The Dance of Magic: Exploring the Connection Between Witchcraft and Song

The saying "to singe the sorceress is to admit the existence of witchcraft" implies that by taking action against a sorceress or witch, one is acknowledging the existence of supernatural or magical powers. This phrase emphasizes the belief that sorceresses and witchcraft are real and capable of causing harm or influencing events. The act of singeing, which means to burn or scorch, is symbolic of attempting to destroy or neutralize the sorceress and her powers. However, the statement suggests that by singeing the sorceress, one is indirectly acknowledging the power and existence of witchcraft. It implies that if witchcraft did not exist, there would be no need to take any action against sorceresses or witches. This phrase reflects the historical belief in witchcraft and the association of sorceresses with supernatural abilities.

Though most of Circe's fame derives from her short encounter with Odysseus in Book 10 of the Odyssey, Miller's novel covers a longer and more complex life.

It s a small detail, but it s the difference between a person of independence and skill, and some male dream of danger, foreignness, and sex, lounging with parted lips while she watches the horizon for ships. As a result of the Church s sustained attacks, the public s understanding of Satan moved from that of a mischievous spoiler to a deeply sinister force.

This phrase reflects the historical belief in witchcraft and the association of sorceresses with supernatural abilities. It highlights the fear and belief that witches have the ability to cause harm and influence events, contributing to the persistence of these beliefs throughout history. Overall, the phrase "to singe the sorceress is to admit the existence of witchcraft" suggests that taking action against sorceresses implies recognition of their powers and the reality of witchcraft.

To singe the sorceress is to admit the existence of witchcraft

Leviticus 20:27 A man also or woman that hath a familiar spirit , or that is a wizard, shall surely be put to death: they shall stone them with stones: their blood shall be upon them. (KJV)

Exodus and Leviticus, two Old Testament books that make up part of the "Law of Moses" and the primary history of the Jewish people, were written in the sixth century B. C by a Jewish writer —whose name we do not know. The books, which include the passages quoted above that assume the existence of witches and urge that they be killed, were most likely written in what is present-day Iraq during the reign of Evil Merodach, a dark time of Jewish exile, around 560 B.C. The author was most likely a priest, and might have been assisted in his work by other priests and scribes.

The word "witch" in Exodus is a translation of the Hebrew word " kashaph ," which comes from the root meaning "to whisper." The word as used in Exodus probably thus meant "one who whispers a spell." In context, the Exodus passage probably was intended to urge Jews to adhere to their own religious practices and not those of surrounding tribes.

Saint Augustine of Hippo, an influential theologian in the early Christian Church, argued in the early 400s that God alone could suspend the normal laws of the universe. In his view, neither Satan nor witches had supernatural powers or were capable of effectively invoking magic of any sort. It was the "error of the pagans" to believe in "some other divine power than the one God." Of course, if witches are indeed powerless, the Church need not overly concern itself with their spells or other attempts at mischief.

1208
3. Satan becomes sinister following
Pope Innocent III's attack on Cathar heretics.

In 1208, Pope Innocent III opened an attack on Cathar heretics who believed in a world in which God and Satan, both having supernatural powers, were at war. The Church attempted to discredit the Cathar belief by spreading stories that the heretics actually worshiped their evil deity in person. Propagandists for the Church depicted Cathars kissing the anus of Satan in a ceremonial show of loyalty to him. As a result of the Church's sustained attacks, the public's understanding of Satan moved from that of a mischievous spoiler to a deeply sinister force.

1273
4. Thomas Aquinas argues that demons exist that try to lead people into temptation.

Many adherents of Catharism, fleeing a papal inquisition launched against their alleged heresies, had migrated into Germany and the Savoy. Torture inflicted on heretics suspected of magical pacts or demon-driven sexual misconduct led to alarming confessions. Defendants admitted to flying on poles and animals to attend assemblies presided over by Satan appearing in the form of a goat or other animal. Some defendants told investigators that they repeatedly kissed Satan's anus as a display of their loyalty. Others admitted to casting spells on neighbors, having sex with animals, or causing storms. The distinctive crime of witchcraft began to take shape.

Pope Innocent announced that satanists in Germany were meeting with demons, casting spells that destroyed crops, and aborting infants. The pope asked two friars, Heinrich Kramer (a papal inquisitor of sorcerers from Innsbruck) and Jacob Sprenger, to publish a full report on the suspected witchcraft. Two years later, the friars published Malleus maleficarum ("Hammer of Witches") which put to rest the old orthodoxy that witches were powerless in the face of God to a new orthodoxy that held Christians had an obligation to hunt down and kill them. The Malleus told frightening tales of women who would have sex with any convenient demon, kill babies, and even steal penises. (The friars asked, "What is to be thought of those witches who collect. as many as twenty or thirty members together, and put them in a bird's nest or shut them up in a box, where they move themselves like living members and eat oats and corn?") Over the next forty years, the Malleus would be reprinted thirteen times and come to help define the crime of witchcraft. Much of the book offered hints to judges and prosecutors, such as the authors' suggestion to strip each suspect completely and inspect the body to see whether a mole was present that might be a telltale sign of consort with demons, and to have the defendants brought into court backwards to minimize their opportunities to cast dangerous spells on officials.

Over the 160 years from 1500 to 1660, Europe saw between 50,000 and 80,000 suspected witches executed. About 80% of those killed were women. Execution rates varied greatly by country, from a high of about 26,000 in Germany to about 10,000 in France, 1,000 in England, and only four in Ireland. The lower death tolls in England and Ireland owe in part to better procedural safeguards in those countries for defendants.

Scotland's witch-hunting had its origins in the marriage of King James to Princess Anne of Denmark. Anne's voyage to Scotland for the wedding met with a bad storm, and she ended up taking refuge in Norway. James traveled to Scandinavia and the wedding took place in at Kronborg Castle in Denmark. After a long honeymoon in Denmark, the royal newlyweds encountered terrible seas on the return voyage, which the ship's captain blamed on witches. When six Danish women confessed to having caused the storms that bedeviled King James, he began to take witchcraft seriously. Back in Scotland, the paranoid James authorized torture of suspected witches. Dozens of condemned witches in the North Berwick area were burned at the stake in what would be the largest witch-hunt in British history. By 1597, James began to address some of the worst prosecutorial abuses, and witch-hunting abated somewhat.

1606
9. Shakespeare's Macbeth performed

Banquo and Macbeth are greeted by the three witches.

A dark Cave. In the middle, a Cauldron boiling. Thunder. Enter the three witches.
1 W ITCH. Thrice the brinded cat hath mew'd.
2 W ITCH. Thrice and once, the hedge-pig whin'd.
3 W ITCH. Harpier cries:—'tis time! 'tis time!
1 W ITCH. Round about the cauldron go;
In the poison'd entrails throw.—
Toad, that under cold stone,
Days and nights has thirty-one;
Swelter'd venom sleeping got,
Boil thou first i' the charmed pot!
A LL. Double, double toil and trouble;
Fire burn, and cauldron bubble.

1640s
10. Witch-hunting, after a major outbreak in France, begins to decrease.

In 1643-1645, the largest witch-hunt in French history occurred. During those two years there were at least 650 arrests in Languedoc alone. The same time was one of intense witch-hunting in England, as the English civil war created an atmosphere of unrest that fueled the hunting, especially under Matthew Hopkins. The Thirty Years War, a conflict that raged in several European states from 1618-1648 following an attempted rebellion by Protestants in Bohemia from the Roman Catholic Hapsburg rulers, produced slaughter and suffering that sparked additional witch hunts.

The number of trials began to drop sharply, however, in the late 1640s. Holland, for example, was by 1648 a tolerant society that had done away with punishments for witchcraft.

1682
11. England executes its last witch

1606
9. Shakespeare's Macbeth performed

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Reviews for "Singing to Confront Witchcraft Stereotypes and Myths"

1. Emily - 2 stars - I was really looking forward to reading "To singe the sorceress is to admit the existence of witchcraft" as I am a fan of fantasy novels, but I ended up being disappointed. The storyline was confusing and hard to follow, with too many characters introduced without sufficient development. The writing style also felt disjointed and lacked cohesion, making it difficult to engage with the story or connect with the characters. Overall, I found it to be a frustrating and underwhelming read.

2. Jacob - 1 star - I found "To singe the sorceress is to admit the existence of witchcraft" to be an absolute waste of time. The plot was uninteresting and predictable, and the characters were shallow and lacked depth. The writing style was also incredibly dull, lacking any sense of imagination or creativity. I struggled to finish this book and would not recommend it to anyone seeking an exciting or thought-provoking read.

3. Sarah - 2.5 stars - While "To singe the sorceress is to admit the existence of witchcraft" had some interesting themes, I felt that it fell short in execution. The pacing was slow, with long stretches of mundane descriptions that did not contribute much to the overall story. The characters were also quite one-dimensional and failed to evoke any emotional connection. Additionally, I found the dialogue to be clunky and unrealistic. While there were some intriguing moments, they were overshadowed by the book's overall lackluster delivery.

4. Mark - 2 stars - I expected "To singe the sorceress is to admit the existence of witchcraft" to be a gripping tale of magic and sorcery, but it failed to captivate me. The plot was convoluted and had too many unnecessary subplots that didn't add anything substantial to the story. The writing style was also too verbose, with excessive descriptions that dragged the pacing down. Overall, I found the book to be a tedious read and would not recommend it to those seeking an engaging and well-crafted fantasy novel.

The Mysterious Allure of Witchcraft: Singing to Understand its Hold