The Renaissance period was a time of great innovation and exploration in various fields, including art, literature, and philosophy. It was also a period characterized by a renewed interest in ancient Greek and Roman texts and ideas, which heavily influenced the cultural and intellectual developments of the time. One particular aspect that emerged during the Renaissance was the fascination with eros and magic. Eros, the Greek god of love, played a significant role in Renaissance thought. Scholars and philosophers began to explore the nature of love, its role in human relationships, and its connection to desire and passion. The concept of eros became intertwined with ideas of beauty, pleasure, and the pursuit of personal happiness.
The concept of eros became intertwined with ideas of beauty, pleasure, and the pursuit of personal happiness. Magic, on the other hand, was seen as a way to tap into hidden forces and harness supernatural powers. Renaissance thinkers sought to understand and manipulate these forces, believing that magic could be used to influence the natural world and achieve desired outcomes.
Book Review: Eros and Magic in the Renaissance by Ioan P. Couliano
Today, we think of the imagination and desire as purely “subjective” things that have no bearing on reality. But as Eros and Magic in the Renaissance shows, this wasn’t always the case. In fact, in this regard, as in so many others, our modern view is a very new aberration, and a relatively ill-considered one at that.
Eros and Magic in the Renaissance is both a first-rate historical sketch of the transition from the flourishing of magic, animism, and nuanced views of the human psyche of the Renaissance to the flat, mechanistic view of the post-Renaissance world, and one of the best books on the philosophy of magic that I’ve ever read.
Couliano was both a magician and a scholar who worked extensively with the famed historian of religions Mircea Eliade, and his work is both academically rigorous and informed by perspectives that aren’t usually considered by academics, which brings a great freshness and vitality to his work.
The book traces Renaissance views of magic, chiefly as they relate to the powers of the imagination (vis phantastica) and desire (eros). The lives and works of Giordano Bruno, Pico della Mirandola, and Marsilio Ficino receive especially extensive treatment, with Bruno’s magnificent On Bonding in a General Sense being in many ways the cornerstone of Couliano’s analysis.
He then shows how the Protestant Reformation, far from being a liberalizing movement within Christianity, was actually an ultraconservative movement. Its fundamentalist desire to strip Christianity of the last vestiges of animism that had surreptitiously survived under the comparatively lax auspices of the medieval church cast considerable suspicion on any enchanted view of the world. The sciences of the period had been divided between the “natural magicians” like Paracelsus on the one hand, and, on the other, the proto-mechanists, those who held the view that the world was essentially a giant machine, devoid of will and spirit, with those latter qualities residing solely in the human brain and the dualistic, remote Christian spirit world.
The latter view, in a slightly modified form, is the underlying worldview and mythology of the dominant strains of modern science. But, counter to the triumphalist idea that the mechanistic worldview won out over the magical, animistic one because it was inherently better or more rational, Couliano shows how it won the debate by being more congruous with the puritanical sentiments of the period. The debate was not between reason and unreason, as the partisans of mechanism typically frame it; rather, it was between two different and incompatible ways of perceiving and experiencing the world, two different mythologies, two different sets of premises.
When the mechanists won the favor of the public, magic had to go underground, and survives today under different names, such as “psychology,” “marketing,” “advertising,” and “personal development.”
After reading Eros and Magic in the Renaissance, you’ll never see magic or science in the same way again.
It is a widespread prejudice of modern, scientific society that "magic" is merely a ludicrous amalgam of recipes and methods derived from primitive and erroneous notions about nature. Eros and Magic in the Renaissance challenges this view, providing an in-depth scholarly explanation of the workings of magic and showing that magic continues to exist in an altered form even today.
They studied ancient texts on occult practices, astrology, and alchemy, seeking knowledge and techniques to control their environment. The relationship between eros and magic became apparent in various artistic and literary works of the time. Artists often depicted erotic scenes, capturing the intensity and passion associated with love. These artworks aimed to evoke strong emotions and explore the depths of human desire. Furthermore, literature from the Renaissance period frequently incorporated elements of magic and the occult, using them as tools to explore themes of love and desire. One prominent example of the fusion of eros and magic in Renaissance literature is William Shakespeare's play, "A Midsummer Night's Dream." The play delves into the complexities of love and desire through the use of supernatural elements. The mischievous fairy Puck, with his magical love potion, creates chaos and confusion among the characters, highlighting the unpredictable nature of love. Overall, the fascination with eros and magic during the Renaissance period reflected a desire to understand and control the mysterious and unpredictable aspects of human nature. It showcased the human longing for love and the pursuit of happiness, as well as the belief that magic held the key to unlocking hidden forces and realizing one's desires. The exploration of these themes through art, literature, and philosophy contributed to the rich cultural and intellectual landscape of the Renaissance..
Reviews for "The Astrological Connection: Eros and Magic in Renaissance Horoscopes"
1. John - 2 stars - I had high hopes for "Eros and Magic in the Renaissance" after hearing such great things about it, but I was sorely disappointed. The book was incredibly dense and filled with jargon that made it difficult to understand. It felt like the author was more interested in showing off their knowledge and intellectual prowess rather than ensuring the reader could actually follow along. I found myself skipping ahead and ultimately gave up on finishing it.
2. Sarah - 1 star - What a pretentious piece of work! "Eros and Magic in the Renaissance" was a complete snooze-fest. The author had a knack for making the most fascinating topics sound dull and uninteresting. The writing was convoluted and self-indulgent, making it a challenge to stay engaged. I struggled to find any redeeming qualities in this book and would not recommend it to anyone.
3. Michael - 2 stars - I found "Eros and Magic in the Renaissance" to be excessively academic and inaccessible for the average reader. The author's writing style was overly dense, filled with complex theories and concepts that were difficult to grasp. It felt more like a scholarly thesis than a book intended for the general public. While I appreciate the depth of research that went into it, the lack of clarity and readability made it a frustrating read.
4. Emily - 2.5 stars - Although "Eros and Magic in the Renaissance" had an intriguing premise, I struggled to find the enjoyment in reading it. The author's writing style felt dry and devoid of passion, making it difficult to connect with the subject matter. Additionally, the book often delved into lengthy tangents and repetitive explanations, leading to a disjointed reading experience. While it may appeal to those with a specific interest in the topic, it was not as engaging or accessible as I had hoped.