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HenryleTregetour Regular user 184 Posts |
Part I
Magic Tricks from the Secretum Philosophorum (late thirteenth, maybe early fourteenth centuries) Source: Robert Goulding, “Deceiving the Senses in the Thirteenth Century: Trickery and Illusion in the Secretum Philosophorum;” in Charles Burnett and W. F. Ryan, editors, Magic and the Classical Tradition (2006), pp. 135-162 The Latin text for these is on pages 143-152. The English translation is on pages 152-162. Note that not all of the tricks listed are really magic tricks in the sense we think of them. I will make comments on some of them. Each trick includes an explanation of how it is done; I am not incuding explanations. 1. To give water the taste and colour of wine 2. To do the same, another way 3. To concoct a water which smells of violets 4. On deceiving the smell 5. How hearing is deceived 6. On vision 7. To make a mirror in which there will appear unusual images, different according to position, and as many as you want. Note: The description sound like a prism is used. 8. To make a mirror in which many moving images will appear in a single place. Note: This is kind of a medieval kaleidoscope. 9. To make a mirror in which an image will appear outside. Note: This uses a convex mirror to project an image between the mirror and the viewer. One article I read (can’t remember the title or author) suggested that this type of device was used to create things such as the bloody dagger during the performance of Shakespeare’s MacBeth. In effect, a “real” magic trick. 10. To make a burning mirror. Note: Magnifying glass 11. On the deceptions which are called juggler’s tricks. Note: I think this title is more an introduction to the category than referring to the trick it details. The next several tricks are in fact juggler’s tricks. Here is an excerpt: “But the sight is deceived in another way, through the deceptions which are called jugglers’ tricks. For sometimes jugglers perform experiments by the swiftness of their hands which cannot be perceived, such as when they play with dishes.” For the trick, “Take a dish filled with water and put it in some large basket and whirl around the basket in which the dish stands and the dish does not fall out and no water spills.” 12. Deception of the sight. Note: In this trick, you “take an egg and empty it through a small hole. . .Then the egg can be moved around your head . . .” I will let you guess how it is done, or you can read the whole explanation of this trick. 13. To do the same. Note: Using the same techniques described in #12 (which BTW I omitted), you cause a coin to move. (to be continued) |
HenryleTregetour Regular user 184 Posts |
14. To make an apple move on the table
Note: This uses an insect or other small animal to gain locomotion. 15. To repair a rush. Note: This is essentially a cut and restored rope trick using a grass-like plant. 16. To make a rush grow. Note: This is reminiscent of the Indian mango tree trick, although it is all done in the magician’s hand. 17. To free hands tied behind the back. Note: This is indeed an escape from rope, although the explanation for the trick is very convoluted, and there are definitely better ways to execute the trick. 18. So that cooked meat may appear raw. 19. So that cooked meat will appear to be full of worms. 20. So that towers may appear in a urinal flasks. Note: This uses egg whites swirled in urine and the effect probably would only seem strange to a spectator, as in, “this guy is weird” kind of strange. 21. On the appearance of a coin in a dish. Note: Unfortunately this is not an actual trick. It is about visual perspective—a coin is in a dish of water, and visual perspective takes care of the rest. Certainly a curiosity, but not anything impressive today. 22. To make a sphere apparently of gold fly in the air. Note: This is in fact taking a straw and blowing soap bubbles. Here I think it could have some potential as a comic effect. Tell the audience that you have a great feat by which you will cause gold to float in the air. Build it up, and then—blow a bubble. The audience is completely non-plussed. The magician is embarrassed, much in the style of Master Payne in parts of his Camlann cup and balls routine. 23. So that some may appear to burn, but nothing is in fact generated except terror. Note: In this trick the magician holds a candle, and throws powder into someone’s face. The powder catches on fire. “. . . his whole face will catch on fire and he will be thought to be burning, although that fire will not hurt him at all.” Yeah, kind of sounds like a lawsuit, if done as the trick is written. On the other hand, its solid documentation for a medieval fire effect. 24. So that a cross turns by itself. Note: One holds a cross made of an oatplant and wax in his hand. It mysteriously turns. According to the text, “Pretend that you know, by means of this experiment, whether someone is a virgin or not, or something else of that type. . .” The cross points at a particular person. The active ingredient is saliva. 25. To see stars by day. Note: Not a juggler’s trick. 26. So that a silver coin may appear to be copper. Note: uses sulphur. 27. To whiten copper so that it appears to be silver. Note: uses mercury. 28. Another for the same purpose. Note: Uses mercury and “the saliva of a starving man.” 29. Another for the same purpose, and better. Note: Again uses mercury. 30. How touch is deceived. Note: You cross your fingers, then uncross them, then “touch some round thing with those two fingers, and it will appear that there are two different round things.” 31. For taking a coin out of a bag. Note: This is a juggler’s trick. However, the method is very convoluted, and there are better ways to achieve it than what is listed. This is the effect: you have two coins, which you put in a bag. The mark feels the bag. One coin is taken out. The mark feels the coin the bag. The magician mysteriously produces the coin without taking it out of the bag. The bag is found to be empty. |
Mr. Woolery Inner circle Fairbanks, AK 2149 Posts |
Well, you totally have my attention. However, I'm having a hard time finding more than the table of contents you are sharing. Perhaps I'm looking in the wrong places. Where do I get this book?
-Patrick |
HenryleTregetour Regular user 184 Posts |
Great Patrick!
This is an academic book produced by academics for other academics. Hence, it probably had a very small print run and is probably very expensive. I got the book through interlibary loan. Henry |
CJRichard Special user Massachusetts 542 Posts |
It seems to be included in this volume: http://events.sas.ac.uk/support-research......radition
"You know some of you are laughin', but there's people here tryin' to learn. . ." -Pop Haydn
"I know of no other art that proclaims itself 'easy to do.'" -Master Payne Ezekiel the Green |
HenryleTregetour Regular user 184 Posts |
CJRichard,
Yes, that is the one. And it costs only L 32! Like I said, an academic book for academics. |
Motley Mage Special user 572 Posts |
That's really not terribly expensive. Going on my wish list, academically and for fun!
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Dallas Robbins Regular user 105 Posts |
I love that kind of stuff - going to get asap.
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Ekuth Inner circle Floating above my 1538 Posts |
Darn good find! Well done!
"All you need is in Fitzkee."
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bloodkin Special user 646 Posts |
Wow, this is my first time ducking into this corner of the Café and instantly found soemthing of immense value. Thanks!
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Mr. Woolery Inner circle Fairbanks, AK 2149 Posts |
I interlibrary loaned this book and was rather pleased at having both the latin and the modern English translation. Well worth reading and taking notes. Some of the feats were rather silly, but I recognized coin through trousers (although it was done with a purse instead) and realized this trick was a lot older than I had ever known.
Thank you again to Henry for bringing this to everyone's attention! -Patrick |
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