Table Of ContentLLEWELLYN'S SOURCEBOOK SERIES
ThRee Books of
Occulr Philosophy
wRirren by HenRY CORnelius
AgRippa of Nerresheim
Comp1ere1y Annorared, wirh
mOdeRn CommenraRY
The Foundarion BooK
of WesreRn Occulrism
TRanslat:cd by Jamcs FRcaKc
edit:cd and Annot:at:cd by
Donald Tyson
1995
Llewellyn Publications
St. Paul, MN 55164-0383, U.s.A.
Three Books of Occult Philosophy Written by Henry Cornelius Agrippa of Nettesheim.
Copyright © 1993 by Donald Tyson. All rights reserved. Printed in the United
States of America. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner
whatsoever without written permission from Llewellyn Publications except in the
case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.
FIRST EomON
Second Printing, 1995
Design and layout by David Godwin
Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data
Agrippa von Nettesheim, Heinrich Cornelius, 1486?-1535
[De occulta philosophia. English]
Three books of occult philosophy / by Henry Cornelius Agrippa of Nettesheim, completely
annotated with modem commentary; translated by James Freake ; edited and annotated by
Donald Tyson.
p. cm. - (Llewellyn's sourcebook series)
"The found a tion book of western occultism."
Includes bibliographical references and indexes.
ISBN 0-87542-832-0 : $29.95
1. Magic-Early works to 1800. 2. Occultism-Early works to 1800.
I. Tyson, Donald, 1954- . II. Freake, James. III. Title. IV. Series.
BF1600.A3613 1992
133-dc20 92-33147
CIP
Llewellyn Publications
A Division of Llewellyn Worldwide, Ltd.
P.O. Box 64383, St. Paul, MN 55164-0383
Llewellyn S SouRcebook SeRies
Llewellyn's "Sourcebooks" are designed to be resource files for esoteric technicians.
For some readers, it may at first seem strange to apply the word "technology" to the
concept of esotericism. Technology is basically how-to knowledge, and esotericism (by
whatever name) is True Sacred Living. We publish many practical books that teach the read
er "how to" in many areas of the esoteric sciences. These are the techniques, the practical
programming, the procedures to follow in working toward a particular accomplishment, the
modus operandi.
But the technician of the Sacred needs more than the knowledge of the method of oper
ation. He or she also has to have basic information about the materials that will be utilized,
or about the beings that will be invoked, or the tools to be used. And this information must
be organized and presented from a sound, esoteric foundation.
Sourcebooks may be presented in the form of dictionaries, encylopedias, anthologies,
or new editions of classical works. Always, we produce these to actually meet the needs of
the esoteric practitioner and student. They bring to the reader what he or she needs to know
in order to apply the how-to knowledge gained from text and guide books.
A sourcebook is the distillation of factual knowledge from dozens of books and sources
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As publishers, we seek to provide the student with three out of the four vital elements
essential to the sacred life: theoretical knowledge, practical knowledge, and factual knowl
edge. The fourth element can only come as the student brings these together, and gains
experiential knowledge. These four kinds of knowledge then become the pillars of wisdom.
OcheR BOOKS by Donald Tyson
The New Magus, 1988
Rune Magic, 1988
The Truth About Ritual Magic, 1989
The Truth About Runes, 1989
How to Make and Use a Magic Mirror, 1990
Ritual Magic, 1991
The Messenger, 1993
CaRds and Kics
Rune Magic Deck, 1988
Power of the Runes, 1989
Dedicarion
To my mother,
lda Tyson
for her unfailing support.
Acknowkdgemen'Cs
I wish to sincerely thank all those authors and publishers who have allowed me to use quotations
from works still under copyright. These have made the notes far more lively and useful than would
otherwise have been the case. Acknowledgement is due for extracts from:
The Odyssey of Homer translated by Richmond Lattimore. Copyright ©1965 by Richmond Latti
more. Reprinted by permission of Harper Collins Publishers Inc.
The Iliad of Homer translated by Richmond Lattimore. Copyright ©1951 by The University of
Chicago. Reprinted by permission of the University of Chicago Press.
Kabbalah by Gershom Scholem. Copyright ©1974 by Keter Publishing House Jerusalem Ltd.
Reprinted by permission of Keter Publishing House.
The White Goddess by Robert Graves. Copyright ©1948 and renewal copyright ©1975 by Robert
Graves. Reprinted by permission of Farrar, Straus and Giroux, Inc.
Pharsalia by Lucan, translated by Robert Graves. Copyright ©1961 by Robert Graves. Reprinted by
permission of A. P. Watt Ltd. on behalf of the Executors of the Estate of Robert Graves.
Ptolemy: Tetrabiblos translated by F. E. Robbins. Reprinted by permission of The Loeb Classical
Library, Harvard University Press, 1940.
Mathematics Useful for Understanding Plato by Theon of Smyrna, translated by Robert and Debo
rah Lawlor. Copyright ©1978 by Wizards Bookshelf. Reprinted by permission of Wizards
Bookshelf.
Shamanism: Archaic Techniques of Ecstacy by Mircea Eliade, translated by Willard R. Trask.
Bollingen Series LXXVI. Copyright ©1964 by Princeton University Press. Reprinted by per
mission of Princeton University Press.
Eleusis and the Eleusinian Mysteries by George E. Mylonas. Copyright ©1961 by Princeton Univer
sity Press. Reprinted by permission of Princeton University Press.
The Survival of the Pagan Gods: The Mythological Tradition and Its Place in Renaissance Human
ism and Art by Jean Seznec, translated by Barbara F. Sessions. Bollingen Series XXXVIII.
Copyright ©1 953 by Princeton University Press. Reprinted by permission of Princeton Univer
sity Press.
Ancient Astrology Theory and Practice by Finnicus Maternus, translated by Jean Rhys Bram. Copy
right ©1975 by Jean Rhys Bram. Reprinted by pennission of Noyes Press.
The Letters of the Younger Pliny translated by Betty Radice. Copyright ©1963 by Betty Radice.
Reprinted by pennission of Penguin Books Ltd.
The Early History of Rome by Livy, translated by Aubrey de Selincourt. Copyright ©1960 by the
Estate of Aubrey de Selincourt. Reprinted by pennission of Penguin Books Ltd.
Guide to Greece by Pausanius, translated by Peter Levi. Two volumes. Copyright ©1971 by Peter
Levi. Reprinted by penn iss ion of Penguin Books Ltd.
The Voyage of Argo by Apollonius of Rhodes, translated by E. V. Rieu. Copyright ©1 959, 1971 by
E. V. Rieu. Reprinted by pennission of Penguin Books Ltd.
The Conquest of Gaul by Caesar, translated by S. A. Handford. Copyright ©1951 by the Estate of S.
A. Handford. Reprinted by pennission of Penguin Books Ltd.
Hesiod and Theognis, translated by Dorothea Wender. Copyright ©1973 by Dorothea Wender.
Reprinted by pennission of Penguin Books Ltd.
The History of Magic and Experimental Science by Lynn Thorndike. Eight volumes. Volumes I-IV
copyright ©1934; volumes V-VI copyright ©1941; volumes VII-VIII copyright ©1958. Reprint
ed by pennission of Columbia University Press.
Conrenrs
To the Reader, by Donald Tyson xiii
Life of Agrippa xv
On the Occult Philosophy XXXIX
Note on the Text xliii
Three Books of Occult Philosophy xlv
An Encomium on the Three Books of Cornelius
Agrippa, Knight, by Eugenius Philalethes xlvii
The Life of Henry Cornelius Agrippa, Knight xlix
To the Reader, by Henry Cornelius Agrippa Ii
To R.P.D. John Trithemius liii
John Trithemius, Abbot of Saint James ...
to His Henry Cornelius Agrippa lvii
To the Reverend Father in Christ ... Hermannus,
Earl ofWyda lix
Judicious Reader! by James Freake Ixi
To ... Robert Childe, Doctor of Physic, by James Freake lxiii
An Index of All the Chapters Which are Contained
in This Work lxv
BOOK I
To the ... Most Illustrious Prince, Hermannus of Wyda 229
BOOK 11 231
To the Most Renowned and Illustrious Prince, Hermannus of Wyda 435
BOOK III 439
To the Reverend Father ... Aurelius de Aquapendente 679
Unto the Same Man 681
Henry Cornelius Agrippa sendeth greeting to a certain
friend of the King's Court 683
Of Magic in General 689
Of Natural Magic 690
OfM athematical Magic 692
Of Enchanting Magic 693
Of Goetia and Necromancy 695
Of Theurgia 699
OfCabalie 700
Of Juggling and Legerdemain 705
Appendix I-Emerald Tablet 709
Appendix II-The Soul of the World 713
