When asked what they were, they said they were men like air . . .

Cyrano de Bergerac talks about a book by Gerolamo Cardano, in which he is visited by a pair of gentlemen from the Moon.

Cardano is easily of the stature of Leibnitz and Newton; the list of his contributions is formidable, and Cyrano's citing him is like me today saying 'As Wolfgang Pauli himself noted'.

Cardano wrote *a lot*, but likeliest place to look is De Subtilitate Rerum (1550). There is a liber on demonology, in which he describes something his father related:

Verum omnibus historiis magis admirabilem hic subiiciam, quam non semel nec paucis vicibus audiui a patre meo, Facio Cardano, qui deaemonem se familiarem per xxx ferme annos habuisse confitebatur.

But of all the stories I relate here, this which I heard not once not several times from my father, Facio Cardano, is more wonderful still. He confided he'd had a demonic familiar for almost thirty years . . .

He goes on to describe his father being visited by seven spirits.

Cum interrogarentur, quinam essent, responderunt homines esse, quasi aeros . . .

When asked what they were, they said they were men like air . . .

This passage is remarkable in itself, especially when compared with other firsthand accounts of Early Modern conjuration, like Dee's. But in relation to 'The Empire of the Moon', I suspect Cyrano de Bergerac adapted this story to suit his narrative.

I'll translate the entire chapter in due course, and look further into Cardano's complete works in case there is something else. But I believe this is it.

The book itself is marvellous.

Comments

A Journey to the Moon

Viaje a la Luna 1 White bed on a grey wall. Across the bedclothes a dance unfolds 13 & 22. First two, then more till they cover the bed like ants. 2 The bedclothes are torn off the bed by an invisible hand. 3 Big feet run fast in black and white lozenged socks. 4 A frightened head gaze fixed on a point dissolves into a wire head against a backdrop of water. 5 Letters help help help double exposure a vulva moving up and down. 6 A long corridor traversed by the machine a window down the end. 7 A view of Broadway by night. 8 Dissolve to previous scene. 9 A pair of legs swing quickly. 10 Legs dissolve into a mass of trembling hands. 11 Trembling hands double-exposure a weeping child. 12 The weeping child double-exposure the woman who beats him. 13 Fade to the long corridor camera moving backwards fast. 14 At the end wide shot of an eye double-exposure a fish dissolving into what follows. 15 Falling fast through a window letters double-exposed in blue help help . 16 Dissolve...

He understands well all manner of languages, and the virtue of all manner of herbs.

Capitulo xxxj. Which be friends and kin unto Reynard the Fox. The first child is named Byteluys who is much cherished and can make much sport and game wherefore is given him the fat trenchers and much other good meat which comes well to profit Fulrompe his brother and also my third child is a daughter and is named Hatenette she can well pick out lice and nits from men's heads these three be to each other true wherefore I love them well Dame Rukenawe called them forth and said welcome my dear children come forth and stand by Reynard your dear nephew then said she come forth all ye that be my kin and Reynard's and let us pray the King he will do to Reynard right of the land then came forth many a beast anon as the Squirrel the Stoat the Polecat the Marten the Bever with his wife Ordegale the Genet the Ostrole the Boussyng and the Ferret this twain fain eat a pullet as Reynard the Otter and Pantecroet his wife whom I had almost forgotten yet were they before with the Bever ene...

His Tongue did gaggle as if it were made of the Devil's Bollock Leather.

Chapter IV. How Robin the Cobbler, having got loose of the witches, became a new man, and of many notable exploits which he did, you shall pleasantly hear. Now, when Robin the Cobbler had broken the spells of witchcraft his eyesight his hearing his speech his senses and his knowledge was all restored unto him again yet he looked of a pitiful complexion just as a man may say like one of Pharaoh's lean kine his visage was pale and ghastly his eyes seemed as if they were sunk into his head his nose was like the nose of a scolding ale-wife long and sharp and his tongue did gaggle as if it were made of the Devil's bollock leather his belly and his back were so clung together he was scarce able to shit for bones Nor had he any kind of habit to put on that was worth the throwing to the dunghill only an old lousy smock and a pair of slip-shoes which one of the witches gave him out of here mere pitiful charity yet he knew himself to be far happier than he was before when he was ridden...

Paul Summers Young

Search This Blog