V. Pliny's Magical Science

From the Magi to Pliny's magic — Habits of animals — Remedies dis- covered by animals — Jealousy of animals — Occult virtues of animals — The virtues of herbs— Plucking herbs — Agricultural magic— Virtue of stones — Other minerals and metals — Virtues of human parts— Virtues
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MAGIC AND EXPERIMENTAL SCIENCE chap.
of human saliva— The human operator— Absence of medical compounds — Sympathetic magic — Antipathies between animals — Love and hatred between inanimate objects — Sympathy between animate and inanimate objects— Like cures like— The principle of association — Magic transfer of disease— Amulets— Position or direction— The time element— Ob- servance of number — Relation between operator and patient — Incanta- tions— Attitude towards love-charms and birth control — Pliny and astrology — Celestial portents — The stars and the world of nature — Astrological medicine — Conclusion : magic unity of Pliny's superstitions.
''Salve, parens rerum omnium Natura, teque nobis Quiritium solis celehratam esse numeris omnibus tuis fave!" — Closing words of the Natural History}