Something more than Episode 20: On the trail of Faust

For those regular readers of my blog, as you can see, over the past weeks I have used this as a show-notes page for my podcast, “Light Through the Past.” This one will be no different in the sense that below are the main sources for what I discussed this week, namely, two passages treating Simon the Magician as magus, sorcerer, and the consort of demons, and especially as they pertain to the future great Magus, Faust.

It is not without warrant that Simon Magus becomes in Medieval thought a heresiarch greater than which cannot be thought, in that he consorts with the devil, withstands both St. Peter (as Pope) and St. Paul, and sought as a foreshadow of Antichrist, to cast himself even as God to be worshipped as God.

You can find the Podcast here.

Faust, whose name in Latin means lucky, favorable, or auspicious, was the name, depending upon the text, of either Simon Magus’s brother or father.

Mephistopheles Whispering to Faust

There was an actual Faust, and at some point I may well write or give a lecture about him. He was a student in Germany at the beginning of the 16th century, and seems to have died about 1540. There are all sort of mentions of him, including at least two by Luther. Faust had become a by-word for evil, both as regards sorcery and astrology, and also of sexual perversion. He must have taken the Latin name of “Faustus”, for the word in German simply means “fist”. Doubtless, he could have been Dr. Fist, but I am thinking that like most college students in 1500, he Latinized his name, or took a Latin name.

This Faust is of course the source for the great and remarkable work of Goethe, which I commend to everyone.

It has long been maintained the sources for Faust (e.g., the German Faustbuch, Marlowe’s Doctor Faustus, Goethe’s Faust among so many others) find their origins in Simon Magus.

I have reproduced below two of the key texts on Simon. The first is a late second-century work, The Passion of Saints Peter and Paul (apt, in that yesterday was their joint feastday), and the second, building off the first, but adding also from other sources, is the great medieval text, The Golden Legend.

From The Acts and Martyrdom of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul.

When, consequently, the people were making a seditious murmuring, Simon, moved with zeal, rouses himself, and began to say many evil things about Peter, saying that he was a wizard and a eat. And they believed him, wondering at his miracles; for he made a brazen serpent move itself, and stone statues to laugh and move themselves, and himself to run and suddenly to be raised into the air. But as a set-off to these, Peter healed the si by a word, by praying made the blind to see, put demons to flight by a command; sometimes he even raised the dead. And he said to the people

that they should not only flee from Simon’s deceit, but also that they should expose him, that they might not seem to be slaves to the devil.

And thus it happened that all pious men abhorred Simon the magian, and proclaimed him impious. But those who adhered to Simon strongly affirmed Peter to be a magian, bearing false witness as many of them as were with Simon the magian; so that the ma er came even to the ears of Nero the Caesar, and he gave order to bring Simon the magian before him. And he, coming in, stood before him, and began suddenly to assume different forms, so that on a sudden he became a ild, and a er a li le an old man, and at other times a young man; for he anged himself both in face and stature into different forms, and was in a frenzy, having the devil as his servant.

* * *

Then Simon, having gone in to Nero, said: Hear, O good emperor: I am the son of God come down from heaven. Until now I have endured Peter only calling himself an apostle; but now he has doubled the evil: for Paul also himself tea es the same things, and having his mind turned against me, is said to prea along with him; in reference to whom, if thou shalt not contrive their destruction, it is very plain that thy kingdom cannot stand.

* * *

Simon said: I wonder, O good emperor, that you re on this man of any consequence—a man uneducated, a fisherman of the poorest, and endowed with power neither in word nor by rank. But, that I may not long endure him as an enemy, I shall forthwith order my angels to come and avenge me upon him. Peter said: I am not afraid of thy angels; but they shall be much more afraid of me in the power and trust of my Lord Jesus Christ, whom thou falsely declarest thyself to be.

Nero said: Art thou not afraid, Peter, of Simon, who confirms his godhead by deeds? Peter said: Godhead is in Him who sear eth the hidden things of the heart. Now then, tell me what I am thinking about, or what I am doing. I disclose to thy servants who are here what my thought is, before he tells lies about it, in order that he may not dare to lie as to what I am thinking about.

Nero said: Come hither, and tell me what thou art thinking about.

Peter said: Order a barley loaf to be brought, and to be given to me secretly. And when he ordered it to be brought, and secretly given to Peter, Peter said: Now tell us, Simon, what has been thought about, or what said, or what done.

Nero said: Do you mean me to believe that Simon does not know these things, who both raised a dead man, and presented himself on the third day after he had been beheaded, and who has done whatever he said he would do?

Peter said: But he did not do it before me.

Nero said: But he did all these before me. For assuredly he ordered angels to come to him, and they came.

Peter said: If he has done what is very great, why does he not do what is very small? Let him tell what I had in my mind, and what I have done.

Nero said: Between you, I do not know myself.

Simon said: Let Peter say what I am thinking of, or what I am doing.

Peter said: What Simon has in his mind I shall show that I know, by my doing what he is thinking about.

Simon said: Know this, O emperor, that no one knows the thoughts of men, but God alone. Is not, therefore, Peter lying?

Peter said: Do thou, then, who sayest that thou art the Son of God, tell what I have in my mind; disclose, if thou canst, what I have just done in secret. {For Peter, having blessed the barley

loaf which he had received, and having broken it with his right hand and his

left, had heaped it up in his sleeves.}

Then Simon, enraged that he was not able to tell the secret of the apostle, cried out, saying: Let great dogs come forth and eat him up before Caesar. And suddenly there appeared great dogs, and rushed at Peter. But Peter, stretching forth his hands to pray, showed to the dogs the loaf which he had blessed; which the dogs seeing, no longer appeared.

Then Peter said to Nero: Behold, I have shown thee that I knew what Simon was thinking of, not by words, but by deeds; for he, having promised that he would bring angels against me, has brought dogs, in order that he might show that he had not god-like but dog-like angels.

* * *

Simon said: “Dost thou believe, O good emperor, that I who was dead, and rose again, am a magician?” For it had been brought about by his own cleverness that the unbelieving Simon had said to Nero: “Order me to be beheaded in a dark place, and there to be le slain; and if I do not rise on the third day, know that I am a magician; but if I rise again, know that I am the Son of God.”

And Nero having ordered this, in the dark, by his magic art he managed that a ram should be beheaded. And for so long did the ram appear to be Simon until he was beheaded. And when he had been beheaded in the dark, he that had beheaded him, taking the head, found it to be that of a ram; but he would not say anything to the emperor, lest he should scourge him, having ordered this to be done in secret.

Thereafter, accordingly, Simon said that he had risen on the third day, because he took away the head of the ram and the limbs—but the blood had been there congealed—and on the third day he showed himself to Nero, and said: Cause to be wiped away my blood that has been poured out; for, behold, having been beheaded, as I promised, I have risen again on the third day.

* * *

Simon said: Listen, O Caesar Nero, that thou mayst know that these men are liars, and that I have been sent from the heavens: tomorrow I go up into the heavens, that I may make those who believe in me blessed, and show my wrath upon those who have denied me.

* * *

Then Nero ordered a log tower to be made in the Campus Martius, and all the people and the dignities to be present at the spectacle. And on the following day, all the multitude having come together, Nero ordered Peter and Paul to be present, to whom also he said: Now the truth has to be made manifest.

Peter and Paul said: We do not expose him, but our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, whom he has falsely declared himself to be.

And Paul, having turned to Peter, said: It is my part to bend the knee, and to pray to God; and thine to produce the effect, if thou shouldst see him attempting anything, because thou wast first taken in hand by the Lord.

And Paul, bending his knees, prayed. And Peter, looking stedfastly upon Simon, said: Accomplish what thou hast begun; for both thy exposure and our call is at hand: for I see my Christ calling both me and Paul.

Nero said: And where will you go to against my will?

Peter said: Whithersoever our Lord has called us.

Nero said: And who is your lord?

Peter said: Jesus the Christ, whom I see calling us to Himself.

Nero said: Do you also then intend to go away to heaven?

Peter said: If it shall seem good to Him that calls us.

Simon said: In order that thou mayst know, O emperor, that these are deceivers, as soon as ever I ascend into heaven, I will send my angels to thee, and will make thee come to me.

Nero said: Do at once what thou sayest.

Then Simon went up upon the tower in the face of all, and, crowned with laurels, he stretched forth his hands, and began to fly.

And when Nero saw him flying, he said to Peter: This Simon is true; but thou and Paul are

deceivers.

To whom Peter said: Immediately shalt thou know that we are true disciples of Christ; but that he is not Christ, but a magician, and a malefactor.

Nero said: Do you still persist? Behold, you see him going up into heaven.

Then Peter, looking stedfastly upon Paul, said: Paul, look up and see.

And Paul, having looked up, full of tears, and seeing Simon flying, said: Peter, why art thou idle? finish what thou hast begun; for already our Lord Jesus Christ is calling us.

And Nero hearing them, smiled a little and said: These men see themselves worsted already, and are gone mad.

Peter said: Now thou shalt know that we are not mad.

Paul said to Peter: Do at once what thou doest.

And Peter, looking stedfastly against Simon, said: I adjure you, ye angels of Satan, who are carrying him into the air, to deceive the hearts of the unbelievers, by the God that created all things, and by Jesus Christ, whom on the third day He raised from the dead, no longer from this hour to keep

him up, but to let him go.

And immediately, being let go, he fell into a place called Sacra Via, that is, Holy Way, and was divided into four parts, having perished by an evil fate.

Book IV of Legenda Aurea. (The Golden Legend) From “The Life of S. Peter the Apostle”

That time Simon the enchanter was in Jerusalem, and he said he was first truth, and affirmed that who that would believe in him he would make them perpetual. And he also said that nothing to him was impossible. It is read in the book of S. Clement that he said that he should be worshipped of all men as God, and that he might do all that he would. And he said yet more: “When my mother Rachel commanded me that I should go reap corn in the field, and saw the sickle ready to reap with, I commanded the sickle to reap by itself alone, and it reaped ten times more than any other.”

And yet he added hereto more, after Jerome, and said: “I am the Word of God, I am the Holy Ghost, I am Almighty, I am all that is of God. He made serpents of brass to move, and made images of iron and of stone to laugh, and dogs to sing, and as S. Linus saith, he would dispute with S. Peter and show, at a day assigned, that he was God.

And Peter came to the place where the strife should be, and said to them that were there: “Peace to you brethren that love truth.

To whom Simon said: “We have none need of thy peace, for if peace and concord were made, we should not profit to find the truth, for thieves have peace among them. And therefore desire no peace but battle, for when two men fight and one is overcome then is it peace.

Then said Peter: “Why dreadest thou to hear of peace? Of sins grow battles, where is no sin there is

peace; in disputing is truth found, and in works righteousness.

Then said Simon: “It is not as thou sayest, but I shall show to thee the power of my dignity, that anon thou shalt adore me; I am first truth, and may flee by the air; I can make new trees and turn stones into bread; endure in the fire without hurting; and all that I will I may do.”

S. Peter disputed against all these, and disclosed all his malefices. Then Simon Magus, seeing that he

might not resist Peter, cast all his books into the sea, lest S. Peter should prove him a magician, by his books.

And Simon went to Rome where he was had and reputed as a god. And when Peter knew that, he followed and came to Rome. The fourth year of Claudius the emperor, Peter came to Rome, and sat as bishop there twenty-five years, and ordained two bishops as his helpers, Linus and Cletus, one within the walls, and that other without. He attended much to preaching of the Word of God, by which he converted man people to the faith of Christ, and healed many sick men, and in his preaching always he praised and preferred chastity. He converted four concubines of Agrippa the

provost, so that they would no more come to him, wherefore the provost sought occasion against Peter.

After this, our Lord appeared to S. Peter, saying to him: “Simon Magus and Nero purpose against thee, dread thee not, for I am with thee, and shall give to thee the solace of my servant Paul, which tomorrow shall come in to Rome.”

Then Peter, knowing that he should not long abide here, assembled all his brethren, and took Clement by the hand and ordained him a bishop, and made him to sit in his own seat. After this, as our Lord had said before, Paul came to Rome, and with Peter began to preach the faith of Christ.

Simon Magus was so much beloved of Nero that he weened that he had been the keeper of his life, of his health, and of all the city. On a day, as Leo the pope saith, as he stood before Nero, suddenly his visage changed, now old and now young, whi , when Nero saw, he supposed that he had been

the son of God.

Then said Simon Magus to Nero: “Because that thou shalt know me to be the very son of God, command my head to be smitten off and I shall rise again the third day.

Then Nero commanded to his brother to smite off his head, and when he supposed to have beheaded Simon, he beheaded a ram. Simon, by his artful magic went away unhurt, and gathered

together the members of the ram, and hid him three days. The blood of the ram abode and congealed.

The third day he came and showed him to Nero, saying: “Command my blood to be washed away, for lo I am he that was beheaded, and as I promised I have risen again the third day.” Whom Nero

seeing, was abashed and trowed verily that he had been the son of God. All this saith Leo.

Sometime also, when he was with Nero secretly within his conclave, the devil in his likeness spake without to the people. Then the Romans had him in such worship that they made to him an image, and wrote above, this title: To Simon the holy God.

Peter and Paul entered to Nero and discovered all the enchantments and malefices of Simon Magus,

and Peter added thereto, seeing that like as in Christ be two substances that is of God and man, so are in this magician two substances, that is of man and of the devil.

Then said Simon Magus, as S. Marcelle and Leo witness, “lest I should suffer any longer this enemy, I shall command my angels that they shall avenge me on him.”

To whom Peter said: “I dread nothing thine angels, but they dread me.

Nero said: “Dreadest thou not Simon, that by certain things affirmeth his godhead?”

To whom Peter said: “If dignity or godhead be in him let him tell now what I think or what I do, which thought I shall first tell to thee, that he shall not now lie what I think.

To whom Nero said: “Come hither and say what thou thinkest.”

Then Peter went to him and said to him secretly: “Command some man to bring to me a barley-loaf, and deliver it to me privily.” When it was taken to him, he blessed it, and hid it under his sleeve, and then said he: “Now Simon say what I think, and have said and done.”

Simon answered: “Let Peter say what I think.”

Peter answered: “What Simon thinketh that I know, I shall do it when he hath thought.”

Then Simon having indignation, cried aloud: “I command that dogs come and devour him. And suddenly there appeared great dogs and made an assault against Peter. He gave to them of the bread that he had blessed, and suddenly he made them to flee.

Then said Peter to Nero: “Lo! I have showed you what he thought against me, not in words but in deeds, for where he promised angels to come against me he brought dogs, thereby he showeth

that he hath none angels but dogs.

Then said Simon: “Hear ye, Peter and Paul; if I may not trouble you here, ye shall come where it shall please me to judge you. I shall spare you here. Haec Leo (This is in Leo).

Then Simon Magus, as Hegesippus and Linus say, full of pride, asserted he had such power that he could raise dead men to life. And it happed that there was a young man dead, and then Nero let call Peter and Simon, and all gave sentence by the will of Simon that he should be slain that might not arise the dead man to life.

Simon then, as he made his incantation upon the dead body, he was seen to move his head by them that stood by; then all they cried to stone Peter.

Peter with difficulty gaining silence said: “If the dead body live, let him arise, walk and speak, else

know ye that it is a fantasy that the head of the dead man moveth. Let Simon be taken from the bed.”

And the body lay there, unmoving.

Peter standing afar making his prayer cried to the dead body, saying: “Young man, arise in the name of Jesu Christ of Nazareth crucified,” and anon, he arose living, and walked.

Then, when the people would have stoned Simon Magus, Peter said: “He is in pain enough, knowing him to be overcome in his heart; our master hath taught us for to do good for evil.

Then said Simon to Peter and Paul: “Yet is it not come to you that ye desire, for ye be not worthy to

have martyrdom.”

Thet answered: “That is, that we desire to have, but to thee it shall never be well, for thou liest in all that thou sayest.”

Then as Marcel saith: Simon went to the house of Marcel and bound there a great black dog at the door of the house, and said: “Now I shall see if Peter, which is accustomed to come hither, shall come, and if he come this dog shall strangle him.”

And a little after that, Peter and Paul went thither, and anon Peter made the sign of the cross and unbound the hound, and the hound was as tame and meek as a lamb, and pursued none but Simon, and went to him and took and cast him to the ground under him, and having him by the throat would have strangled him. And then ran Peter to him and cried upon the hound that he should not do him any harm. And anon the hound relaxed and touched not his body.

But Simon, his gown was all tattered and torn in such wise that he was almost naked. Then all the people, and especially children, ran with the hound upon him and hunted and chased him out of the town as if he had been a wolf. Then for the reproof and shame Simon dare not come in to the town for all a whole year after. Then Marcel that was disciple of Simon Magus, seeing these great miracles, came to Peter, and was from thenceforth on his disciple.

And after, at the end of the year, Simon returned and was received again into the friendship of Nero. And then, as Leo saith, this Simon Magus assembled the people and showed to them how he had been angered of the Galileans, and therefore he said that he would leave the city which he was wont to defend and keep, and set a day in which he would ascend into heaven, for he deigned no more to dwell in the earth. Then on the day that he had established, like as he had said, he went up to an high tower, whicj was on the capitol, and there being crowned with laurel, threw himself out from place to place, and began to fly in the air.

Then said S. Paul to S. Peter: It is given to me to pray, and to thee for to command.

Then said Nero: “This man is very God, and ye be two traitors.”

Then said S. Peter to S. Paul: “Paul, brother, lift up thine head and see how Simon flyeth.” Then S. Paul said to S. Peter when he saw him fly so high: “Peter, why tarriest thou? Perform that thou hast begun, God now calleth us.” Then said Peter: “I charge and conjure you angels of Sathanas, which bear him in the air, by the name of our Lord Jesu Christ, that ye bear or sustain him no more, but let him fall to the earth.”

And anon they let him fall to the ground and brake his neck and head, and he died there forthwith.