,! ,POLITICS ( ,MAGIC 

,PEOPLE 3 

,AU?OR 3 ,DAVID ,GRAEB] 

,TEXT 3 

,!SSALIAN WIT*ES1 IT WAS SAID1 W\LD REGUL>LY MAKE ?REATS AGA9/ ! COSMOS3 IF ! GODS DIDN'T DO !IR BIDD+ !Y W\LD BLOT \T ! SUN & PLUCK ! MOON FROM ! SKY LIKE AN EYE \T ( ITS SOCKET4 ,UND] ! ,ROMAN ,EMPIRE1 MAGICIANS CLAIM$ TO HAVE GODS FREQU5TLY OV] = D9N]1 & A POPUL> RUMOR HAD IT ?AT ,*RI/ HIMSELF WAS JU/ A MAGICIAN--:O1 AFT] MANY YE>S ( /UDY 9 ! SECRET *AMB]S B5EA? ,EGYPTIAN TEMPLES1 HAD LE>N$ ! TRUE NAMES ( SEV]AL IMPORTANT ANGELS4 ,!Y !REBY BECAME HIS SLAVES & 5ABL$ HIM TO P]=M MIRACLES4 

,IT IS1 P]HAPS1 NOT SURPRIS+ ?AT S]I\S S*OL>S HAVE HAD A H>D TIME DECID+ :AT TO SAY AB\T ?IS SORT ( ?+4 

,IT'S ESPECIALLY H>D = ,CLASSICI/S1 MO/ ( :OM IGNORE ANCI5T MAGIC 5TIRELY4 ,CLASSICI/S1 AFT] ALL1 >E LIKELY TO BE DRAWN TO !IR FIELD BY AN ADMIRATION = ANCI5T PHILOSOPHY1 OR >T1 OR SIMPLY AN ATTRACTION TO :AT US$ TO BE CALL$ ! CLASSICAL TEMP]1 ) ITS RATIONALITY1 BALANCE1 & HATR$ ( EXCESS4 ,NOT SURPRIS+ !N !Y T5D TO %UN ?OSE >EAS ( ANCI5T LIFE :I* >E MO/ OBVI\SLY IRRATIONAL1 UNBALANC$ & EXCESSIVE4 ,?IS IS PROBABLY ! REASON :Y ! LA/ S]I\S ATTEMPT AT AN OV]ALL HI/ORY ( MAGIC 9 ! ANCI5T WORLD WAS WRITT5 BY ,PL9Y ! ,ELD]1 SOMETIME >\ND #gg ,A,D4 

,MAGIC 9 ! ,ANCI5T ,WORLD1 BY ,FRITZ ,GRAF1 A ,SWISS CLASSICI/1 W\LD !N SEEM TO BE FILL+ A V]Y DEF9ITE GAP4 ,& IT IS1 9DE$1 A V]Y GOOD BOOK1 FULL ( 9SI<TS4 ,IT'S ALSO A RA!R FRU/RAT+ ONE--ESPECIALLY = A NON-,CLASSICI/4 ,! AU?OR SEEMS TO PRESUME A READ] :O NOT ONLY ALREADY KN[S :AT1 SAY1 ! H]METIC TRADITION OR !URGY IS1 BUT ONE :O ALREADY HAS OP9IONS AB\T !M4 ,! /ORY HE HAS TO TELL HAS TO BE TEAS$ \T FROM A S]IES ( (T5 TE*NICAL >GUM5TS4 ,/ILL1 IT CAN BE4 ,& IT'S A FASC9AT+ /ORY4 

,IT BEG9S 9 ! #e? C5TURY ,B,C1 A TIME :I* SAW ! >RIVAL 9 ,GREECE ( A SLEW ( 0BEGG> PRIE/S0 7AS ,PLATO CALL$ !M7 FROM ! ,MIDDLE ,EA/1 W&]+ CUR]S :O ALSO C>RI$ ) !M HI!RTO UNKN[N ,ASSYRIAN & ,BABYLONIAN TE*NIQUES = 0B9D+0 ONE'S 5EMIES4 ,!Y W]E P>TICUL>LY WELL RECEIV$ 9 ,P]ICLEAN ,A!NS1 :I*--DUR+ ! TIME ( ,SOCRATES1 ,EURIPIDES1 & ! RE/--WITNESS$ A V]ITABLE BOOM ( SORC]Y1 ) ?\S&S ( CITIZ5S SNEAK+ TO CEMET]IES AT NI<T >M$ ) LEAD TABLETS & WAX FIGUR9ES 9 ORD] TO S5D <O/S TO TIE ! TONGUES ( ?OSE LIKELY TO TE/IFY AGA9/ !M 9 LAW SUITS4 ,A!NIAN PHILOSOPH]S & DOCTORS W]E QUICK TO SEIZE ON SU* BEGG> PRIE/S AS ! EPITOME ( ALL !Y W]E AGA9/4 ,! !OLOGICALLY 9CL9$ ATTACK$ !M = BELIEV+ ! GODS W\LD EV] ALL[ M]E MORTALS TO TELL !M :AT TO DO2 MAT]IALI/S1 = BELIEV+ GODS HAD ANY?+ TO DO ) NATURAL PROCESSES TO BEG9 )4 ,!Y LABEL$ !M 0MAGI01 AFT] ! (FICIAL PRIE/LY CA/E ( ! ,P]SIAN ,EMPIRE--:I* A FEW PROBABLY W]E1 OR AT LEA/ CLAIM$ TO BE4 ,IT WAS ! P]FECT SLUR1 S9CE ,P]SIANS W]E = ! ,GREEKS ! QU9TESS5TIAL BAD GUYS1 & WORSE1 ! QU9TESS5TIAL LOS]S 7IF !IR SPELLS W]E SO P[]FUL1 :Y HAD !Y FAIL$ SO MIS]ABLY :5 !Y TRI$ TO CONQU] ,GREECE8 ,9 ANCI5T ,ISRAEL1 BY CONTRA/1 ! ,P]SIANS W]E ! GOOD GUYS1 HAV+ FRE$ ! ,JEWS FROM EXILE 9 ,BABYLON4 ,H5CE ! ?REE K9DLY MAGI ( ! ,NEW ,TE/AM5T47 

,9 ,ROMAN TIMES1 0MAGUS0 REMA9$ L>GELY A T]M ( ABUSE4 ,= MO/ 9TELLECTUALS1 IT MEANT *>LATANS :O US$ !IR TRICKS TO W[ ! IGNORANT C\NTRY FOLK & GULL !M ( !IR MONEY4 ,BUT AS TIME W5T ON1 ! T]M WAS PICK$ UP BY A SORT ( C\NT]CULTURE ( SELF-PROCLAIM$ MAGICIANS--:I* MI<T 9CLUDE ANYONE FROM TE5AGE PHILOSOPHY /UD5TS 9 SE>* ( KICKS TO W&]+ HUCK/]S & FAIRGR\ND %[M51 PURVEY+ CLAIMS TO MIRACUL\S KN[L$GE FROM ! ,EA/4 ,A LIT]ATURE DEVELOP$4 ,SECRET BOOKS ( PURPORT$LY ,EGYPTIAN1 ,JEWI%1 & ,ASSYRIAN LORE W]E COPI$ & PASS$ ON4 ,IT WAS ! BEG9N+ ( A TRADITION--) ITS DEMONS & P5TAGRAMS--:I* W\LD CONT9UE ?R\< ! ,MIDDLE ,AGES1 ALL ! WAY TO ! LIKES ( ,ALEI/] ,CRAWLEY & ! ,GOLD5 ,DAWN1 NOT TO M5TION PROVID+ 5DLESS MAT]IAL = L[-GRADE HORROR FANTASIES 9 ! JUNK CULTURE ( JU/ AB\T EV]Y SUBSEQU5T P]IOD ( ,EUROPEAN HI/ORY4 

,GRAF KEEPS ! FOCUS MA9LY ON ?IS SECRET LIT]ATURE3 ON ! ACTUAL TEXTS ( ! LEAD TABLETS DEPOSIT$ 9 TOMBS1 OR ( SPELLS RECORD$ ON ,EGYPTIAN PAPYRI4 ,ONE *APT] IS CONC]N$ ) %[+ H[ LITTLE LIT]>Y REPRES5TATIONS ( MAGIC HAD TO DO ) ! REAL ?+4 ,BUT 9 A WAY ?IS IS ALSO ! BOOK'S GREATE/ WEAKNESS4 ,AFT] ALL1 IF ONE WANTS TO UND]/& ! SOCIAL SIGNIFICANCE ( MAGIC 7:I* PRESUMABLY IS1 ULTIMATELY1 ! PO9T7 :AT MAGICIANS ACTUALLY DO IS NOT NE>LY SO IMPORTANT AS :AT PEOPLE ?9K !Y DO4 ,GRAF DOES ACKN[L$GE ?IS--MAGICIANS1 HE NOTES1 >E CREAT$ BY PUBLIC OP9ION--BUT EV5 H]E HE IS SO DET]M9$ NOT TO S5SATIONALIZE HIS TOPIC ?AT HE 5DS UP ROBB+ IT ( MU* ( ITS SUB/ANCE4 ,AFT] ALL1 MAGIC IS PRETTY MU* 9H]5TLY S5SATIONALI/IC4 ,IF IT CAN'T AMAZE & TITILLATE1 :AT P[] DOES IT HAVE8 

,IT'S NOT REALLY ,GRAF'S FAULT4 ,REALLY IT'S ! FAULT ( SOCIAL !ORY4 ,!RE JU/ ISN'T ANY WOR?:ILE !ORY ( MAGIC \T !RE TO APPLY4 ,LIKE MO/ HI/ORIANS1 HE DUTIFULLY TURNS TO AN?ROPOLOGY = 9SI<TS2 BUT AN?ROPOLOGICAL !ORIES ( MAGIC--,I AM MYSELF AN AN?ROPOLOGI/1 SO ,I CAN SAY ?IS--HIT A DEAD 5D YE>S AGO1 & !Y DO NOT S]VE HIM WELL4 

#a#i? C5TURY AN?ROPOLOGI/S HAD AN ATTITUDE ALMO/ ID5TICAL TO ?AT ( MO/ ANCI5T 9TELLECTUALS3 MAGIC WAS SIMPLY A COLLECTION ( IMPO/URES & MI/AKES4 ,MO/ TW5TIE? C5TURY AN?ROPOLOGICAL LIT]ATURE ON ! SUBJECT !N HAS CONSI/$ 9 TRY+ TO F9D SOME WAY TO AVOID ?IS CONCLUSION4 

,IT ISN'T EASY4 ,AFT] ALL1 PRES5T$ ) A P]SON :O CLAIMS TO BE ABLE TO CA/ LI<TN+1 IT IS V]Y DIFFICULT TO AVOID ! CONCLUSION ?AT ?IS IS NOT TRUE2 & ?AT !RE=E1 ! P]SON 9 QUE/ION IS EI!R DELUD$1 OR A LI>4 ,! USUAL SOLUTION IS TO FOCUS ON ! WORD 'TRUE'4 ,MAGICAL /ATEM5TS >E NOT MEANT TO BE TAK5 LIT]ALLY4 ,:5 A WIT* ?REAT5S TO PLUCK \T ! MOON1 ?IS IS A POETIC /ATEM5T1 A 'P]=MATIVE SPEE* ACT'1 A =M ( EXPRESSIVE COMMUNICATION1 A K9D ( TROPE4 ,MAGICAL ACTS >E REALLY 9T5D$ TO HAVE EFFECTS NOT ON ! PHYSICAL WORLD1 BUT ON A HUMAN AUDI5CE4 ,SURELY ?IS APPROA* CAN BE USEFUL1 BUT !RE >E OBVI\S OBJECTIONS4 ,! MO/ OBVI\S3 :AT IF !RE ISN'T ANY AUDI5CE8 ,) MO/ MAGIC1 & ALMO/ ALL ANCI5T MAGIC1 ! ACTUAL RITUAL IS DONE 9 SECRET4 ,BY ACCEPT+ AN?ROPOLOGICAL !ORY1 ,GRAF IS ULTIMATELY =C$ TO ! CONCLUSION ?AT MO/ ANCI5T MAGIC WASN'T SOCIAL AT ALL3 IT WAS AB\T ! MAGICIAN'S P]SONAL RELATION%IP ) ! GODS4 

,! PROBLEM IS ?AT = MO/ ( ANCI5T HI/ORY1 ?IS WAS OBVI\SLY UNTRUE4 ,9 ,GREECE1 UND] ! E>LY ,EMPIRE1 MAGIC WAS A MAJOR 9/RUM5T ( POLITICS--PUBLIC FIGURES W]E ALWAYS HAV+ !IR H\SES SE>*$ = HIDD5 DOLLS & TABLETS4 ,SO ! AU?OR IS =C$ TO RE=MULATE3 ACTUALLY1 IT WAS ONLY UND] ! LATE ,EMPIRE1 :5 ! /ATE BECAME 9CREAS+LY BUREAUCRATIC & AU?ORIT>IAN1 & POLITICS RE/RICT$ TO A T9Y ELITE1 ?AT MAGIC BECAME1 AS IT W]E1 ,NEW ,AGE-IFI$1 UNTIL 9 ! 5D IT SIMPLY BECAME A MATT] ( CONC]N = ! MAGICIAN'S 0SPIRITUAL WELF>E04 

,BUT :AT AB\T :5 MAGIC WAS POLITICAL8 ,IT'S H]E ?AT !ORY FAILS US4 ,SO ALL[ ME TO (F] A SUGGE/ION4 ,:AT'S MISS+ FROM MO/ ACC\NTS IS A S]I\S CONSID]ATION ( TWO FACTORS :I* ALWAYS SEEM SURR\ND MAGIC1 9 ! POPUL> IMAG9ATION3 SKEPTICISM1 & FE>4 ,I D\BT MANY ,!SSALIAN PEASANTS BELIEV$ ?AT WIT*ES C\LD REALLY PLUCK \T ! MOON2 BUT PROBABLY MO/ SUSPECT$ ANYONE :O MADE SU* CLAIMS MI<T BE CAPABLE ( SOME?+ FAIRLY T]RIBLE4 ,!Y MI<T HAVE BE5 SKEPTICAL AB\T ! WIT*ES1 BUT !Y W]E EQUALLY SKEPTICAL AB\T PHILOSOPH]S :O W\LD ASSURE !M SU* PEOPLE HAD NO P[]S :ATSOEV]4 ,:Y TAKE *ANCES8 

,IT'S ?IS FACTOR ( 9TIMIDATION :I* ,I SUSPECT EXPLA9S ! RELATION ) /ATE POLITICS4 ,9 ANCI5T ,ROME1 :5 ! /ATE CLAMP$ D[N1 MAGIC EFFECTIVELY DISAPPE>$4 ,I WITNESS$ ALMO/ ! EXACT OPPOSITE PH5OM5A 9 RURAL ,MADAGASC>4 ,MADAGASC> HAD1 = MO/ ( ?IS C5TURY1 BE5 UND] ! GRIP ( A TYPICAL COLONIAL POLICE /ATE4 ,OV] ! C\RSE ( ! '#gS & '#hS1 ! /ATE AB&ON$ ! C\NTRYSIDE 5TIRELY4 ,! POLICE DISAPPE>$ COMPLETELY4 ,BY #a#i#i1 JU/ AB\T EV]YONE HAD BECOME A MAGICIAN ( SOME SORT OR ANO!R--OR MORE ACCURATELY1 P]HAPS1 WAS WILL+ TO 9S9UATE !Y MI<T BE4 ,! RESULT WAS A SOCIETY :]E IT WAS CONSID]$ ELEM5T>Y COMMON S5SE ?AT ONE %\LD BE V]Y POLITE TO /RANG]S BECAUSE Y\ NEV] KN[ :O MI<T KN[ H[ TO BLA/ Y\ ) LI<TN+1 WI!R Y\R CROPS OR R5D] Y\R *ILDR5 9SANE4 ,?IS G5]AL UNC]TA9TY PRODUC$ A REM>KABLE DEGREE ( SOCIAL PEACE4 

,!RE W]E PR(ESSIONAL MAGICIANSS1 TOO3 A/ROLOG]S1 M$IUMS1 CUR]S4 ,EV]YONE ASSUM$ ?AT MO/ W]E FRAUDS2 ?AT MO/ ( !IR AMAZ+ EFFECTS 7EAT+ GLASS1 SUCK+ \T OBJECTS FROM UND] PEOPLES' SK9S447 W]E M]E /AGE ILLUSIONS2 MO/ ( ?OSE :O CLAIM$ TO BE ABLE TO CA/ LI<TN+1 SIMPLY LI>S4 7,EV5 SO1 ONE W\LD H>DLY BE WISE TO GO AB\T PROVOK+ SU* A P]SON47 ,?IS IS :AT AN?ROPOLOGI/S HAVE DISCOV]$ JU/ AB\T EV]Y:]E4 ,TRADITIONALLY1 AN?ROPOLOGI/S HAVE NOT F\ND ALL ?IS SKEPTICISM P>TICUL>LY 9T]E/+3 ! PO9T1 !Y ALWAYS SAY1 IS ?AT FEW D5Y ?AT ! G5U9E ITEM DOES1 SOME:]E1 EXI/4 ,I ?9K IT'S V]Y 9T]E/+4 ,AFT] ALL1 CONSID] :AT ONE IS SAY+ :5 ONE SAYS A MAGICIAN IS A FRAUD4 ,ONE IS SAY+ ?AT !RE >E SOME PEOPLE :O CLE>LY >E P[]FUL & 9FLU5TIAL1 BUT :OSE P[] IS REALLY BAS$ ON NO?+ O!R ?AN !IR ABILITY TO CONV9CE O!RS ?AT !Y HAVE IT4 ,IS ?IS NOT A PR(\ND 9SI<T 9TO ! NATURE ( SOCIAL P[]8 ,9 FACT1 ,I SUSPECT ?IS IS ! REAL REASON SOCIAL !ORI/S FEEL UNCOM=TABLE ACKN[L$G+ ?IS POLITICAL ASPECT ( MAGIC--OR P]HAPS1 9 TALK+ AB\T MAGIC AT ALL4 ,MAGIC CAPTURES SOME?+ ( ! ESS5CE ( POLITICAL P[]3 ! FACT ?AT !RE IS ALWAYS SOME?+ P>ADOXICAL1 CIRCUL>1 & JU/ A LITTLE BIT /UPID AB\T ! :OLE ?+4 

,! P[] ( MAGICIANS1 ,I AM SUGGE/+1 IS SIMPLY A SLI<TLY MORE \TRAGE\S1 SMALLTIME C>NIVAL V]SION ( ! K9D HELD BY K+S & CONSULS3 A P[] :I* /RIVES TO BO? S$UCE & T]RIFY1 WIELD$ BY FIGURES :O TRY TO 5T]TA9 !IR AUDI5CE ) PREPO/]\S LIES AT ! SAME TIME AS CON/ANTLY1 TACITLY TRY+ TO 9S9UATE ?AT1 IF *ALL5G$14 !Y C\LD ALSO ANNHILATE !M--& PROBABLY W\LDN'T SCRUPLE MU* TO DO SO4 ,A P[] :I* MANY SUSPECT 7RI<TLY7 COMES D[N TO LITTLE MORE ?AN AN ABILITY TO CONV9CE O!RS IT EXI/S1 BUT JU/ POSSIBLY1 MI<T BE SOME?+ MORE ?AN ?AT4 ,NO WOND] REAL POLITICIANS ! WORLD OV] T5D TO HAVE ! SAME REACTION TO SU* PEOPLE3 EI!R1 LIKE ! ,P]SIAN EMP]ORS1 !Y ADOPT !M AS ASSI/ANTS1 OR IF NOT1 ! URGE IS ALWAYS TO DO AS SO MANY ,ROMAN ONES3 TO HAVE !M EXPELL$ FROM ! CITY1 CLAPP$ 9 IRONS1 OR PUT TO DEA?4 ,! ONLY EMP]OR :O DABBL$ 9 MAGIC HIMSELF1 AS F> AS WE KN[1 WAS ,N]O 7A GREAT LOV] ( !ATRICAL EFFECTS74 ,HE WAS SUFFICI5TLY CURI\S TO HAVE HIMSELF 9ITIAT$ BY A G5U9E ,P]SIAN MAGUS4 ,AFT] A :ILE1 ?\<1 HE GREW BOR$ ( IT3 APP>5TLY1 BECAUSE HE REALIZ$ !RE WAS NO P[] MAGIC C\LD GIVE HIM ?AT HE DIDN'T ALREADY HAVE4 

7,S\RCE3 ,RETRIEV$ ON #b#h? ,NOVEMB] #bba FROM DAVIDGRAEB]4ORG47 

,FROM 3 ,!,AN>*I/,LIBR>Y4ORG4 

,*RONOLOGY 3 
,JANU>Y #i1 #bbb 3 ,! ,POLITICS ( ,MAGIC -- ,ADD$4 

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