Chap. liv. Of Lottery, when, and whence the vertue of Divining is

Incident to it.

Whatsoever Divinations and Predictions of humane events are made by Lottery, must of necessity, besides

the lot, have some sublime occult cause; which indeed shall not be a cause by accident, such as Aristotle

describes Fortune to be. For in the series of Causes, seeing according to the Platonists, a cause by accident

can never be the prime and sufficient cause, we must look higher, and finde out a cause which may know and

intend the effect. Now this we must not place in corporeal Nature, but in immaterial, and incorporeal

substances which indeed administer the Lot, and dispence [dispense] the signification of the truth, as in mens

souls, or separated spirits, or in Celestial Intelligcnces, or in God himself. Now that there is in mans soul a

sufficient power and vertue to direct such kinde Of lots, it is hence manifest, because there is in our soul a

divine vertue, and similitude, and apprehension, and power of all things; And as we said in the first Book,

All things have a natural obedience to it, and of necessity have a motion and efficacy to that which the soul

desires with a strong desire; and all the vertues and operations of natural and artifical things, obey it when it

is carried forth into the excess of desire, and then all Lots of what kinde soever are assisting to the appetite of

such a minde, and acquire to themselves wonderful vertues of passages, as from that, so from the Celestial

opportunity in that hour in which the excess of such a like appetite doth most of all exeeed in it. And this is

that ground and foundation of all Astrological questions, wherefore the minde being elevated into the excess

of any desire, taketh of it self an hour and opportunity most convenient and efficacious, on which the Figure

of the heaven being made, the Astrologer may then judge in it, and plainly know concerning that which any

one desires, and is inquisitive to know. But now because Lots are not directed alwayes by mans minde, but

also, as we said before, by the help of other Spirits; nor is the minde of a Prophet alwayes disposed to that

excess of passion as we spoke of: hence amongst the Ancients, it was a Custome to premise before the

casting of the Lot, some sacred performances, in which they called upon divine Intelligencies and spirits for

to direct the Lot aright. Whatsoever kinde of presage therefore these kinde of Lots portend, must of necessity

not be by chance or fortune, but from a spiritual cause, by vertue whereof the Phantasie, or hand of him that

cast the Lot is moved, whether that power proceed from the soul of the Operator through the great excess of

his affection, or from a Celestial influence, and oppotunity, or from a certain Diety or spirit assisting, or

moving from on high, whether these Lots are placed in casting of Cockalls, or throwing of Dice, or in the

meeting of Verses, such as were formerly the Lot of Homer and Virgil, of which we read in Ælius of Sparta,

Hadrianus long since made enquiry, and which we read befell Trajanus the Emperour.

What's he far off grac'd with the Olive bough

Presenting offerings? how white chin we know,

A Roman King, whose laws first setled Rome,

And from small Curets a poor soyl [soil] shall come

To great command -----

Be which Verses he did not in vain become to have hopes of enjoying the Empire. Also amongst Hebrews,

and even amongst us Christians (some Divines not dispproving of it) Lots are taken out of Verses of Psalms.

There are also more, & other kindes of Lots, as are humane Lots, which had no Divination in them amongst

the Ancients, and are observed by as in choosing of Magistrates, to prevent envy, of which also Cicero

against Verres makes mention: but they are not of our purpose: But those which are divine, and sacred Lots,

respecting Oracles, and Religion, of which we shall discourse in the following Book: Onely thus far I would

advise you, that how much presaging, divining or Southsaying [soothsaying] soever Lots are found to have,

Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa: Occult Philosophy. Book II. (Part 4, excerpts)

file:///M|/ PDF-Bücher/Esoterik & Magie/HTML/Agrippa2/agripp2d.htm (10 von 17) [20.02.2001 16:12:24]

they have them not as they are Lots, but by reason of a vertue of a higher operation joyned to them.

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