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Medieval Magic and Magical Beasts

Medieval Magic and Beasts

Medieval magic throughout the middle ages was very prevalent, much more so than it is today. Magic was seen as a rational science to a degree, but only a few were able to use magic. In the church clerics would use magic through prayers and incantations, while most other forms were dubbed demonic by the church. Humans however were not the only ones who could use magic. Magical beasts, such as dragons, wyverns, and basilisks to name a few were known both in legend and lore throughout the middle ages. Stories of knights slaying large mythical beasts have been told in many ways throughout time.

Rationality Behind Medieval Magic

Most of the people living in medieval Europe believed that magic was rational, as they thought it could work. Many claimed that they could give explanations to how and why it worked, even if they could not perform it themselves. The church approved of certain types of magic, primarily that which clerics could perform. This form of magic would be performed as either incantations or through prayer. The other major form of magic was seen as demonic by the church. Among this magic type, there were 3 main schools: Necromancy, Conjuration, and Sorcery. There are also a few other forms of magic that are not clerical, nor are they demonic.

Magic Schools and Practices

Figure 1

Necromancy(fig. 1)

The art of necromancy, once thought to be focused on the dead, reviving, and controlling. At this time the art of necromancy is focused on the art of contacting demons and forming contracts with them. It’d be a battle of willpower: The demon would attempt to control the summoner, and the summoner would attempt to overpower the demon. Once overtaken the demon, the summoner could perform contracts with them to do a variety of tasks.

Sorcery

Sorcerers used an innate inner power, rather that use outside sources for power. They would be able to cast spells from a pool of magic. Most other magicians would require runes, incantations, or rituals to be able to perform magic. Because they had this inner power, the church saw them as innately evil, as they had the powers which others would require demons for. Others also saw this inner power as a dark well of power.

Divination

Divination also was a focus of magic concerning conversing with the dead, soothsaying, and marking dreams of those that a diviner would speak to. Those who practiced divination looked less of using it for themselves or for the advancement of their own knowledge, but more so to aid and help others.

Other Forms

Beyond these schools, there is also another broader form of magic known as learned magic. This included things such as astronomy (fig. 2), alchemy, and spiritual magic.

There was another system of magic in place that did not necessarily perform spells, but would offer magical items such as charms, potions, powders, and talismans. Clerics would often purchase these items even if they themselves did not create them.

Figure 2

Magic and Science

During this time, it was a bit more difficult to distinguish magic and science, given the church’s authority throughout the medieval ages. Philosophers, Mathematicians, astrologers, and conjurers were of the same name: Mage. The church’s generalized fear of technology at this time categorized all forms of science into magic. This made it hard for people trying to research the sciences as the magic they were categorized into was believed to be demonic. Medical sciences were gravely looked down upon being seen as “healing magic”. If it was not performed by clerics, it would be heresy and witchcraft.

True witchcraft however was much more distinguishable, even if not in the eyes of the church. They would form pacts with demons, joining into sects, and performing evil rituals. One of the most notable thing about witches was that they primarily used spells and charms.

Magical Beasts

Humans were not the only beings capable of magic, but there are many other creatures that are magic in of themselves or could use magic. For example, the phoenix is known as a large fire bird which is known primarily as a symbol of resurrection. Dragons are large serpentine creatures with an innate ability to fly. These creatures are seen not just as mythical beasts, but as animals and beasts the same way that magic is seen as being rational.

Many of these mythical beasts appear in folklore and legends that go even beyond medieval Europe. Here are just a few of these magical beasts.

Figure 3

Asp (fig 3)

The asp is a beast which uses poison on its foes. It runs with its mouth open to spread its poison as well. It is said that men who press their ear to worldly desires, are “stuffing” up the other one up, and do not hear the voice of the lord. This originates from the asp placing its head to the ground to prevent a snake charmer from controlling the asp1.

Figure 4

Basilisk (fig 4)

Known as the King of Serpents, this beast can destroy its victims by smell or even by looking at them. Although this beast is very powerful as it uses both vision and smell to kill its prey, it has one weakness. The weasel2 strikes fear into the basilisk and can defeat it. The sails of the Roman Trireme appeared to be that of a basilisk in the reflection of the water3, striking fear into their foes.

Figure 5

Dragon (fig 5)

The dragon is known to be the largest of all of the serpents. as well as the largest living being on the planet. The dragon attacks its enemies by blowing a strong gust of wind onto it. Although it does not use a poison, if the gust itself does not destroy it, the dragon will control the air around the foe to suffocate it.

Figure 6

Anguis (fig 6)

This beasts is the “Origin of All Serpents,” as this beast never is straight. it moves using its scales, and moving its body side to side.

Figure 7

Siren (fig 7)

Also known as harpies, they appear to have the upper body and head of a human female, but the lower extremities of a that of a winged creature. These beasts prey heavily on sailors, mostly men as they allure them with a beautiful song. For any unfortunate enough to be lured in by their song, are put to sleep before they are devoured alive.

Figure 8

Phoenix (fig 8)

This magical beast is known most commonly as the Fire Bird. It lives for hundreds of years, and is symbolized of resurrection. The story of how it became known for resurrection is that it lives its life by creating a funeral pyre for itself, burning itself, then rising from its ashes a few days later.

Figure 9

Centaur (fig 9)

These lustful creatures live in the forest, seen only by men4 and they use their intellegence to forge weapons for man. The centaur is most notable for its appearance, for it has the lower body of a horse, and the upper body of a human. These creatures, although having an upper body of a human, do not speak in the tongue of mankind, the speak in the word of animals, even though they understand the language of man.

Figure 10

Manticora (fig 10)

Potentially the most mixed of all creatures, the Manticora has a human face, three rows of sharp teeth, deep red eyes. The central part of the body is that of a lion. Lastly, the tail has large stinger like that of a scorpion5. It primarily eats human flesh, and it moves with such power, that any ground it stands upon will often shatter, and obstacles in its way will often falter.

bestiary pg 5

Figure 11

Griffin (fig 11)

The griffin is a four legged beast with large wings. Slightly similar to the Manticora in body, it has the body of a lion, but the wings like that of an eagle. The head, unlike the manticora, is also that of an eagle. It is mostly hostile to horses, but attacks humans as well.

Figure 12

Echeneis (fig 12)

This small fish was known to stop entire ships to a complete halt. The name Echineis translates to stop.

Figure 13

Unicorn (fig 13)

Unicorns are small animals, but extremely fast. They can be distinguished with the large horn on it’s forehead and its horse-like body. It is said that Jesus Christ is spiritually a unicorn6.

Notes

1. Schrader, J. L. “A Medieval Bestiary.” The Metropolitan Museum of Art Bulletin 44, no. 1 (1986): 39. doi:10.2307/3258963. 2. Ibid., 38 3. Nickel, Helmut. “Of Dragons, Basilisks, and the Arms of the Seven Kings of Rome.” Metropolitan Museum Journal 24 (1989): 9. doi:10.2307/1512864 . 4. Schrader, J. L. “A Medieval Bestiary.” The Metropolitan Museum of Art Bulletin 44, no. 1 (1986): 25. doi:10.2307/3258963. 5. Ibid., 16 6. Ibid., 9

Conclusion

Just as magical beasts were very real to people living during the medieval era, magic was just as real to them. Many items used in magic would require items from these beasts. Some believed that a vial of immortality came from the phoenix, just to give an example. Medieval magic was a science unto itself, that delved into not just into basic science, but into some of the sciences of the mind and soul. Magic, The Beasts of the time, were all recorded as a part of medieval history, not only as lore but as what they saw as factual.

Sources

Kieckhefer, Richard. "The Specific Rationality of Medieval Magic."

The American Historical Review

99, no. 3 (1994): 813-36. doi:10.2307/2167771.

https://www.jstor.org/stable/2167771

Nickel, Helmut. "Of Dragons, Basilisks, and the Arms of the Seven Kings of Rome." Metropolitan Museum Journal 24 (1989): 25-34. doi:10.2307/1512864.

https://www.jstor.org/stable/1512864

Schrader, J. L. "A Medieval Bestiary." The Metropolitan Museum of Art Bulletin 44, no. 1 (1986): 1-55. doi:10.2307/3258963.

https://www.jstor.org/stable/3258963?

Bailey, Michael D. "From Sorcery to Witchcraft: Clerical Conceptions of Magic in the Later Middle Ages." Speculum 76, no. 4 (2001): 960-90. doi:10.2307/2903617.

https://www.jstor.org/stable/2903617

Bailey, Michael D. "The Disenchantment of Magic: Spells, Charms, and Superstition in Early European Witchcraft Literature." The American Historical Review 111, no. 2 (2006): 383-404. doi:10.1086/ahr.111.2.383.

https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.1086/ahr.111.2.383

Kassell, Lauren. ""All Was This Land Full Fill'd of Faerie," or Magic and the past in Early Modern England." Journal of the History of Ideas 67, no. 1 (2006): 107-22. http://www.jstor.org/stable/3840402.

https://www.jstor.org/stable/3840402

Figures

3)    13th century, beginning. Bestiary (known as 'The Ashmole Bestiary')., Folio #: fol. 080v. Manuscript. Place: Bodleian Library, University of Oxford, http://www.bodley.ox.ac.uk/. https://library.artstor.org/asset/BODLEIAN_10310370402.

4)    XII.. Arch (relief).. Place: New York: Mus., Metropolitan Museum of Art; Cloisters., Detail of the archway from St. Cosmos, Narbonne.. https://library.artstor.org/asset/AWSS35953_35953_31690605.

5)    13th century, end. Bestiary., Folio #: fol. 022v. Manuscript. Place: Bodleian Library, University of Oxford, http://www.bodley.ox.ac.uk/. https://library.artstor.org/asset/BODLEIAN_10310769811.

6)    Bestiary., whole page, Folio #: fol. 022r. Manuscript. Place: Bodleian Library, University of Oxford, http://www.bodley.ox.ac.uk/. https://library.artstor.org/asset/BODLEIAN_10310765259.

7)    Bestiary., Folio #: fol. 021v. Manuscript. Place: Bodleian Library, University of Oxford, http://www.bodley.ox.ac.uk/. https://library.artstor.org/asset/BODLEIAN_10310765098.

8)    13th century, beginning. Bestiary (known as 'The Ashmole Bestiary')., Folio #: fol. 068. Manuscript. Place: Bodleian Library, University of Oxford, http://www.bodley.ox.ac.uk/. https://library.artstor.org/asset/BODLEIAN_10310370524.

9)    Bestiary., Folio #: fol. 115r. Manuscript. Place: Bodleian Library, University of Oxford, http://www.bodley.ox.ac.uk/. https://library.artstor.org/asset/BODLEIAN_10310768367.

10)    Bestiary (known as 'The Ashmole Bestiary')., Folio #: fol. 022v. Manuscript. Place: Bodleian Library, University of Oxford, http://www.bodley.ox.ac.uk/. https://library.artstor.org/asset/BODLEIAN_10310765232.

11)    13th century, beginning. Bestiary (known as 'The Ashmole Bestiary')., Folio #: fol. 015v. Manuscript. Place: Bodleian Library, University of Oxford, http://www.bodley.ox.ac.uk/. https://library.artstor.org/asset/BODLEIAN_10310370390.

13)    Italian School (Italian). Sections of an Ancient Pulpit: The Unicorn. Sculpture. Place: Museo del Duomo, Ferrara, Italy. https://library.artstor.org/asset/FRICKIG_1039777818.