Читать книгу The True Story vs. Myth of Witchcraft - William Godwin - Страница 89

Among the Chaldeans the most famous name is that of Zoroaster, who is held to have been the author of their religion, their civil policy, their sciences, and their magic. He taught the doctrine of two great principles, the one the author of good, the other of evil. He prohibited the use of images in the ceremonies of religion, and pronounced that nothing deserved homage but fire, and the sun, the centre and the source of fire, and these perhaps to be venerated not for themselves, but as emblematical of the principle of all good things. He taught astronomy and astrology. We may with sufficient probability infer his doctrines from those of the Magi, who were his followers. He practised enchantments, by means of which he would send a panic among the forces that were brought to make war against him, rendering the conflict by force of arms unnecessary. He prescribed the use of certain herbs as all-powerful for the production of supernatural effects. He pretended to the faculty of working miracles, and of superseding and altering the ordinary course of nature. — There was, beside the Chaldean Zoroaster, a Persian known by the same name, who is said to have been a contemporary of Darius Hystaspes.

5. Genesis xli, 8, 25, &c.

6. Exodus, vii. 11; viii. 19.

7. Ibid, xxii. 18.

8. Deuteronomy, xviii. 10,11.

9. Leviticus, xx. 27.

10. Numbers, xxii. 5,6,7.

11. Numbers, xxiv, 1.

12. Ibid, xxiii. 23.

13. 1 Sam. xxviii. 6, et seq.

14. 2 Kings, xxi. 6.

15. 1 Kings, xxii. 20, et seqq.

16. 1 Chron. xxi. 1,7,14.

17. 2 Kings, i. 2,3,4.

18. Matthew, xii. 24.

19. Genesis, xliv. 5.

20. Genesis, xliv. 15.

21. Brewster on Natural Magic, Letter IX.