mind, by joyning it with dieties [deities], and Demons: so we read concerning the Ephod, which being applied, they did presently prophecie [prophesy]: so we read in the books of the Senats [Senates] in the chapter of Eleazar, that Rabbi Israel made ceraain cakes, writ upon with certain divine and angelicall names, and so consecrated, which they that did eat with faith, hope, and charitie [charity], did presently break forth with a spirit of prophecie [prophecy]. We read in the same place that Rabbi Johena the son of Jochahad, did after that manner enlighten a certain rude countryman, called Eleazar, being altogether illiterate, that being compassed about with a sudden brightness, did unexpectedly preach such high mysteries of the Law to an assembly of wise men, that he did even astonish all that were neer him. And it is reported of a certain man called Herviscus, an Aegyptian, that he was endowed with such a divine nature, that at the very sight of images that had any diety [deity] in them, he was forthwith stirred up with a kind of divine phrensie [phrensy]. We read also in the scripture, that when Saul was amongst the Prophets, the spirit of the Lord came upon him, and he prophecied, and when he went forth from the assembly of the Prophets, he ceased to prophesie; the same happened to those officers which Saul sent to catch David: who when they saw the company of the Prophets, and Samuel standing in the midst of them, received the spirit of the Lord on them, and prophesied also. So great is the abounding of divine light oftentimes in the prophets, taken with a divine phrensie [phrensy], that it also seiseth [seizeth] on them that are neer them, and makes them have the same spirit of phrensie [phrensy]: It is not therefore incredible, that an ignorant man should presently be made wise, and again that a wise man become ignorant: for there is a certain art (known but to few) of informing, adorning, & illustrating a pure mind, so that it should presently be recovered out of the darkness of ignorance, and brought to the light of wisdom: and on the contrary, there is a way by certain hid secrets, to make them that have unclean, and unbelieving minds to become ignorant again, although for the present they are learned and wise. Mans mind also, especially when it is simple, and pure, may (Apuleius being witness) by some sacred, and mysterious recreation, and appeasing, be so brought into a sleep, and astonied, that it may forget things present so utterly, as to be brought into its divine nature, and so be enlightned [enlightened] with the divine light, and inspired with a divine phrensie [phrensy] that it may foretell things to come, and withall receive the vertue of some wonderfull effects. Whence Iamblicus saith, when the prophets are inspired with a diety [deity], they fear nothing, for they go through wayes unpassable, and are carried into the fire without any hurt, and passe over rivers. So we read of certain caves, as of Apollo, Trophonius, the three footed stools, dens, fountains, lakes, and such like, that were consecrated to the gods after this manner, or made by that mysterie [mystery], that from thence the priests might draw the spirit of prophecying, as Iamblicus in Porphyrie [Porphyry]: The Sybill [Sibyl] (saith he) in Delphi was wont to receive God after two wayes: either by a subtill [subtile] spirit, and fire, which did break forth somewhere out of the mouth of the cave, where she sitting in the entrance upon a brazen three footed stool dedicated to a diety [deity], was divinely inspired, and did utter prophecyings; or a great fire flying out of the cave did cirround [surround] this prophetess, stirring her up, being filled with a diety [deity], to prophesie, which inspiration also she received as she sate upon a consecrated seat, breaking forth prently into predictions. Moreover there was a prophetess in Branchi which sate upon an extree, and either held a wand in her hand, given to her by some diety [deity], or washed her feet, and sometimes the hem of her garment in the waters, or drew the vapour of fire from the waters. By all these she was filled with divine splendour, and did unfold many Oracles. We also read that in the country of Thracia there was a certain passage consecrated to Bacchas, from whence predictions, and Oracles were wont to be given: the Priors of whose temples having drank wine abundantly did do strange things. Amongst the Clarians also, where the temple of Clarius Apollo was, to whom it was given to utter divine things, they having drank much wine did strange things. There was also a propheticall fountain of Father Achaia, constituted before the temple of Ceres, where they that did enquire of the event of the sick did let down a glass by degrees tied to a small cord, to the top of the water, and certain supplications and fumes being made, the event of the thing did appear in the glass. There was also not far from Epidaurus a City of Laconia a deep Fen, which was called the water of Juno, into which cakes of corn being cast, answers were given, fortunate, if the waters did quietly retain what was cast in; but unhappy, if they did as it were, scorning of them, cast them back. The like they say do the caves of Aetna, into which money or sacrifices did shew the same presage of good or ill, by being retained, or rejected. The like things reports Dion in his Romane History, in a place which they call the Nymphs: where Frankincense being cast into the flames, Oracles were received concerning all those things which he did desire to know, especially concerning death, and those things which belonged to marriages. Wonderfull also is that which Aristotle relates of a certain fountain of the Paliscans of Sicilia, to which they that did take an oath did go, and whatsoever they did affirm upon oath writ it upon tables, which they cast into the fountain. If those things were true, the tables would swim; if false, sink; then fire coming suddenly forth burned him that was perjured into ashes. There was also in the City Dodona an Oak, which assoon as any one entered in to receive an answer, did forthwith move, and make a sound; there was also a statue holding a wand, which did strike a bason [basin], whereby the bason made answer by moderated strokes. Whence it is read in the Epistle of Austinus to Paulinus, Answers did give the Dodonean brass, With moderated strokes; so docile t'was.