William Godwin......................................................................................................................................1
PREFACE................................................................................................................................................4
LIVES OF THE NECROMANCERS..................................................................................................................7
AMBITIOUS NATURE OF MAN..........................................................................................................9
HIS DESIRE TO PENETRATE INTO FUTURITY.............................................................................10
DIVINATION........................................................................................................................................10
AUGURY..............................................................................................................................................10
CHIROMANCY....................................................................................................................................10
PHYSIOGNOMY..................................................................................................................................10
INTERPRETATION OF DREAMS......................................................................................................10
CASTING OF LOTS.............................................................................................................................11
ASTROLOGY.......................................................................................................................................11
ORACLES.............................................................................................................................................11
DELPHI.................................................................................................................................................12
THE DESIRE TO COMMAND AND CONTROL FUTURE EVENTS..............................................13
COMMERCE WITH THE INVISIBLE WORLD................................................................................13
SORCERY AND ENCHANTMENT....................................................................................................13
WITCHCRAFT.....................................................................................................................................14
COMPACTS WITH THE DEVIL.........................................................................................................14
IMPS......................................................................................................................................................15
TALISMANS AND AMULETS...........................................................................................................15
NECROMANCY...................................................................................................................................15
ALCHEMY............................................................................................................................................16
FAIRIES................................................................................................................................................17
ROSICRUCIANS..................................................................................................................................18
SYLPHS AND GNOMES, SALAMANDERS AND UNDINES.........................................................18
EXAMPLES OF NECROMANCY AND WITCHCRAFT FROM THE BIBLE...............................19
THE MAGI, OR WISE MEN OF THE EAST......................................................................................21
EGYPT...................................................................................................................................................22
STATUE OF MEMNON.......................................................................................................................23
TEMPLE OF JUPITER AMMON: ITS ORACLES.............................................................................23
CHALDEA AND BABYLON..............................................................................................................24
ZOROASTER........................................................................................................................................24
GREECE............................................................................................................................................................24
DEITIES OF GREECE..........................................................................................................................25
DEMIGODS..........................................................................................................................................26
DAEDALUS..........................................................................................................................................27
THE ARGONAUTS..............................................................................................................................27
MEDEA.................................................................................................................................................28
CIRCE....................................................................................................................................................28
ORPHEUS.............................................................................................................................................29
AMPHION.............................................................................................................................................30
TIRESIAS..............................................................................................................................................30
ABARIS.................................................................................................................................................30
PYTHAGORAS.....................................................................................................................................31
EPIMENIDES........................................................................................................................................35
EMPEDOCLES.....................................................................................................................................36

ARISTEAS............................................................................................................................................37
HERMOTIMUS.....................................................................................................................................37
THE MOTHER OF DEMARATUS, KING OF SPARTA...................................................................37
ORACLES.............................................................................................................................................37
INVASION OF XERXES INTO GREECE..........................................................................................39
DEMOCRITUS.....................................................................................................................................40
SOCRATES...........................................................................................................................................41
ROME................................................................................................................................................................42
VIRGIL..................................................................................................................................................42
POLYDORUS.......................................................................................................................................42
DIDO......................................................................................................................................................42
ROMULUS............................................................................................................................................43
NUMA...................................................................................................................................................43
TULLUS HOSTILIUS...........................................................................................................................44
ACCIUS NAVIUS.................................................................................................................................44
SERVIUS TULLIUS.............................................................................................................................44
THE SORCERESS OF VIRGIL............................................................................................................45
CANIDIA...............................................................................................................................................45
ERICHTHO...........................................................................................................................................47
SERTORIUS..........................................................................................................................................50
CASTING OUT DEVILS......................................................................................................................52
SIMON MAGUS...................................................................................................................................52
ELYMAS, THE SORCERER................................................................................................................53
NERO.....................................................................................................................................................53
VESPASIAN.........................................................................................................................................53
APOLLONIUS OF TYANA.................................................................................................................54
APULEIUS............................................................................................................................................56
ALEXANDER THE PAPHLAGONIAN..............................................................................................56

THE ESTABLISHMENT OF CHRISTIANITY...............................................................................................57
MAGICAL CONSULTATIONS RESPECTING THE LIFE OF THE EMPEROR.............................58
HISTORY OF NECROMANCY IN THE EAST..............................................................................................59
GENERAL SILENCE OF THE EAST RESPECTING INDIVIDUAL NECROMANCERS..............61
ROCAIL.................................................................................................................................................62
HAKEM, OTHERWISE MOCANNA..................................................................................................62
ARABIAN NIGHTS' ENTERTAINMENTS........................................................................................63
PERSIAN TALES.................................................................................................................................64
STORY OF A GOULE..........................................................................................................................66
ARABIAN NIGHTS..............................................................................................................................67
RESEMBLANCE OF THE TALES OF THE EAST AND OF EUROPE............................................67
CAUSES OF HUMAN CREDULITY..................................................................................................67
DARK AGES OF EUROPE.................................................................................................................68
MERLIN................................................................................................................................................70
ST. DUNSTAN......................................................................................................................................72
COMMUNICATION OF EUROPE AND THE SARACENS.............................................................74
GERBERT, POPE SILVESTER II........................................................................................................75
BENEDICT THE NINTH......................................................................................................................75