Page:Three Books of Occult Philosophy (De Occulta Philosophia) (1651).djvu/110

 a fig, and black, which is in the forehead of a Colt newly foaled, which unless the Mare her self doth presently eat, she will never after love her foals, or let it suck. And for this cause they say there is a most wonderful power in it to procure love, if it be powdered, and drank in a cup with the blood of him that is in love. There is also another Sorcery, which is called by the same name, viz. Hippomanes, viz. a venemous humour, issuing out of the share of a Mare what time she desires a horse, of which Virgill makes mention, when he sings

"Hence comes that poison which the Shepherds call Hippomanes, and from Mares groines doth fall, The wofull bane of cruell stepdames use, And with a charme 'mongst powerfull drugs infuse."

Of this doth Juvenall the Satyrist make mention.

"Hippomanes, poysons that boyled are, and charmes Are given to Sons in law, with such like harmes."

Apollonius also in his Argonauticks makes mention of the hearb of Prometheus, which he saith groweth from corrupt blood dropping upon the earth, whilest the Vultur was gnawing upon the liver of Prometheus upon the hill Caucasus. The flowre of this hearb, he saith, is like Saffron, having a double stalk hanging out, one farther then the other the length of a cubit, the root under the earth, as flesh newly cut, sends forth a blackish juice as it were of a beech; with which, saith he, if any one shall after he hath performed his devotion to Proserpina, smear over his body, he cannot be hurt either with sword, or fire. Also Saxo Gramaticus writes, that there was a certain man called Froton, who had a garment, which when he had put on he could not be hurt with the point or edge of any weapon. The civet Cat also abounds with Sorceries: for, as Pliny reports, the posts of a dore being touched with her blood, the Arts of Juglers and Sorcerers are so invallid, that the Gods cannot be called up, and will by no means be perswaded to talk with them. Also that they that are anoynted with the ashes of the ankle bone of her left foot, being decocted with