Page:Three Books of Occult Philosophy (De Occulta Philosophia) (1651).djvu/577

 bird did haunt the house of Achilles: at Rome, neither flie, nor dog did enter into the Palace of Hercules, in the oxe market. In Olynthus of Thracia there was a place, into the which if a Beetle had fallen, it could not get forth, but writhing it self every way it died; I could bring even innumerable examples, and far more wonderfull then these, which Antiquity reporteth to have been done by the Art of images, and by the observation of times: but least any one should think them long since, obsolete, and repute them for fables, I will bring more new things, and such as remain even to this time in some places, and I will joyn to these some artificiall wonders; for they say, that by the Art of images it cometh to passe, that at Byzantine Serpents hurt not, and that Jackdaws flie not over within the wals; that in Crete there are no night Owls, that about Naples Grasshoppers are never heard; that at Venice, no kind of flie doth enter the publike houses of Barbers, that in Toledo in the publike shambles, one only flie is seen all the year long, of a notable whiteness: and we in the foregoing book have declared already both the fashions and times, by the observation of which, these things and such like may be done; moreover you ought especially to observe the vertue of speeches and words, for by these the soul is spread forth into inferiour substances, into stones, metals, plants, animals, and all naturall things, imprinting divers figures and passions on them, inforcing all creatures, or leading and drawing them by a certain affection: So Cato testifieth, that weary Oxen are refreshed by words, and also that by prayers and words, you may obtain of Tellus, that it produce unusuall trees; trees also may by this means be entreated to pass over to another place, and to grow in another ground: Rapes grow the greater, if they be entreated when they are sown, to be beneficiall to them, their family, and neighbours; the Peacock also being commended, presently extends his feathers: but on the contrary, it is found by experience that the hearb Basill, being sown with cursings and railings, is more flourishing; also a kind of Lobster doth cure burnings and scaldings, if so be that in the mean time his name be not