标题: MA 1.3 英文存档 [打印本页] 作者: Delilah 时间: 2016-7-7 16:35 标题: MA 1.3 英文存档 本帖最後由 Delilah 於 2016-7-7 16:53 編輯
To begin this journey into medieval magic, we have to place ourselves at the end of the Roman world, just at the dawn of the so called late antiquity.In a period characterized by the dismantling of previous structures, and a merging of different cultures and societies, magical beliefs also merged. Giving birth to new realities, issued from the exchanges between Roman, Judeo Christian, and Germanic cultures. The first important thing to note is that, at that time, the frontiers between magic and religion were not so clearly established in people's minds. Among Romans, for example, the magical practices abounded, and were part of the religious ritual itself. Observing the flight of the birds, or the entrails of animals,to predict the future. Composing amulets and formulas to attract good or bad fortune. Enchanting objects or concocting filters and potions, mediating with invisible spiritual forces. Making ointments, and reciting chants to heal, protect, or injure other people. All of these practices were part of the Roman system of beliefs, a way to understand and relate to both the visible and the invisible world. Not very different from the prayers, ceremonies or sacrifices offered to the gods. But then, when did the word magic actually appear, and what did it mean for ancient peoples?
As early as the Fifth century B.C., the Greek word magia was already used to refer to the activities of the Zoroastrian priest from Persia known as the magoi. The beliefs and practices attributed to those in magoi were seen as dark and dangerous as they deferred
from Greek religion. In time, the word magia would also be used in a pejorative way to refer to some practices performed by Greek and Roman peasants. Deviated from the official religious practices of the Roman Empire.
So, during Roman times, the word magia, magic, was fixated in the Latin language to designate some practices perceived as different, or
deviated from the Roman official code. And sometimes even to trickery, or deceit. It is with this meaning, that the word magic was passed on to the Latin written languages during Medieval times. But, by then, the ancient idea of magic had already been related to a much more obscure concept issued from Christian religion. The concept of superstition. You better know that word since it will be crucial in order to understand the perception of magic during Medieval times.
So what about superstition? And when was magic portrayed as such?
With the arrival of monotheistic religions at the end of the Roman era, especially the Judeo-Christian one, the mental pattern regarding
magic was to be changed forever. Believing in an only true god, Christians considered a large range of beliefs and practices performed by their
contemporaries as essentially false or superstitious. A lot of activities previously performed by ancient peoples including the practices
of magia were considered evil and misguided by Christian authors. Moreover, since those practices fell outside the only true religion, they could only be related to demons and should then be eradicated. As you will see in the following units, this shift would mark the evolution of western culture for the centuries to come, since the so-called superstitious beliefs would be seen as wrong and dangerous by the new religious
authorities, who then pushed for the exception in order to fully embrace their new religion of the Christ. Nevertheless, magic would become a central aspect of the new Medieval Society. A wide range of sources attest to the magical beliefs shared by men and women from all social strata. In the next chapters, we will see some examples of this magical thought characteristic of Medieval society, from royal courts, to peasant villages, and even including some Ecclesiastical environments. We will also see the efforts undertaken by some Medieval elites to end with the magical practices and beliefs held by the people from the Christianite territories. An endeavor we must start that was night,not, was not quite accomplished during Medieval times but for now, we will continue to look into the evolution of the idea of magic throughout the Medieval centuries.
