Myth of the Magus by E.M. Butler

Publication:1948 Macmillan Company First Edition First Printing

The Magus, a legendary magician of superhuman powers, is an archetype central to myth and religion across many cultures. Identifying its anthropological origins in ancient rituals performed by a shaman or wizard to ensure the prosperity of his tribe, E.M. Butler goes on to trace its subsequent development in pre-Christian religious and mystic philosophers, in medieval sorcerers and alchemists, and finally in the eighteenth- and nineteenth-century occult revival. From Zoroaster to Solomon, John Dee, Merlin to Faust,legends of the Magus are explored and where possible compared with the historical record in this fascinating account.

Condition: original black boards, corners slightly bumped, all pages clean with no markings, binding tight, overall Very Good condition