The Magic of the Middle Ages

Book Excerpt: ... In the mean time the magician had seized the blood-stained sword, and drew, murmuring a prayer the while, a threefold magical circle around the pentagram. Between the circumferences he wrote the names of the angels of the year, theseason, the day and the hour. Towards the east he made the sign of Alpha, towards the west of Omega. Then he divided the circle by a cross into fourfields. He assigned two of them, those behind him, to me and my companions. They were large enough to kneel upon. We were strictly enjoined not to leavethem, not to allow even a fold of our mantles to wave outside the circle. Forgetfulness in this respect would cost us our lives. The magician put aside hissword in a triangle outside of the circle. He sprinkled himself and us with holywater, read formularies over the incense and the thorn twigs, and kindled them. This was the sign for us to give ourselves to prayer. We must not cease prayinguntil we had heard the first word of the incantation. The incense spread, as itwere, a dim transparent veil over the room. Here and there it was condensed intostrange figures: now human, now fantastic animal shapes arose against thevaulted wall and sank again. There must have been something narcotical in those vapory clouds. I looked atthem in a half dreaming state while my lips repeated inaudibly the enjoinedprayer