DiotimosReading Desk

Diotimos Library · Esotericism & Spirituality Collection · Parallel Edition

Thomas Vaughan

Magia Adamica

The Antiquity of Magic · With the Complete Coelum Terrae

Explore the Lexicon
Magia AdamicaEgypt, Greece and the Transmission of the Art · Page 69 · Passage A

Swipe or use the arrow keys.

Facing Pages · Branch 165 of 318

Egypt, Greece and the Transmission of the Art · Page 69 · Passage A

Original English

of one and thē same Nature, so that they easily unite; and hence it is that the Superior descends to the Inferior to visit, and comfort her in this sickly infectious Habitation. I could speak much more, but I am in haste, and though I were at leisure, you cannot in Reason expect I should tell you all. I will therefore decline these generall Principles to tell you something that makes for the AEgyptian Practice, and proves them Philosophers adepted. The first Monument I reade of to this purpose, is that of Synesius, a very learned intelligent man. Hee found in the Temple of Memphis λιθίας βίβλους Bookes of stone, and in those hard leaves these Difficult Instructions.

Modern English

one and the same nature and therefore readily unite. Hence the higher descends to visit and comfort the lower in this sickly, infectious dwelling. I could say much more, but I am in haste; even at leisure, I could not reasonably be expected to tell you everything. I shall therefore leave these general principles to say something about Egyptian practice, proving they were adept philosophers. The first monument I read of for this purpose is that of Synesius, a most learned and perceptive man. In Memphis’s temple he found [New translation of the Greek:] “stone books”; [Vaughan’s English:] “books of stone”; and in those hard leaves these difficult instructions:

About This Reading Edition

Thomas Vaughan’s complete 1650 Magia Adamica publication, with all historical preliminaries and the complete appended Coelum Terrae, original and modern English, fresh translations of Latin, Greek and Hebrew, full poems, eight historical marginal notes, the complete recovered printed corrections, 312 annotations and the complete supplied Diotimos study apparatus.

Historical Text and Translation

Thomas Vaughan (Eugenius Philalethes), Magia Adamica: or The Antiquitie of Magic, with Coelum Terrae. London: T. W. for H. Blunden, 1650. Governing transcription: EEBO-TCP A64768.0001.001. The Getty Research Institute copy supplies surviving first-edition page images; the 1656 issue supplies explicitly disclosed missing or defective material. The complete shared 1650 errata are recovered from the Bibliotheca Philosophica Hermetica copy of The Man-Mouse.

About Diotimos Editions

This historical edition credits Diotimos Editions as its English translator.

Rights

The historical text is public domain; the EEBO-TCP Phase I transcription is released under CC0. The supplied 2026 reading, translations and Diotimos editorial material are published with the site owner’s authorization.