Myth of the Magus by E.M. Butler
Publication:1948 Macmillan Company First Edition First Printing
The Magus, a legendary magician of superhuman powers, is an archetype central to myth and religion across many cultures. Identifying its anthropological origins in ancient rituals performed by a shaman or wizard to ensure the prosperity of his tribe, E.M. Butler goes on to trace its subsequent development in pre-Christian religious and mystic philosophers, in medieval sorcerers and alchemists, and finally in the eighteenth- and nineteenth-century occult revival. From Zoroaster to Solomon, John Dee, Merlin to Faust, legends of the Magus are explored and where possible compared with the historical record in this fascinating account.
Condition: original black boards, corners slightly bumped, all pages clean with no markings, binding tight, overall Very Good condition