Magic, Alchemy and Science. Volume I

Magia, alchimia, scienza dal ’400 al ’700| Magic, Alchemy and Science 15th-18th centuries
L’influsso di Ermete Trismegisto| The influence of Hermes Trismegistus

Editors:  Carlos Gilly and Cis van Heertum
Contributors: Federico Barbierato, Carlos Gilly, Thomas Hofmeier, Jean Letrouit, Cesare Vasoli, Marino Zorzi.

In 2002 an exhibition organized by the Bibliotheca Philosophica Hermetica and held in the Biblioteca Marciana in Venice reflected the influence of Hermes Trismegistus in Europe. The texts attributed to the legendary sage proved a source of inspiration to philosophers, physicians and alchemists. One of the oldest public libraries in Italy, the library owes its existence to the bequest of Cardinal Bessarion, who owned a codex of the Corpus Hermeticum.

This volume contains articles which are not only based on new research but also provide a point of departure for future studies. They focus on manuscripts and printed works in Bessarion’s library and in other Venetian libraries, on Hermetism in Venice from Francesco Giorgio to Agostino Steuco, on Venetian editions of the Corpus Hermeticum, Greek and Latin manuscripts by Bessarion relating to Hermes Trismegistus; western and oriental texts of Hermes in the Biblioteca Marciana; Hermetism and Paracelsianism; Hermes amongst the Rosicrucians and theosophers; the debate on the authenticity of the Hermetic works; popular magical practices in Venice e and the Italian origin of the masonic ‘Gold-und Rosenkreuzer’ movement. 

Keywords: Hermetic philosophy, early modern magic, alchemy, medicine, theosophy

Available in other languages: No