Johannes Trithemius (1462-1516)
- Catalog of necromantic texts from
Antipalus Maleficiorum.
- The Seven Secondary Intelligences (De septem secundeis)
Master cryptographer and magician, Trithemius was the mentor of
Henrich Cornelius Agrippa.
Here he presents a concise history of the world, and how it has been shaped by angelic
agents. (English translation)
- Steganographia (Secret Writing)
Book 1
Book 2
Book 3
This is Trithemius' most notorious work. On the surface it is a system of angel
magic, but within is a highly sophisticated system of cryptography.
It claims to contain a synthesis of the science of knowledge, the art of memory,
magic, an accelerated language learning system, and a method of sending
messages without symbols or messenger.
In private circulation, the Steganographia brought such a reaction of fear
that he decided it should never be published. He reportedly destroyed the
more extreme portions (presumably instructions for prophecy/divination)
but it continued to circulate in manuscript form and was eventually published
posthumously in 1606. (Latin)
- The art of drawing spirits into crystals
- Liber octo quaestionum (excerpts, LATIN)
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