蔷薇剑 发表于 2006-7-1 19:24:01

【转帖】女巫的传说与仪式

女巫的传说与仪式
2006-06-28 15:18:03 来源: 网易论坛  网友评论 0 条 进入论坛
所谓的女巫是指「有智慧的女性」的名词

女巫一词,在英语中为Witch,意思为魔女、妖妇等等。他原本是源自於古英语Whicce,表示有智慧的女性。许多女巫的研究家们解释,在古代社会便已经发现女性所拥有的特殊的神秘能力,而特别称学习这种能力的女性为女巫,然而,一到了後世,显示女巫并不一定只限於女性,非得女性才能担任。尽管非女性的女巫是少数的,但男性的「女巫」仍然存在著,这种现象至今仍然存在著,这种现象到了现代还是没有改变。

举例来说,使古代宗教复活,奠定名为佳多那派女巫宗派的英国人乔兰多?佳多那博士,被认为虽是男性,但也无疑是一名「女巫」。顺便一提,乔兰多?佳多那博士是二十世纪前半期活跃於女巫宗教领域的人。在位於英格兰与爱尔兰之间的曼恩岛南端,一个名为奇亚斯鲁威的古老城镇,设立了「女巫博物馆」,他因此而声名大噪〈这座博物馆,是由後继者是一名女性的巫师,很遗憾地被卖掉了,现在并不存在〉。

在欧洲的历史之中,许多女巫出现,而成为女巫审判的牺牲品的女巫人数,仅仅在十六世纪及十七世纪就轻易地超过二十万人。

这样的女巫之一,英格兰的奥尔达恩有一名名为伊莎贝尔?加伍帝。根据她一六六二年所进行的告白,她因为在砂丘上遇见的恶魔,而被迫进入巫教,据说,她可以使自己化身为野兽。可以化身或飞在空中的能力之中最典型的。女巫所拥有的能力之中最典型的。女巫除了这些能力之外,也被认为可以透视解读人的心理。被预选为女巫的女性,也一一成为女巫,如此一来,并不是女巫绝对来自人类的世界不可。

为了成为女巫的仪式,亦即女巫的入教仪式,是异端审问及女巫狩猎等等,已成为确立的项目。根据这个仪式,女巫的入教,意味著和恶魔订立契约。女巫正因为有恶魔才有其本身的存在,若恶魔不存在,可以说,不能认为女巫是存在的。

女巫的入教是与恶魔之间的契约,称这种关系为「契约」的地方,的确是欧美。纵使无论多么希望成为女巫,还是无法自行成为女巫。作为契约的另一造,恶魔经常存在著。关於所谓的恶魔为何?将在後文提及,但被这种恶魔所预选的人,只有自己也希望成为女巫者,才得以成为女巫。

那么,作为为了成为女巫的仪式,大概是有相同的仪式吧!这种仪式,无论根据时代或是根据场所,似乎都有些微差异。然而,一看简略的概要,便可发现:在女巫的入教仪式上,如下的仪式,作为共通的部份而一直浮上台面。

(1)拒绝基督教。基督教因为是反对信仰恶魔,所以反过来说信仰女巫的宗教,巫教当然必须拒绝这个宗教。基督教所系挂的十字架或仪式,不消说也当然得加以否定。

(2)约束入教者需服侍恶魔。对女巫而言,恶魔是绝对的存在。因此,恶魔所说的话便是绝对者所说的话。遵循这些指示,被视为理所当然之事。

(3)不忘仅可能地宣传信仰恶魔〔信仰女巫〕教义的努力。增加新的信徒,被视为女巫的义务。

(4)不怠忽女巫信仰的仪式,用心地实行一切仪式。在典型上,有必要定期地召开十三名女巫所组成的女巫集会,称为「科文」(coven)。

(5)恶魔及女巫的团体之中,必须学会作为女巫的识别方法,或是具有作为女巫的识别方法。也就是说,很显然地明了女巫应具有什么条件。女巫被认为身体上的各部上雀斑或黑痣很多。

(6)召开被称为主日的大规模「女巫集会」,是女巫的义务。这一点意味著加强了女巫同志的「约束」力量。

女巫入教虽是一种契约关系,但从女巫方面来说,并不仅仅是「给予」而已,而从恶魔方面来说,「获得」也是理所当然之事。也就是说,两方具有平等互惠的关系,双方互惠各取其利。

如果是那样,那么,由於入教成为女巫的女性,可以从恶魔身上获得的东西是什么呢?

那是「性的满足感」。女巫入教的仪式一结束,性的仪式就在旁等候著的情形很多。这是一种与恶魔的性接触,一般认为,一订可以得到满足感。与恶魔的性交,有时当然是在入教之前进行。一般认为,与恶魔性交可以获得与常人性交时无法得到的愉悦,因此,也有无法忘记恶魔的存在,而成为女巫的女性。

性的仪式,大多数的情形,似乎是於主日宴会〔女巫集会或女巫派对〕举行的仪式较多。

虽然如此一来「给予」也较多,但是,一旦成为「获得」之处较多的女巫,则一般认为,这种女性是无法再回到人间界。即使外貌上是作为人间的女性而存在著,因为心灵及魂魄以委身於恶魔,所以毫无选择之途。

为了作为女巫入教的可靠凭据,可以订定入教誓约书,这些誓约书,现在仍留下数份。一看这种东西,便可发现誓约舒适备用反射镜写作方式书写的。所谓的反射镜写作,也被称为「镜映文字」是将恰好的文字写在镜子上的状态。因此,在左至右书写之际,也被印上奇异的魔印。女巫们所具有的东西『魔印』女巫为了证明其身分,以及进行魔法或咒法,拥有必要的东西。女巫证明其为女巫的信物,是「女巫的印记」,这种「女巫的印记」,是从出生起便附带而来的先天性印记。举例来说,有雀斑或黑痣。这些情形,可以决定一个女性从出生起便生而为女巫的命运。作为诸如此类的先天性印记,最容易被视为标记之一的,是乳头。通常,一般认为女性左右两侧各有一个乳头,然而,也有女性在乳头部位又有小的肿胀。在异端审问等情况之际,如此的肿胀被视为多余的乳房而被列举出来,也被视为是女巫的确实证据。雀斑或黑痣,也被看做女巫的刻印。原本刻印并非一切的雀斑或黑痣,似乎被限定於某种印记,呈现蝙蝠的形状的印记、类似於小动物样貌的印记,在欧洲共通地被认定是女巫的证据。其理由是因为,女巫藉由其诅咒的力量,将如此与生俱来的东西作为自己的使唤喽喽而加以利用。爪牙的种类因地方也有所不同,有些地方,甚至连跳蚤也被看作女巫的爪牙。在这样的地方,被跳蚤咬过的痕迹也被视为女巫的证明。作为後天性的印记,是刀伤、被动物咬过的痕迹,甚至连由於不同情况所产生的身体的变形,也包含在内。因为,这些印记被认为是恶魔根据其意思而附加上去的。

『人偶』

女巫在使用诅咒术的时候利用人偶的情形颇多。最典型的,是诅咒用的人偶。这样的人偶实物,由於目前被收藏於博物馆等处,因此仍可见到。作为单纯的人偶,有一种作成人的形状,切掉木头的部份而使用。有些是费功夫、黏土制的精细手工艺品。这种人偶并不单单是黏土的成分,其中也混入了动物的血液及弄碎的骨头之类的成分。大多数的情形,女巫并不是经常带著这种人偶,一般认为,女巫唯有在接受诅咒的委托的时候,才按照需要而制作人偶。要在诅咒对方死亡的时候,应将那个受诅咒的对象身体的一部份(例如头发)加以混合,仅可能地制作相似於对象的人偶。为了要使单恋的恋爱成功,则应制作两个人偶,也施行使特别制作的爱的液体倾盆而注的咒法之类的方法。女巫为了提高自己的魔力,被认为有时也会带著人偶。根据女巫与魔王亦即恶魔的契约,女巫虽已被赋予了卓越的魔力,但其魔力更加出色的能力的关键,是全凭努力而定。为了达成此一目的,女巫藉由喜好的动物的骨骼而制成人偶。以头部而言,人猿的头盖骨被使用的情形很多。为了利用秘法而提高诅咒的效果,女巫也在头盖骨上科入各种魔符或魔字。像这样的人偶,几乎看不到,其原因,是因为女巫们害怕因这些魔符或魔字被人看见而失去魔力所致。※骷髅或建等,是女巫的诅咒仪式上所不可或缺的小道具。

『法器』

提到女巫,大概有人会想到描绘了她们跨骑在法器(一般印象中是扫把)上的形貌影像吧。作为法器的代替品,有时手杖也会被使用。据说,由於使用的人,这些东西其实是魔法之棒,飞行在夜空的东西,偶尔可以看见法器之类。另外,在心理学者中,有人主张,女巫及信仰女巫包含了强烈的性方面的意味,而法器或手杖是象徵著男性的性器。

女巫传说

“从女巫初现人世,就没有父母、儿女、配偶、家庭。她是一个魔怪、一块陨石,弄不清是从哪儿来的。上帝啊!谁敢走近她?她又待在哪里?荆棘丛生的野林、人烟不至的荒地,都有她的踪影。夜里她则栖身在一张古老的桌子下。大家害怕撞见她,这使她更加孤独。她的周围像围了一道火篱笆,谁想过她还是个女人?即使过着这么可怕的生活,她还是保持着张弛有度的女性活力、女性的吸引力……”

“巫师”(sorcier)这个字的法文原意,是指能够经由祭祀或象征的仪式去改变他人命运的人(字首“sors”在拉丁语中表示“遭遇”或“命运”)。巫师最常见的施法形式是下咒,于是它便成为“巫术”和“诅咒”两词的同义词。在意大利文和西班牙文中,表示巫术的词为“fattura”和“hechiceria”,也都意味着“包藏祸心”。从十五世纪初期开始,“巫师”的意义历经演进,更明确地意指他们的法力是源自魔鬼附身。

其实,《暗黑破坏神2》中的女巫与人们想象中的巫婆形象相去甚远,这里的女巫是一个拥有神奇魔力、并远离邪恶的奇女子形象。大家可以将她同下面将要介绍的“巫师”作以比较。

民间传说中的女巫可以追溯到很久以前,相传一个女人到了夜里会变成一头猛禽,发出可怖的叫声,飞进房屋里吞食婴孩。这种黑夜女巫的形象,是神怪传说的一个重要元素,经常见载于罗马文学和希腊神话中。

十世纪,日耳曼特里夫斯的勃鲁姆写了一部供主教阅读的隐修纪律指导书——《主教会规》,其中记载了几名受撒旦诱惑的妇女,与罗马女神戴安娜一起骑在某些动物背上飞行。戴安娜是跟月亮、水、沼泽地有关的女神,照顾妇女分娩,而这些都跟巫术紧密联系,以致有的专家称她为“女巫的神”。后期的文献曾提到希罗底的名字,她是罗马希律王的妻子,间接害死了施洗约翰,另外书中还提到过日耳曼万神庙的女神像霍尔达。不论怎样,魔鬼学家们根据《主教会规》确定了女巫的形象——她们常常在夜间骑一把扫帚或一头动物,从窗子、墙壁或烟囱飞出去参加巫魔会。

如果没有阅读过十五世纪至十七世纪的一些史料的话,我们是很难想象到当时的猎巫活动是如何的残酷,许多无辜的女性被视为女巫活活烧死,死前还曾倍受折磨。在1580年到1670年期间,西欧各地完全笼罩在对所谓的女巫的血腥屠杀之中,当时有一位名叫雷米的法官,三十年间烧死了三千多名“女巫”,点燃了数百座火刑架。

人们之所以如此残忍地对待“女巫”,主要是由于传统中根深蒂固的反女性成见,女人使人害怕,医生不理解她们的生理,神学家将她们视为反复无常的人,必须时刻加以防范(女人犯有“原罪”,她们常被视作魔鬼的代理人)。从法律观点来说,当时的女性先受父亲的监护,只有到寡居的时候才能获得相对的独立,但寡妇的角色受到社会的普遍排斥,因此“她们想在巫术中寻求报复的满足”。

人们还常常在年老贫穷的女人中寻找所谓的罪魁祸首,受到中伤而被控为巫婆的,通常是一些有土方治病经验的妇女,她们掌握治病的秘方,于是大家便怀疑她们会诅咒。

十八世纪时期,西方国家已看不到对巫案的审讯。十九世纪上半叶的浪漫主义,尤其是德国浪漫主义的流行,促使了女巫的形象以民间故事和传奇的形式走入文学殿堂,例如《格林兄弟童话集》里就有许多女巫的故事。而女巫的社会地位也在一定程度上得到了平反,在许多作品中,她们成为遭受教会迫害而奋起反抗的妇女的原型。

蔷薇剑 发表于 2006-7-1 19:26:37

RE:【转帖】女巫的源起与类型

如果要了解一个事物的起源,我们就要先分析他们的种类。如今社会上我们所了解女巫分为三种。

第一种,以历史角度来看,所谓的女巫


也就是15世纪季度天主教会猎杀女巫时期遭受到迫害,以及被冠上女巫罪名的女人们,讲白一点就是假女巫. 教会的人将女巫称为撒旦的情人,仆人甚至妻子。目的就是为了铲除异己,将他们"大神"权耀立于每个人头上。在这些受害者当中,百分之九十以上并非真正的女巫,她们可能只是到家附近采个野花什么的,或者运气差一点住家附近有人病了,这个女人就会莫名其妙地被冠上女巫施法害人的罪名.其迫害的手段十分惨烈,最为人所知的就是火刑. 其实,这些女人并非真正的女巫,她们只是被"强迫"称为女巫.在那个知识愚昧未清的年代,她们无法证明自己的清白,而成为了历史的牺牲品。

由于教会的传播思想,使15世纪后的人们对女巫都产生了莫名的惧怕和反感。人们之所以会对Wicca抱持成见,也当是几世纪以来的其它宗教对异教的负面宣传所致。也更由于世人对「女巫」久远流传、根深柢固的偏见。最常见的是,他们总认为女巫和撒旦有着密不可分的联系。其实wiccan的信仰与基督/天主教毫无关系!因为无论是天主教,犹太教,基督教,伊斯兰教,或者是恶魔崇拜。他们都是同源的,都是从历史上的纷争在亚布拉汉和耶和华之间产生的。他们都有一个共同的基础,都相信有一天最终的审判日子会到来,一个充满嫉妒与抱负的神,以及有罪的人们(被称为原罪习俗),拥有高傲权利的男性,以及地狱的存在,一个永恒的炼狱。这些宗教都绝对相信他们的书与准则(圣经,犹太圣典,可兰经,恶魔圣经),这些书都是人被写的,可是他们认为是神写的。这些都是宗教的特点,而wicca却没有任何和他们相同的地方。这些宗教有着和wicca完全不同的根源,完全不同的历史。换句话说,这些宗教严禁教徒接触巫术抑或魔法!而且真正的wiccan绝对不信奉任何所谓的“恶魔”和“撒旦”,更不会和他们签订什么“契约”。Wicca信仰并不含原罪、救赎、告解、复活、基督神性等基督教观念,但也并不如一般人所想,与恶魔崇拜有关。事实上,Wicca并不认同撒旦或恶魔,更不会崇拜恶魔,而黑弥撒、亵渎墓地及动物献祭等诸如此类邪恶的活动也不在Wicca信仰或许可范围内。Wicca的信念和真正的撒旦信徒相当不同,大多时候南辕北辙。这也就是第一种女巫的起源。

第二种, 传统的女巫.


传统的女巫,必须要加入女巫集会,也就是coven. coven有严格的阶级制,在coven中,女巫们学习着各种知识. 举凡占星(天文),药草(医疗与魔法).....等.因为当时的欧洲,知识是处于混沌未开的情况.只有贵族和修道士(monk),有机会受教育.故这批掌握了知识力量而不愿随着世俗的愚卤沉沦的女人们,在常人的眼中是神秘而骇人,因为不知她们掌握了何种力量;在教会人士的眼中是大佞不道!因为女巫们并不信奉上帝.而在女巫并不信奉撒旦的情况下, 教会竟强扣了女巫是撒旦信徒的大帽子.......这是有点可笑的,毕竟女巫们真

正的归依是大地之母mother of the nature,而非上帝或撒旦任何一个,上帝和撒旦是基督教的东西. 当然,在女巫信仰中占十分重要一部份的,是所谓的咒术(the magic of spell) . 咒术能否成真, 靠得是心灵力(energy)的强弱。

第三种,现代女巫

现代女巫的信仰基础,毫无疑问是来自于传统女巫.但现代女巫不再受到coven的控治.当然还是有许多coven的存在,但你也可以选择自行修行.而今日的coven也不再有什么严格的阶级制了!现代女巫一样延续传统,在药草,占星,咒术上要下很大的工夫,但在其它方面的知识也不可或缺.所以我们可以说,成为女巫的第一要件,是要有强烈的求知欲~~ 在生活作息上与常人并没有什么太大的不同.如果真要讲,就是有着更丰富的想象力(imagination) ,因为咒术的力量,想象力也占了很重要的一部份。

传统的女巫和现代女巫都属新异教Neopagan,源起于Gerald Gardner(1884-1964)。Gerald Gardner是英国文官,曾长期居留亚洲,期间他学习各式各样神秘信仰及巫术,对西方秘教文学也多所涉猎。第二次世界大战爆发前,Gerald Gardner返回英国,参加英国秘教团体,并发起一以自然为基础、学习魔法、崇拜多神的运动。一九五四年,Gerald Gardner出版书籍「今日巫术」,并成立女巫集会。Wicca在五零年代普及英格兰,六零年代时值美国当地盛行自然,追求自由生活的风潮,因而吸引不少人加入Wicca。如今,Wicca受美国政府承认,并是新异教中主要宗教。Wicca虽是现代新宗教,但部分根源于基督教时代之前的北欧西欧等地的古老宗教。Wicca信徒从事现代巫术,并且崇拜自然。现今英国(19世纪中后期分裂出的新的女巫族群)Wicca有四个宗派,分别为:

Gardnerian:承袭Gerald Gardner。

Alexandrian:承袭Alex 及 Maxine Sanders。

Hereditary:经由姻亲或血亲世代传承信仰。

Traditional:此派声称他们早在现代Wicca成立之前便己存在,且已经过数代或百年以上相传。

以前——最终根源

以上列举的三种现在女巫类别的最终根源是什么呢?答案只有两个字——神话。然而几世纪以来多不胜数的巫术神话的最终根源又是什么呢?答案只有四个字——原始宗教。

恐怕大家都有所了解,女巫所信仰的神灵几乎都来源于各国各地的神话传说。然而一个神话文明体系的形成必定依赖于当地当国的原始种族所遗留原始宗教的文化。再巫术的领域中,神话不仅仅被当作是传说,更被规定为信仰,因为在女巫的眼里这些神话中的神灵就是最原始神灵得分体和化身。所以,如果你问我女巫的祖先究竟是谁?那么我只能告诉你是原始宗教!

神话包括以下几种类别:

1)自然派神话学

2)历史派神话学

3)社会派神话学

4)库夸乃布(kukwanebu)"童话",利簙窝过(libwogwo)"传说",里留(liliu)神话。

无论是什么神话文明都要产生于其固定种族,从今而论,神话起源的种族有四个。

1)马拉西族

2)鲁瓦西西加族

3)鲁库拉布他族

4)路库巴族

通过原始宗教的形成特点以及演变过程,我们可以很容易的看到最原始的女巫和现代女巫共同的影挚。

一,原始宗教——原始神话/原始女巫 形成上的影挚。

1)产生年代相同

2)产生的社会根源相同

3)产生的认识根源相同

4)从它们的内容上看当时人类生活情况相同。

二,原始宗教——原始神话/原始女巫信仰形式和特点上的影挚。

1)大自然崇拜

2)动植物崇拜

3)鬼魂和祖先崇拜

4)图腾崇拜

5)灵物崇拜和偶像崇拜

三,原始宗教——原始神话/原始女巫 对社会的作用上的影挚。

1)对生产斗争的影响相同

2)对原始文化的影响相同

3)对社会关系和社会道德作用和影响相同

四,原始宗教——原始神话/原始女巫演变上的影挚。

1)神权落入奴隶主阶级手中

2)阶级分化引起信仰诸神发生分化

3)自然神的人化和社会化

4)神灵供奉方式和宗教仪式的改变

5)反动性加强,危害性更大。


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蔷薇剑 发表于 2006-7-1 19:28:58

【转帖】RE:信仰的阴影 撒勒姆的女巫

撒勒姆是美国一个小镇,若干年前这里发生了一件事:一群女孩子在森林里光着身子跳舞,被当地牧师撞见。她们承认是受了魔鬼的蛊惑,施展了巫术。如果信仰上帝,只有一个办法免罪:就是告诉人们谁是魔鬼的帮凶,谁是女巫。

她们开始了病态的坦白表演。她们中某个人一旦声称见到某位女乡邻与魔鬼在一起,其它所有人无一例外会看到同样的景象,会同样恐惧和惊慌。这似乎可以说明一切问题。于是总督来了,牧师们和法庭的人也来了。他们藉正义和信仰的名义,开始逮捕那些女巫,以及和女巫有关联的人。小镇发生了灾难。

女巫是邪恶的,魔鬼应该铲除。这是社会正义的基础,尤其是在萨勒姆这个奉基督之名的小镇上。在一个有着共识的信仰的前提下,这种信仰毫无疑问成为某种准绳。对这种信仰越尊崇,它也就越可能替代法律。

谁能持掌信仰,并且运用它来统治?这无须公民来投票,教权和政权都可以拥有这项权利。教权和政权可以通过战争、争吵以解决权力的分割。它们之间的缝隙就是人民可以伸展自由的一片区域。如果它们之间没有缝隙,自由,抑或民主就成为一种奢望。

几千来的西方历史更像前者,而阿瑟•米勒描绘的却是后者的一种情状。这些患上癔症的姑娘们虽然远离上帝,但却认识魔鬼,教权和政权都有理由将话语权赋予她们。

法律被彻底抛弃,姑娘们的指认就是一切。世俗社会的种种丑陋在信仰的旗帜下汹涌澎湃。癔症的始作俑者阿碧格,和有妇之夫普洛夫托有过一段奸情,她希望永远拥有这个男人;镇上的牧师巴里斯希望打倒一些反对他的人,使自己牧师的职位更为稳固;市侩普特南夫妇则认为这是个机会,可以弄到不少田产。

当他人指责我们与魔鬼同行,我们该如何反驳?我们几乎无法反驳,因为这种辩论超过了理性的尺度。于是撒勒姆的几百个妇人被抓了起来,她们中有普通的小市民,也有德高望重的家长。人们生活在恐慌中,谁也不知道下一个被指控的人会不会是自己。在信仰的屠刀面前,人人都在发抖。

当屠刀终于指向普洛夫托的妻子的时候,这个男人站了出来。普洛托夫知道一切关于女巫的把戏,和他有奸情的阿碧格亲口说了一切。

悲剧性最浓厚的所在,就是普洛夫托这个人。如果他不站出来,他的女人会被处死——除非她忏悔自己莫须有的罪行;如果他站出来,他必须坦白他和阿碧格的奸情——这几乎和巫术一样可怕,这违反了“十诫”。

普洛托夫终于勇敢地承认了他的罪。可是信仰的法庭却漠视他的坦然。没有制约的权力不会承认自己的过失,他必须承认法庭为他定的的另一项罪,即与魔鬼同行。在生与死面前,他颤抖了,他也软弱地签下了自己的名字。

但他随即幡然醒悟,他必须忠于自己的信仰。

信仰大家都是认同的。尽管只有一个,但体现于每个人,却是如此不一样。信仰与权力一起,可以成为取人性命的利器。而忠于信仰的人,却又从中寻找到了人超脱生死的勇气。

阿瑟•米勒赞美信仰,但他也用这部戏告诉了我们信仰的危险之处。广义上说,《撒勒姆的女巫》是一部历史剧。


蔷薇剑 发表于 2006-7-1 19:31:27

RE:【转帖】撒旦的情人

“畏惧吧!我是莉莉斯、伊西斯、是世界的黑暗之魂。我命中注定要使人类恐惧,是难以捉摸的、不吉的、未知的存在,这就是我。颤抖吧!

我就是雾,你就是星。你不过是光明中的一点,而我却是黑夜中永久的黑暗。

我是在暗中吹灭灯火的嘴。

你,速速离开。”

-容克著《诸世纪的传说》选段“莉莉斯”(1883年)

10世纪成书的圣经外典《本司拉的知识》中记载,莉莉斯(Lilith,也作Lilit,名字来自希伯来文“Lailah”,意思是“夜”)是亚当的第一个妻子,世界上第一个女人。莉莉斯的称谓和身份来自苏美尔巴比伦和亚述的女神贝里蒂莉或女恶魔Lilu、Lilitu,在苏美尔语中,Lil指暴风或恶魔,而Lulu指“情欲”。伽南人将莉莉斯称为巴拉特,而在公元前2000年的泥版上,莉莉斯被称为莉拉可。在希伯来传说中,亚当不满于和自己的牲口性交,因此上帝创造了莉莉斯作为他的妻子。与人以外的动物性交在《圣经》正典中被作为罪恶,见《旧约》申命记第27章:

“跟动物性交的,要受上帝诅咒。”

而实际上,与动物性交在古代中东牧民中是很普通的习俗。

亚当要求以男上位对面位(Venus Observa,或称正常位,即男在上女在下,也称为教士体位-missionary position)和莉莉斯行房。莉莉斯不同意,因为他们都是从土里造出来的、是平等的。她嘲笑亚当的粗暴和自大,辱骂他,并且说出了上帝隐秘的名字而离开了伊甸园(早期犹太人的宗教并非一神教,而是多神教,据说每一个神都有自己秘密的名字,如果得知了这个名字,就能够让神为自己服务。因此“十戒”中说“不可滥用神的名”。我们现在常说的“耶和华”-JEHOVAH其实不是上帝真正的名字),居住在红海附近。上帝派遣三位天使Snwy、Snsnwy、Smnglf去把莉莉斯带回来,然而天使们也挨了骂,莉莉斯不惧怕天使的力量,她和野兽、魔鬼们性交,每天产下一百个孩子(一说为莉莉斯同意天使们提出的每天杀死她一百个孩子的要求)。上帝于是从亚当的肋骨创造出夏娃代替她。

莉莉斯居住的“红海”和印度教的破坏女神卡利·玛的“血之海”同源,意味着所有生命孕育自女性的经血,而作为从血海中诞生万物的代价,也要向血海补充鲜血(例如人祭)。莉莉斯也被古代希伯来人视为大地和农耕部族的太母,而亚当在这些传说中代表侵略者-游牧民族。例如《圣经·旧约》创世记第4章中记载的:

“后来,该隐对他弟弟亚伯说:‘我们到田野去走走吧!’他们在田野的时候,该隐向弟弟下手,把他杀死了。

上主问该隐:‘你弟弟亚伯在哪里?’

他回答:‘不晓得。难道我是弟弟的看顾者吗?’

上主责问他:‘你做了什么事?你弟弟的血从地下出声,向我哭诉。你杀他的时候,大地张开口吞了他的血……(后略)’”

这里残存着一些莉莉斯的传说,古代传说中亚伯只是牧民(代表游牧民族),而该隐是司农业和冶金的神(代表农耕民族,“Cain”即“铁匠”之意),“大地张开口吞了他的血”代表莉莉斯接受了亚伯的血作为供奉。而莉莉斯的女儿们则被称为“莉莉姆(Lilim)”,中世纪的人们认为莉莉姆是好色的女妖,专门在晚上出现在男性的梦中和他们性交,吸取他们灵魂的精髓(精液),宗教狂们用这来解释梦遗的现象。基督教徒则将莉莉姆们称为“地狱的娼妇”,是和梦魇Incubus(一种梦中精灵)相对应的女妖“Succubus”,宣称她们用得到的男性体液制造新的女妖。而Succubus也被称为女神Brizo(名字来自brizein-“利用魔法”),Brizo携带有预言之梦-即现在所说的性梦。

为了防备莉莉姆们,禁欲主义的修道士们在睡眠时手握十字架放在自己的性器之上,认为这可以使莉莉姆(或莉莉斯)远离,然而梦遗仍旧会发生(宗教狂的欺骗性可见一斑)。传说当这些虔诚的基督徒们尴尬地梦遗时,莉莉斯会嘲笑他们。现今,如果男孩在睡眠中笑,也被认为是得到了莉莉斯的爱抚。

而为了供养血之海,莉莉斯也被描绘成夜间吞食婴儿的魔女。在喀巴拉的经典《光辉之书》中,莉莉斯被称为诱惑人类和扼杀婴儿的恶魔。为此,犹太人在婴儿的摇篮外围用白色涂料画上几圈圆圈来保护孩子,也为婴儿挂上护身符-上面写有上帝派遣追回莉莉斯的三位天使的名字,但这并不总有效,因为传说莉莉斯的能力强于天使。

而在喀巴拉(犹太神秘主义)的信仰中,莉莉斯也被作为堕落天使Samael的妻子,被描画成下半身为蛇、和Mahlath、Naamah并称为三大女魔。

公元前2000年的美索布达米亚浮雕“Lilitu”,相当于犹太教的莉莉斯.


蔷薇剑 发表于 2006-7-1 19:32:12

RE:【转帖】黑白魔法

魔法的成立原来是属于宗教性,在乞雨祈祷等仪式中使用开始,后来也被使用在疾病的治疗,但没有所谓黑,白的分类存在。

魔法在它的历史上,发生2极化的起因是在两个大国之间所发生的战争。当时,萨森王作为一种攻击手段注目了魔法,邀请国内的魔导师参与决策,将魔法作为杀伤的手段,这就是黑魔法的开始。但是,有一部分魔导师认为不可以将魔法作为杀伤的工具使用,而离开了萨森,移住在萨洛尼亚,确立了新魔法的体系。这就是白魔法的开始。后来由于黑魔法的发展,战况对于萨森有利,萨洛尼亚的许多士兵都因黑魔法受伤而死。认为事态严重的萨洛尼亚王就向白魔导师求助。从这个时候开始,白魔导师为了要保护人们避免被黑魔法伤害,在这种名义下被卷入了战争。

但是,自结果上来看,这种目的反而产生了反效果,互相的魔法继续提高了本身的威力。而且,最终成为终极的杀戮魔法,白魔法完成了神圣术(ホ-リ-),黑魔法则完成了核融术(フレア)。然而,当时没有人发觉这种魔法真正的可怕。终于发生了悲剧,互相的终极魔法的巨大能量冲突时,两军数万人的士兵就在瞬间全消灭了。一这一次的战争为契机,战乱很快就结束了。而且跟着战争,能量太大的魔法也被封印在圣地尤列卡(ユウレカ)处。

白魔法

这些魔法称为白魔法,非常接近在宗教仪式或治疗疾病时使用的魔法本来的形态。对治愈受伤或外敌的防御等,挥发相当大的效力。但是,经过了战乱的时代,在白魔法中也出现了会伤害对方的魔法。

一:治愈的魔法 (ケアル 回力术,ケアルラ 中回力术,ケアルダ 强回力术,ケアルガ 超回力术 )

回力术的魔法是当作恢复HP为目的使用,是自最古老的时代传下来的魔法。这些魔法的特征是:会促进健康细胞分裂,提高生命力,治愈伤害。而且也能伤害有负生命力不死系的怪物。

二:细胞再生的魔法 (ポイゾナ 解毒术,ストナ 溶石术,ブライナ 复明术,エスナ 驱魔术)

和受到外伤不同,为了毒或石化使细胞本身发生异常,或攻击系魔法伤害了视神经等,要让这些症状恢复正常的就是这些魔法。

自体内排除被毒蛇攻击时所受的毒,使细胞正常化,以完成血清性作用为目的所产生的就是解毒术。使被石化的人的细胞正常化,既是溶石术。使被攻击魔法导致成瞎子的人的视神经产生作用,让他重见光明的既是复明术)。

出现了高等的术者,诞生恢复这些细胞与神经异常的驱魔术 ,可以说是战乱时代的产物。

三:训诫的魔法 (ト-ド 青蛙术 )

在术者中也有违法的人。所以,罚此人变成青蛙就是这种魔法的开始。犯罪的人,按照刑责轻重,变成青蛙的时间也长短不一,会让犯罪者经验痛苦。

四:大气振动的魔法 (エアロ 动气术 ,エアロガ 超动气术 )

为了要防止鸟儿偷吃农作物,所产生的魔法就是这个。利用空气的摩擦让飞空者的羽翼受到大伤害。对一定区域使用的话,就能防止飞鸟进入。可以说是在和平的用途才能使用,按照白魔法的原则在新时代所产生的魔法。

五:细胞核缩小的魔法 ( ミニマム 缩小术)

在新魔法的时代,有一位术者研究魔力时,偶然发现的就是这个魔法。经过细胞核的缩小,能让一切生物小型化。

六:瞬间移动的魔法 (テレポ 跳跃术 )

为了要救出因矿山落盘事故被埋在地下的人,著名术者再短时间所发明的魔法。因为未完全完成的原故,只能纵轴移动而已。

七:强化人的魔法 (プロテス 护壁术 ,ヘイスト 快速术 ,リフレク 攻防术 )

本来是要弥补劳动力不足,使人的能力加倍化,或预防事故的魔法。但是,战争开始后就被当作对抗黑魔法的手段,也被利用为增加攻击力、防御力的魔法。

八:判断的魔法 (ライブラ 诊断术 )

魔法与医学有着密切关系,高明的术者也是医术高超的医生。而且,必须要正确的了解患者的症状,对于适当的活疗也不是不可或缺的。结果,就产生了能了解对方生命值等的魔法,这种魔法是新时代的魔法,且期待能向高等心理学的领域发展。

九:封住攻击的魔法 (コンフエ 混乱术 ,サイレス 沉默术 )

白的大魔道师们为了要封住黑魔法,而诞生了沉默术。但是,到了战乱期,这种想法被扩大解释,也出现了半攻击魔法的混乱术。

十:复活的魔法 (レイズ 复活术 ,アレイズ 新复活术 )

让在年轻时就死亡的人复活的魔法。但是,因为要特别依靠术者的能力,所以,有时候也会发生悲剧,结果新复活术被封印。

十一:能力集结的魔法 (トルネド 集能术 ,ホ-リ- 神圣术 )

在战乱末期诞生的白系首次的直接攻击魔法。特别是神圣术,完全不控制能力会发挥所拥有的最大力量,确实是最终形的魔法。


黑魔法

如果说白魔法师是魔力公正的利用法的话,黑魔法师就是会提出魔力黑暗面的魔法,是以有强大魔力者为对象。且这种杀伤用的黑魔法,是以前战乱时代所开发出来而普及全世界的。为避免让它太强的威力给后世带来灾祸,曾一度被封印过。现经大魔道士杜加之手,封印以大部分被解开,具有更进一步的研究。

一:睡眠魔法 (スリプル 昏睡术 )

原为要引导学习魔法者进入冥想状态所开发出来的初步魔法。也曾作初级术者练习使用。不过缺点是容易清醒。

二:毒素控制魔法(ポイズン 落毒术 ,バイォ 生物术 )

把白魔法的解毒素改造为攻击用的魔法,作为白魔法和黑魔法的比较研究,现也常当作例子,有初步性的解毒法和难度高的生物术。

三:最古的三大魔法(ファイア 火球术 ,ファイラ 强火球术 ,ファイガ 超火球术 ,ブリザド 冷风术 ,ブリザラ 强冷风术 ,ブリサガ 超冷风术 ,サンダ- 闪电术 ,サンダラ 强闪电术, サンダガ 超闪电术 )

在太古时代祈求丰收的仪式中,常用的就是所谓的“最古之魔法”的以下三种魔法。基本上是以魔力来操作大气的均衡,局部性的让天气变化的魔法。原为祭司欲夸示自己能力时,令仪式华丽化时所必要的咒术。但随着时光的流逝,便开发了将它的效果直接对着生体的方法。由于当时的战争,威力也逐渐强化到能当作战争时使用。到目前为止,已确立了火炎系,冰冻系和雷鸣系3系统的9种黑魔法。

四:视神经魔法(ブライソ 黑暗术 )

关闭学习魔术者的视界,以锻炼精神为目的所开发的魔法,本不属于“白”也不属于“黑”,并非直接伤害眼睛,而是直接对脑作用,麻痹视神经。

五:寂静和黑暗的魔法(シェイド 遮光术 )

是作为黑魔法强化黑暗术的魔法,是会从被使用者处夺取光和声之术,一次对着多数的对象有效。据说,术者少时的情况也相当常用。

六:石化魔法(ブレイク 石化术 ,ブレクガ 超石化术 )

用其眼力,让视线一致的人血液冻结,改变为石头。而要封住蛇发女妖这种能力的即是化石术和超化石术。虽几乎没有实用的效用,但在战斗时,却是很有效的魔法。所以可能是唯一,正确的黑魔法。

七:杀戮魔法(キル 杀戮术 ,デス 即死术 )

不管对方是否受伤,一击就会夺命---战时最理想的杀戮魔法是杀戮术,即死术。本来是研究生命根源的术者偶然间发现的魔法,一经发现之后,马上扩散到全世界。高阶层术者所使用的杀戮咒语,即为必杀的一击。

八:封白魔法(イレ-ス 破咒术 )

似乎武器的发达会促进铁甲的强化那样,随着黑魔法的发达,也出现了封魔法的咒语。而为了要破坏咒语所开发出来的即是破咒术。

九:时空间转移魔法(デジョン 异次元术 )

改良跳跃术成为容易操作的魔法术。扭曲空间,利用虫蛀之孔理论而瞬间转移,按着使用法也能将敌人排除在时空的空隙中。

十:吸收动力的魔法(ドレイン 夺魂术 )

当初是当作将自己的生命力赐给同伴所用的魔法而开发的,但在战乱中改变为吸收对方生命之术,成为危险的魔法。

十一:破坏的魔法(フレア 核融术 )

完全的破坏,且以绝对否定存在本身为目的所制造而成的就是核融术,有着甚至能将大陆消除掉般能力之最强最后的黑魔法。

十二:天地变异的魔法(メテォ 变异术 ,クュイク 震动术 )

为了发明能将更多敌人更确实迅速击败的魔法----为了完成当时权利者的愿望,有好几十个术者作了很大的牺牲才开发出来的,也就是会引起天变地异的魔法。但还没有完成就推出了这种术,由于太不容易控制,所以也会伤及友军。变异术变为了这种因素而被封印。


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戈兰 发表于 2006-7-1 19:58:00

RE:【转帖】女巫的传说与仪式

好大一个贴,楼主辛苦,送给你一本关于女巫的电子书,以示鼓励。

THE WITCH-CULT IN WESTERN EUROPE
MARGARET ALICE MURRAY

INTRODUCTION
THE subject of Witches and Witchcraft has always suffered from the biassed opinions of the commentators, both contemporary and of later date. On the one hand are the writers who, having heard the evidence at first hand, believe implicitly in the facts and place upon them the unwarranted construction that those facts were due to supernatural power; on the other hand are the writers who, taking the evidence on hearsay and disbelieving the conclusions drawn by their opponents, deny the facts in toto. Both parties believed with equal firmness in a personal Devil, and both supported their arguments with quotations from the Bible. But as the believers were able to bring forward more texts than the unbelievers and had in their hands an unanswerable argument in the Witch of Endor, the unbelievers, who dared not contradict the Word of God, were forced to fall back on the theory that the witches suffered from hallucination, hysteria, and, to use the modern word, 'auto-suggestion'. These two classes still persist, the sceptic predominating. Between the believer who believed everything and the unbeliever who disbelieved everything there has been no critical examination of the evidence, which presents a new and untouched field of research to the student of comparative religion.

Among the believers in witchcraft everything which could not be explained by the knowledge at their disposal was laid to the credit of supernatural powers; and as everything incomprehensible is usually supposed to emanate from evil, the witches were believed to be possessed of devilish arts. As also every non-Christian God was, in the eyes of the Christians, the opponent of the Christian God, the witches were considered to worship the Enemy of Salvation, in other words, the Devil. The greater number of these writers, however, obtained the evidence at first hand, and it must therefore be accepted although the statements do not bear the construction put upon them. It is only by a careful comparison with the evidence of anthropology that the facts fall into their proper places and an organized religion stands revealed.

The common beliefs as to the powers of the witches are largely due to the credulous contemporary commentators, who misunderstood the evidence and then exaggerated some of the facts to suit their preconceived ideas of the supernatural powers of the witches; thereby laying themselves open to the ridicule of all their opponents, past and present. Yet the ridicule is not fully deserved, for the facts are there, though the explanation is wrong; for even the two points, which are usually considered the ultimate proof of the absurdity and incredibility of the whole system--the flying on a broomstick through the window or up the chimney, and the transformation into animals--are capable of explanation. The first can be accounted for when the form of early mound-dwellings is taken into consideration, and when it is remembered that among savage tribes there are often taboos connected with the door, the two-faced god being essentially a deity of the door. Besides this the fertility rites connected with the broom should be taken into account. The second should be compared with similar accounts of transformation into animals among the cults of other nations. Mr. A. B. Cook's comment on the Greek ritual applies quite as well to Western as to Eastern Europe: 'We may venture on the general statement that within the bounds of Hellenic mythology animal-metamorphosis commonly points to a preceding animal cult.'

It is interesting to note the class of mind among those contemporary writers who believed in the reality of the facts confessed at the trials as compared with those who disbelieved. It will be seen that the most brilliant minds, the keenest intellects, the greatest investigators, were among the believers: Bodin, Lord Bacon, Raleigh, Boyle, Cudworth, Selden, Henry More, Sir Thomas Browne, Matthew Hale, Sir George Mackenzie, and many others, most of whom had heard the evidence at first hand. The sceptics were Weyer, pupil of the occultist Cornelius Agrippa; Reginald Scot, a Kentish country squire;



Filmer, whose name was a byword for political bigotry; Wagstaffe, who went mad from drink; and Webster, a fanatical preacher. The sceptics, with the exception of Weyer, appear to have had little or no first-hand evidence; their only weapon was an appeal to common sense and sentiment combined; their only method was a flat denial of every statement which appeared to point to supernatural powers. They could not disprove the statements; they could not explain them without opposing the accepted religious beliefs of their time, and so weakening their cause by exposing themselves to the serious charge of atheism; therefore they denied evidence which in the case of any other accusation would have been accepted as proof.

The evidence which I now bring forward is taken entirely from contemporary sources, i.e. the legal records of the trials, pamphlets giving accounts of individual witches, and the works of Inquisitors and other writers. I have omitted the opinions of the authors, and have examined only the recorded facts, without however including the stories of ghosts and other 'occult' phenomena with which all the commentators confuse the subject. I have also, for the reason given below, omitted all reference to charms and spells when performed by one witch alone, and have confined myself to those statements only which show the beliefs, organization, and ritual of a hitherto unrecognized cult.

In order to clear the ground I make a sharp distinction between Operative Witchcraft and Ritual Witchcraft. Under Operative Witchcraft I class all charms and spells, whether used by a professed witch or by a professed Christian, whether intended for good or for evil, for killing or for curing. Such charms and spells are common to every nation and country, and are practised by the priests and people of every religion. They are part of the common heritage of the human race and are therefore of no practical value in the study of any one particular cult.

Ritual Witchcraft--or, as I propose to call it, the Dianic



cult-embraces the religious beliefs and ritual of the people, known in late mediaeval times as 'Witches'. The evidence proves that underlying the Christian religion was a cult practised by many classes of the community, chiefly, however, by the more ignorant or those in the less thickly inhabited parts of the country. It can be traced back to pre-Christian times, and appears to be the ancient religion of Western Europe. The god, anthropomorphic or theriomorphic, was worshipped in well-defined rites; the organization was highly developed; and the ritual is analogous to many other ancient rituals. The dates of the chief festivals suggest that the religion belonged to a race which had not reached the agricultural stage; and the evidence shows that various modifications were introduced, probably by invading peoples who brought in -their own beliefs. I have not attempted to disentangle the various cults; I am content merely to point out that it was a definite religion with beliefs, ritual, and organization as highly developed as that of any other cult in the world.

The deity of this cult was incarnate in a man, a woman, or an animal; the animal form being apparently earlier than the human, for the god was often spoken of as wearing the skin or attributes of an animal. At the same time, however, there was another form of the god in the shape of a man with two aces. Such a god is found in Italy (where he was called Janus or Dianus), in Southern France (see pp. 62, 129), and in the English Midlands. The feminine form of the name, Diana, is found throughout Western Europe as the name of the female deity or leader of the so-called Witches, and it is for this reason that I have called this ancient religion the Dianic cult. The geographical distribution of the two-faced god suggests that the race or races, who carried the cult, either did not remain in every country which they entered, or that in many places they and their religion were overwhelmed by subsequent invaders.

The dates of the two chief festivals, May Eve and November Eve, indicate the use of a calendar which is generally acknowledged to be pre-agricultural and earlier than the solstitial division of the year. The fertility rites of the cult bear out this indication, as they were for promoting the increase of animals and only rarely for the benefit of the crops. The cross -quarter-days, February 2 and August 1, which were also kept as festivals, were probably of later date, as, though classed among the great festivals, they were not of so high an importance as the May and November Eves. To February 2, Candlemas Day, probably belongs the sun-charm of the burning wheel, formed by the whirling dancers, each carrying a blazing torch; but no special ceremony seems to be assigned to August 1, Lammas Day, a fact suggestive of a later introduction of this festival,

The organization of the hierarchy was the same throughout Western Europe, with the slight local differences which always occur in any organization. The same organization, when carried to America, caused Cotton Mather to say, 'The witches are organized like Congregational Churches.' This gives the clue at once. In each Congregational Church there is a body of elders who manage the affairs of the Church, and the minister who conducts the religious services and is the chief person in religious matters; and there may also be a specially appointed person to conduct the services in the minister's absence; each Church is an independent entity and not necessarily connected with any other. In the same way there was among the witches a body of elders--the Coven--which managed the local affairs of the cult, and a man who, like the minister, held the chief place, though as God that place was infinitely higher in the eyes of the congregation than any held by a mere human being. In some of the larger congregations there was a person, inferior to the Chief, who took charge in the Chief's absence. In Southern France, however, there seems to have been a Grand Master who was supreme over several districts,

The position of the chief woman in the cult is still somewhat obscure. Professor Pearson sees, in her the Mother-Goddess worshipped chiefly by women. This is very probable, but at the time when the cult is recorded the worship of the male deity-appears to have superseded that of the female, and it is only on rare occasions that the God appears in female form to receive the homage of the worshippers. As a general rule the woman's position, when divine, is that of the familiar or substitute for the male god. There remains, however, the curious fact that the chief woman was often identified with the Queen of Faerie, or the Elfin Queen as she is sometimes called.

This connexion of the witches and fairies opens up a very wide field; at present it is little more than speculation that the two are identical, but there is promise that the theory may be proved at some later date when the subject is more fully worked out. It is now a commonplace of anthropology that the tales of fairies and elves preserve the tradition of a dwarf race which once inhabited Northern and Western Europe. Successive invasions drove them to the less fertile parts of each country which they inhabited, some betook themselves to the inhospitable north or the equally inhospitable mountains; some, however, remained in the open heaths and moors, living as mound-dwellers, venturing out chiefly at night and coming in contact with the ruling races only on rare occasions. As the conqueror always regards the religion of the conquered as superior to his own in the arts of evil magic, the dwarf race obtained the reputation of wizards and magicians, and their god was identified by the conquerors with the Principle of Evil. The identification of the witches with the dwarf or fairy race would give us a clear insight into much of the civilization of the early European peoples, especially as regards their religious ideas.

The religious rites varied according to circumstances and the requirements of the people. The greater number of the ceremonies appear to have been practised for the purpose of securing fertility. Of these the sexual ritual has been given an overwhelming and quite unwarranted importance in the trials, for it became an obsession with the Christian judges and recorders to investigate the smallest and most minute details of the rite. Though in late examples the ceremony had possibly degenerated into a Bacchanalian orgy, there is evidence to prove that, like the same rite in other countries, it was originally a ceremonial magic to ensure fertility. There is at present nothing to show how much of the Witches' Mass (in which the bread, the wine, and the candles were black) derived from the Christian ritual and how much belonged to the Dianic cult; it is, however, possible that the witches' service was the earlier form and influenced the Christian. The admission ceremonies were often elaborate, and it is here that the changes in the religion are most clearly marked; certain ceremonies must have been introduced when another cult was superimposed and became paramount, such as the specific renunciation of a previous religion which was obligatory on all new candidates, and the payment to the member who brought a new recruit into the fold. The other rites--the feasts and dances--show that it was a joyous religion; and as such it must have been quite incomprehensible to the gloomy Inquisitors and Reformers who suppressed it.

Much stress has always been laid by the sceptical writers on the undoubted fact that in many cases the witch confused dreams with reality and believed that she had visited the Sabbath when credible witnesses could prove that she had slept in her bed all the time. Yet such visions are known in other religions; Christians have met their Lord in dreams of the night and have been accounted saints for that very reason; Mahomed, though not released from the body, had interviews with Allah; Moses talked with God; the Egyptian Pharaohs record similar experiences. To the devotee of a certain temperament such visions occur, and it is only to be expected that in every case the vision should take the form required by the religion of the worshipper. Hence the Christian sees Christ and enters heaven; Mahomed was caught up to the Paradise of the true believers; the anthropomorphic Jehovah permitted only a back view to His votary; the Egyptian Pharaohs beheld their gods alive and moving on the earth. The witch also met her god at the actual Sabbath and again in her dreams, for that earthly Sabbath was to her the true Paradise, where there was more pleasure than she could express, and she believed also that the joy which she took in it was but the prelude to a much greater glory, for her god so held her heart that no other desire could enter in. Thus the witches often went to the gibbet and the stake, glorifying their god and committing their souls into his keeping, with a firm belief that death was but the entrance to an eternal life in which they would never be parted from him. Fanatics and visionaries as many of them were, they resemble those Christian martyrs whom the witch-persecutors often held in the highest honour.

Another objection is that, as the evidence of the witches at the trials is more or less uniform in character, it must be attributed to the publication by the Inquisitors of a questionary for the use of all judges concerned in such trials; in short, that the evidence is valueless, as it was given in answer to leading questions. No explanation is offered by the objectors as to how the Inquisitors arrived at the form of questionary, nor is any regard given to the injunction to all Inquisitors to acquaint themselves with all the details of any heresy which they were commissioned to root out; they were to obtain the information from those who would recant and use it against the accused; and to instruct other judges in the belief and ritual of the heresy, so that they also might recognize it and act accordingly. The objectors also overlook the fact that the believers in any given religion, when tried for their faith, exhibit a sameness in their accounts of the cult, usually with slight local differences. Had the testimony of the witches as to their beliefs varied widely, it would be prima facie evidence that there was no well-defined religion underlying their ritual; but the very uniformity of their confessions points to the reality of the occurrence.

Still another objection is that the evidence was always given under torture, and that the wretched victims consequently made reckless assertions and accusations. In most of the English and many of the Scotch trials legal torture was not applied; and it was only in the seventeenth century that pricking for the mark, starvation, and prevention of sleep were used. Even then there were many voluntary confessions given by those who, like the early Christian martyrs, rushed headlong on their fate, determined to die for their faith and their god.

Yet even if some of the evidence were given under torture and in answer to leading questions, there still remains a mass of details which cannot be explained away. Among others there are the close connexions of the witches with the fairies the persistence of the number thirteen in the Covens, the narrow geographical range of the domestic familiar, the avoidance of certain forms in the animal transformations, the limited number of personal names among the women-witches, and the survival of the names of some of the early gods.

In England the legal method of executing a witch was by hanging; after death the body was burnt and the ashes scattered. In Scotland, as a rule, the witch was strangled at the stake and the body burned, but there are several records of the culprit being sentenced to burning alive. In France burning alive was the invariable punishment.

In cases where popular fury, unrestrained by the law, worked its own vengeance on individuals, horrible scenes occurred; but these were the exception, and, examining only the legal aspect of the subject, it will be found that witches had a fair trial according to the methods of the period, and that their punishment was according to the law. There was, however, one popular method of dealing with a person accused of witchcraft which is interesting as showing the survival of a legal process, obsolete as regards the law itself, but remaining in full force among the people. This is the ordeal by water. In the Laws of Athelstan the full detail of this ordeal is given: after the person who was to undergo the ordeal had been prepared by prayer and fasting, he was tied, the right thumb to the right big toe, the left thumb to the left big toe, and was then cast into the water with suitable prayers to the Almighty to declare the right; if he sank he was considered innocent, if he floated he was guilty. The witch was 'tried' in the same way, except that she was tied 'crossways', i.e. the right thumb to the left big toe, and the left thumb to the right big toe. So great was the belief in this test that many women accused of witchcraft insisted on undergoing this ordeal, which was often conducted with solemnity and decency under the auspices of the minister of the parish and other grave persons. Unless there was strong feeling against the woman for other reasons, the mere fact of her floating did not rouse the populace against her, and she merely returned home; Widow Coman, for instance, was 'ducked' on three separate occasions at her own request.

The theologians of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries were greatly exercised by the conclusive evidence which proved that people known to be devout and professing Christians had been present at the Sabbath, joined in the ceremonies, and worshipped the witches' god. The Inquisitors recognized the fact, and devote many pages of their books to the discussion of the course to be followed in the case of Christian priests, coming finally to the conclusion that if a priest merely went to the Sabbath but was not in any way in an official position there his sacred character preserved him from evil. The theologians of the Reformed Churches, who could not accept the sanctity of the priesthood with the same ease and were also desirous of finding some means of accounting for the presence of the devout laity, boldly evolved the theory that the Devil could for his own purposes assume the shape of good Christians in order to mislead the witches. By this plea the accused often succeeded in escaping when the examiners were religious ministers, but it was of no value to them when the trial was in a court of law, and the fact of their presence at an illegal assembly was proved. Lord Coke's definition of a witch summed up the law on the subject: 'A witch is a person who hath conference with the Devil, to consult with him or to do some act', and any person proved to have had such conference was thus convicted of a capital offence and sentenced accordingly. This accounts for the fact, commented on by all students of witch-trials, that a witch was often condemned even though she had invariably used her skill for good and not for evil; for healing the sick, not for casting sickness. If it were proved that she had obtained her knowledge from the 'Devil' she had broken the law and must die.

戈兰 发表于 2006-7-1 19:58:45

RE:【转帖】女巫的传说与仪式

全书等会发到你的信箱里

金豆儿 发表于 2006-7-1 20:13:47

RE:【转帖】女巫的传说与仪式

两个都是好帖,正需要这方面的资料呢。谢谢二位。

lky123lky 发表于 2006-9-2 19:44:13

RE:【转帖】女巫的传说与仪式

可以给我的邮箱发一本吗??

很需要的,拜托了!!
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