Agrippa

As I work on my comic, I have also been reading some Agrippa. You can read along with me here.
I was interested to read about magic from a classical time period, and had originally thought to read the Grand Grimoire, despite the English language translation omitting sections, causing "every operation [to] turn to your disadvantage, confusion and total destruction." I may yet do this, but I was not prepared to be totally destroyed yet.
I wanted to read Agrippa due to it's association with Goethe's Faust, supposedly being something Faust had studied extensively. At first I was a bit put off by the very dense language, but began enjoying it more. It's obviously for very learned people of the time, who have a very good knowledge of mythology and literature, as it makes reference to either every other paragraph. It's more of a general text about magic, where the Grand Grimoire is a magic textbook. More of a 'non fiction' overview of magic, where the Grand Grimoire is a magic cookbook of sorts.
I enjoy poetry, so the constant quoting of Virgil and company is welcome and entertaining. I like the opening poem:

"Pragmatick Schoolmen, men made up of pride,
And rayling Arguments, who truth deride,
And scorn all else but what your selves devise,
And think these high-learned Tracts to be but lies,
Do not presume, unless with hallowed hand
To touch these books who with the world shall stand;
The are indeed mysterious, rare and rich,
And far transcend the ordinary pitch."

Reminds me very much of the first page of Dr. Faustus by Marlowe. At any rate, it's a good read, I've been learning more about mythology of all things, which I have not had a good chance to study. Like the words jovial, venereal, martial, and saturnine coming from the names of the planets/gods. Jupiter, Venus, Mars and Saturn, respectively. If I can find a mugwort, I may try a spell soon.