the civilization of the renaissance in italy-第104章

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as　credited　with　the　power　of　assuming　different　shapes；　or　of　　transporting　herself　suddenly　to　distant　places；　she　was　so　far　content　　to　accept　this　reputation；　as　her　influence　was　thereby　increased；　on　　the　other　hand；　it　was　perilous　for　her　when　the　fear　of　her　malice　and　　vengeance；　and　especially　of　her　power　for　enchanting　children；　cattle；　　and　crops；　became　general。　Inquisitors　and　magistrates　were　then　most　　thoroughly　in　accord　with　popular　wishes　if　they　burnt　her。

By　far　the　most　important　field　for　the　activity　of　the　'strega'　lay；　　as　has　been　said；　in　love…affairs；　and　included　the　stirring　up　of　love　　and　of　hatred；　the　producing　of　abortion；　the　pretended　murder　of　the　　unfaithful　man　or　woman　by　magical　arts；　and　even　the　manufacture　of　　poisons。　Owing　to　the　unwillingness　of　many　persons　to　have　to　do　with　　these　women；　class　of　occasional　practitioners　arose　who　secretly　　learned　from　them　some　one　or　other　of　their　arts；　and　then　used　this　　knowledge　on　their　own　account。　The　Roman　prostitutes；　for　example；　　tried　to　enhance　their　personal　attractions　by　charms　of　another　　description　in　the　style　of　the　Horatian　Canidia。　Aretino　may　not　only　　have　known；　but　have　also　told　the　truth　about　them　in　this　particular。　　He　gives　a　list　of　the　loathsome　messes　which　were　to　be　found　in　their　　boxeshair；　skulls；　ribs；　teeth；　dead　men's　eyes；　human　skin；　the　　navels　of　little　children；　the　soles　of　shoes　and　pieces　of　clothing　　from　tombs。　They　even　went　themselves　to　the　graveyard　and　fetched　bits　　of　rotten　flesh；　which　they　slyly　gave　their　lovers　to　eatwith　more　　that　is　still　worse。　Pieces　of　the　hair　and　nails　of　the　lover　were　　boiled　in　oil　stolen　from　the　ever…burning　lamps　in　the　church。　The　　most　innocuous　of　their　charms　was　to　make　a　heart　of　glowing　ashes；　　and　then　to　pierce　it　while　singing：　'Prima　che'l　fuoco　spenghi；　　Fa　ch'a　mia　porta　venghi；　　Tal　ti　punga　mio　amore　　Quale　io　fo　questo　cuore。'

There　were　other　charms　practiced　by　moonshine；　with　drawings　on　the　　ground；　and　figures　of　wax　or　bronze；　which　doubtless　represented　the　　lover；　and　were　treated　according　to　circumstances。

These　things　were　so　customary　that　a　woman　who；　without　youth　and　　beauty；　nevertheless　exercised　a　powerful　charm　on　men；　naturally　　became　suspected　of　witchcraft。　The　mother　of　Sanga；　secretary　to　　Clement　VII；　poisoned　her　son's　mistress；　who　was　a　woman　of　this　kind。　　Unfortunately　the　son　died　too；　as　well　as　a　party　of　friends　who　had　　eaten　of　the　poisoned　salad。

Next　comes；　not　as　helper；　but　as　competitor　to　the　witch；　the　magician　　or　enchanter'incantatore'who　was　still　more　familiar　with　the　most　　perilous　business　of　the　craft。　Sometimes　he　was　as　much　or　more　of　an　　astrologer　than　of　a　magician；　he　probably　often　gave　himself　out　as　an　　astrologer　in　order　not　to　be　prosecuted　as　a　magician；　and　a　certain　　astrology　was　essential　in　order　to　find　out　the　favourable　hour　for　a　　magical　process。　But　since　many　spirits　are　good　or　indifferent；　the　　magician　could　sometimes　maintain　a　very　tolerable　reputation；　and　　Sixtus　IV；　in　the　year　1474；　had　to　proceed　expressly　against　some　　Bolognese　Carmelites；　who　asserted　in　the　pulpit　that　there　was　no　harm　　in　seeking　information　from　the　demons。　Very　many　people　believed　in　　the　possibility　of　the　thing　itself；　an　indirect　proof　of　this　lies　in　　the　fact　that　the　most　pious　men　believed　that　by　prayer　they　could　　obtain　visions　of　good　spirits。　Savonarola's　mind　was　filled　with　these　　things；　the　Florentine　Platonists　speak　of　a　mystic　union　with　God；　and　　Marcellus　Palingenius　gives　us　to　understand　clearly　enough　that　he　had　　to　do　with　consecrated　spirits。　The　same　writer　is　convinced　of　the　　existence　of　a　whole　hierarchy　of　bad　demons；　who　have　their　seat　from　　the　moon　downwards；　and　are　ever　on　the　watch　to　do　some　mischief　to　　nature　and　human　life。　He　even　tells　of　his　own　personal　acquaintance　　with　some　of　them；　and　as　the　scope　of　the　present　work　does　not　allow　　of　a　systematic　exposition　of　the　then　prevalent　belief　in　spirits；　the　　narrative　of　Palingenius　may　be　given　as　one　instance　out　of　many。

At　San　Silvestro；　on　Soracte；　he　had　been　receiving　instruction　from　a　　pious　hermit　on　the　nothingness　of　earthly　things　and　the　worthlessness　　of　human　life；　and　when　the　night　drew　near　he　set　out　on　his　way　back　　to　home。　On　the　road；　in　the　full　light　of　the　moon；　he　was　joined　by　　three　men；　one　of　whom　called　him　by　name；　and　asked　him　whence　he　　came。　Palingenius　made　answer：　'From　the　wise　man　on　the　mountain。'　'O　　fool；'　replied　the　stranger；　'dost　thou　in　truth　believe　that　anyone　on　　earth　is　wise？　Only　higher　beings　（Divi）　have　wisdom；　and　such　are　we　　three；　although　we　wear　the　shapes　of　men。　I　am　named　Saracil；　and　　these　two　Sathiel　and　Jana。　Our　kingdom　lies　near　the　moon；　where　dwell　　that　multitude　of　intermediate　beings　who　have　sway　over　earth　and　　sea。'　Palingenius　then　asked；　not　without　an　inward　tremor；　what　they　　were　going　to　do　at　Rome。　The　answer　was：　'One　of　our　comrades；　Ammon；　　is　kept　in　servitude　by　the　magic　arts　of　a　youth　from　Narni；　one　of　　the　attendants　of　Cardinal　Orsini；　for　mark　it；　O　men；　there　is　proof　　of　your　own　immortality　therein；　that　you　can　control　one　of　us：　I　　myself　shut　up　in　crystal；　was　once　forced　to　serve　a　German；　till　a　　bearded　monk　set　me　free。　This　is　the　service　which　we　wish　to　render　　at　Rome　to　our　friend；　and　he　shall　also　take　the　opportunity　of　　sending　one　or　two　distinguished　Romans　to　the　nether　world。'　At　these　　words　a　light　breeze　arose；　and　Sathiel　said：　'Listen；　our　messenger　is　　coming　back　from　Rome；　and　this　wind　announces　him。'　And　then　another　　being　appeared；　whom　they　greeted　joyfully　and　then　asked　about　Rome。　　His　utterances　are　strongly　anti…papal：　Clement　VII　was　again　allied　　with　the　Spaniards　and　hoped　to　root　out　Luther's　doctrines；　not　with　　arguments；　but　by　the　Spanish　sword。　This　is　wholly　in　the　interest　of　　the　demons；　whom　the　impending　bloodshed　would　enable　to　carry　away　the　　souls　of　thousands　into　hell。　At　the　close　of　this　conversation；　in　　which　Rome　with　all　its　guilt　is　represented　as　wholly　given　over　to　　the　Evil　One；　the　apparitions　vanish；　and　leave　the　poet　sorrowfully　to　　pursue　his　way　alone。　

Those　who　would　form　a　conception　of　the　extent　of　the　belief　in　those　　relations　to　the　demons　which　could　be　openly　avowed　in　spite　of　the　　penalties　attaching　to　witchcraft；　may　be　referred　to　the　much…read　　work　of　Agrippa　of　Nettesheim　'On　secret　Philosophy。'　He　seems　　originally　to　have　written　it　before　he　was　in　Italy；　but　in　the　　dedication　to　Trithemius　he　mentions　Italian　authorities　among　others；　　if　only　by　way　of　disparagement。　In　the　case　of　equivocal　persons　like　　Agrippa；　or　of　the　knaves　and　fools　into　whom　the　majority　of　the　rest　　may　be　divided；　there　is　little　that　is　interesting　in　the　system　they　　profess；　with　its　formula；　fumigations；　ointments；　and　the　rest　of　it。　　But　this　system　was　filled　with　quotations　from　the　superstitions　of　　antiquity；　the　influence　of　which　on　the　life　and　the　passions　of　　Italians　is　at　times　most　remarkable　and　fruitful。　We　might　think　that　　a　great　mind　must　be　thoroughly　ruined；　before　it　surrendered　itself　to　　such　influences；　but　the　violence　of　hope　and　desire　led　even　vigorous　　and　original　men　of　all　classes　to　have　recourse　to　the　magician；　and　　the　belief　that　the　thing　was　feasible　at　all　weakened　to　some　extent　　the　faith；　even　of　those　who　kept　at　a　distance；　in　the　moral　order　of　　the　world。　At　the　cost　of　a　little　money　and　danger　it　seemed　possible　　to　defy　with　impunity　the　universal　reason　and　morality　of　mankind；　and　　to　spare　oneself　the　intermediate　steps　which　otherwise　lie　between　a　　man　and　his　lawful　or　unlawful　ends。

Let　us　here　glance　for　a　moment　at　an　older　and　now　decaying　form　of　　superstition。　From　the　darkest　period　of　the　Middle　Ages；　or　even　from　　the　days　of　antiquity；　many　cities　of　Italy　had　kept　the　remembrance　of　　the　connection　of　their　fate　with　certain　buildings；　statues；　or　other　　material　objects。　The　ancients　had　left　records　of　consecrating　priests　　or　Telestae；　who　were　present　at　the　solemn　foundation　of　cities；　and　　magical