TO THE READER

Indeed, when I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child original: "loquebar ut paruulus: sapiebam ut paruulus." Agrippa is quoting 1 Corinthians 13:11 to acknowledge his intellectual growth.; but having become a man, I put away childish things, and in our book On the Vanity and Uncertainty of the Sciences Agrippa’s famous work De incertitudine et vanitate scientiarum et artium (1526), where he criticized all human learning, including the occult., I retracted this present book in great part. But here, perhaps, you restless critics will argue against me again: "See, you wrote this as a young man, and retracted it as an old man; why then have you published it?" I confess that I was quite young when I set out to write these books, yet I did so with the hope that I would one day release them more enriched and corrected. For that reason, I first offered them for correction to Johannes Trithemius A famous German Benedictine abbot, lexicographer, and chronicler with a deep interest in cryptic and occult communication., the Abbot of Würzburg original: "Peapolitano." This likely refers to the Abbey of St. James (Schottenkloster) in Würzburg, where Trithemius served after leaving Sponheim., formerly of Sponheim, a man most industrious in the study of secret things.

It happened afterward, however, that before I could put the finishing touches on the work, the project was intercepted. Incomplete and unpolished copies—based on corrupt manuscripts—began to circulate and were passed through many hands in Italy, France, and Germany. By now, some people (I know not whether out of impatience or impudence) were wishing to subject this unformed work to the printing press. Struck by this one misfortune, I decided to publish it myself, thinking there would be less danger if these books came forth slightly more corrected by my own hand than if they were spread abroad in ragged and disorganized fragments by the hands of others. Furthermore, I thought it no sin to ensure that this specimen of my youth did not perish.

We have, however, added some chapters and inserted many things which it seemed careless to omit—which the curious Reader will easily notice from the unevenness of the prose itself. For we did not wish to renovate the whole work entirely and (as they say) unweave the whole web original: "totam telam retexere." A classical idiom meaning to start over from scratch., but only to correct it a little and pour in some measure of brilliance. Therefore, I ask you again now, kind Reader, do not judge these books based on the present time of their publication, but grant pardon to a curious youth if you perhaps find anything in them that does not please you.

ERRATA.

This section lists corrections for the printer. Page numbers refer to the original 1533 edition.

Yet I lost the letters / noted on line 16?

Folio 169. line 1 opening original: "aperturā" 170. 18 they send back original: "remittant" 171. 24 with sounds 172. 21 & 33 exaltation 175. 19 hot 179. 4. read melancholic diseases 180. 12 of the moon: but that face of the moon, 183. 41 it moves 186. 18 gem. 30 whose table 191. 26 is ascribed 28 of their own 37 planet- 193. 22 in the bosom of the angel 198. 9 divination 33 to have brought forth 38 forming 199. 26 into a great ex- 200. 1 through a great as- 3 they are 5 of which 32 or of prophecy 202. 7 The whole which 203. 5 corruptible 12 allotted 205. 36 from the beginnings 206. 4 carrying the sun, or we doubt- 207. 18 moved 208. 38 faith 211. 34 of regeneration 213. 9. This 27 to the unworthy 214. 38. We are forbidden 215. 21 from two 40. Truly- 216. 8 they agree 217. 12 and through me 218. 33 divinities 40 men of God 41 influence 222. 16. The Moon original: "Lunum," likely a typo for "Lunam" 224. 22 names 33 by faith 225. 3 whoever 28 Ophanim A class of celestial beings in Hebrew mysticism (the "Wheels"). 40 Sem. 226. 26 of the gods 228. 9. And in another 229. 34 delete the 'd' 230. 20 steltoma 239. 13 to refer 240. 16 in mirrors, or. 246. 2 mammon 250. 23. Just as 251. 5 lunar 254. 3 to the spirit 255. 26 to these special 40 Amnediel 257. 24. from the- 258. 17 of those yielding 271. 34 cities 278. 4. Efficacy 12. mud 27 those 41 to the one adjuring 279. 9 evil-doing 13. I shall drive away 281. 27. Semones Minor Roman deities. 38 translated 285. To die therefore 34 delete 'man' 289. 38 fasting itself. 290. 23 then mo. 30 primary cause 291. 13 of those presiding 292 nevertheless with strengths 295. 26 they receive 296. 8 beneficent 297. 29 addressed 298. 17. Midas, from 299. 11 whatever 301. 15 northern 31 of the shades 302. 34 of the Valentinians 304. 38 of some place 307. 2 immediately 14 let it be joined 35 examples 308. 19 it moves 29 I encounter 31 so that it 309. 28 to him 311. 8 delete '&' 14 prophecies of the gods 15 they are 17 they pass through 312. 34 bringing or 314. 27 him 315. 41 the lowest things 316. 29. Then the soul 317. 16 Zoroaster 28 by which 35 but well 318. 22 pure 319. 2 or a drink 25 of sleep 320. 2 of the world 324. 17. To this 32 it flows around 35 in the world 325. 14 that not 336. 11 due 337. 7 it cleansed 340. 36 waxen 342. 15 of the seething 344. 4 to the thing. 15 by art 24 sermons 37 symbols 41 you are able 348. 23 turned 350. 2 Gilead 33 by hunger 351. 17 you suddenly 356. 3 of idolatry 4 of rejection.