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Diotimos Library · Esotericism & Spirituality Collection · Parallel Edition

Thomas Vaughan

Magia Adamica

The Antiquity of Magic · With the Complete Coelum Terrae

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Magia AdamicaTo the Reader · Unnumbered Preliminary 18 · Passage A

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Facing Pages · Branch 45 of 318

To the Reader · Unnumbered Preliminary 18 · Passage A

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Original English

Princes and Governors, and in that a stately Donna, who like some Queen regent, commanded the rest of the Company. Poor Truth, shee stood still whiles this pompous Squadron past by, but when the Chariot came over against her, the Lady Lie who was there seated, took notice of her, and causing her Pageants to stay, commanded her to come neerer. Here she was scornfully examined, whence she came? whither she would goe? and what about? To these Questions she answered as the Custome of Truth is, very simply and plainly: Whereupon the Lady Lie commands her to wait upon her, and that in the Reare, and Tayle of all her Troop, for that was the known place of Truth. Thanks then not to the stars, but to the Configurations of the Dice! they have acquainted mee with my future fortunes, and what praeferment my Book is like to attain to. I am for my part contented, though the Consideration

Modern English

princes and governors, and in it a stately lady who, like a reigning queen, commanded the rest of the company. Poor Truth stood still while this splendid company passed; but when the chariot came level with her, Lady Lie, seated there, noticed her. Stopping her pageant, she ordered Truth to come closer. She was scornfully questioned: where had she come from, where was she going, and on what business? She answered, as Truth customarily does, very simply and plainly. Lady Lie then ordered her to attend her, at the rear and tail of the entire procession, for that was Truth’s recognised place. Thanks, then, to the configurations of the dice rather than the stars! They have told me my future fortunes and the advancement my book is likely to achieve. For my part, I am content, although the thought

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.