Overview

On the tumultuous eve of the sixteenth century, as Girolamo Savonarola preached apocalypse in the cathedral of Florence and his protégé, the neoplatonic philosopher Giovanni Pico della Mirandola, breathed his last under mysterious circumstances, all while the army of a French king marched on the Italian peninsula, an anonymous Roman scrivener was putting the finishing touches on his masterwork. But it was neither an illuminated book of hours nor an encyclopedic chronicle of kingly deeds to which he set his pen, for this copyist was a magician, and his humble notebook contained a treasure trove of arcane knowledge - knowledge that might bring him wealth, power, even love...if he could bear the risks it entailed. Preserved in the Florentine Laurentian Library under the patronage of two Medici popes, published here for the first time are extensive excerpts from this Italian necromancer's handbook, detailing both general methods and particular rites of spirit conjuration, along with a veritable pantheon of the demonic personages upon whom one might call. Including the original Latin text in parallel with a new English translation, this edition is also furnished with a critical apparatus and introductory essay which illuminate this manuscript's place in a network of occult practitioners and texts that circulated all the way from the Papal States to the shores of England.

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9781907881992

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Johnson's painstaking translation illuminates the hitherto-unpublished riches of the queen of Italy's manuscript grimoires. - Dan Harms, author of The Long-Lost Friend: A 19th Century American Grimoire, co-author of The Book of Oberon: A Sourcebook of Elizabethan Magic. Johnson writes in a way that is clearly understood, and transparently notes the changes he made to spelling and grammar in the original manuscript, which is transliterated side by side with his translation. In his introduction he offers the backstory of the manuscript and its owners, and notes which spirits can be found in other manuscripts such as the Livre des Esperitz and Pseudomonarchia Daemonum. Necromancy in the Medici Library is an interesting and exciting look at necromantic rites and it will surely be a big hit among grimoire scholars and practitioners alike. - Aequus Nox, podcaster. This grimoire is a treat for anyone that's interested in classical magic that has not already been dissected to death, as well as Sorcerers looking to root modern practice in the protocols of history. - Jason Miller, author of Sorcerer's Secrets: Strategies in Practical Magick An excellent piece of scholarship that adds to the field and is a must have! -- David Rankine, author of The Cunning Man's Grimoire.

""Johnson's painstaking translation illuminates the hitherto-unpublished riches of the queen of Italy's manuscript grimoires."" - Dan Harms, author of The Long-Lost Friend: A 19th Century American Grimoire, co-author of The Book of Oberon: A Sourcebook of Elizabethan Magic. ""Johnson writes in a way that is clearly understood, and transparently notes the changes he made to spelling and grammar in the original manuscript, which is transliterated side by side with his translation. In his introduction he offers the backstory of the manuscript and its owners, and notes which spirits can be found in other manuscripts such as the Livre des Esperitz and Pseudomonarchia Daemonum. Necromancy in the Medici Library is an interesting and exciting look at necromantic rites and it will surely be a big hit among grimoire scholars and practitioners alike."" - Aequus Nox, podcaster. ""This grimoire is a treat for anyone that's interested in classical magic that has not already been dissected to death, as well as Sorcerers looking to root modern practice in the protocols of history."" - Jason Miller, author of Sorcerer's Secrets: Strategies in Practical Magick ""An excellent piece of scholarship that adds to the field and is a must have!"" -- David Rankine, author of The Cunning Man's Grimoire.

Author Information

Brian Johnson is an independent scholar, freelance editor and research consultant, and translator of historical documents pertaining to the occult. His work is largely concerned with reconstructing the esoteric worldviews and practices of historical individuals, based upon the study of primary source documents.

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