Three Books of Occult Philosophy

Three Books of Occult Philosophy (De Occulta Philosophia libri III) is Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa's study of occult philosophy, acknowledged as a significant contribution to the Renaissance philosophical discussion concerning the powers of magic, and its relationship with religion.

The books outline the four elements, astrology, Kabbalah, numerology, angels, names of God, the virtues and relationships with each other as well as methods of utilizing these relationships and laws in medicine, scrying, alchemy, ceremonial magic, origins of what are from the Hebrew, Greek and Chaldean context.

In fact, Agrippa's interpretation of magic is similar to the authors Marsilio Ficino, Pico della Mirandola and Johann Reuchlin's synthesis of magic and religion, and emphasize an exploration of nature.

The text survives to this day and draws heavily from Ficino, Pliny the Elder and Pico Della Mirandola, among other works well-known to scholars of the Renaissance.

[2] In 1526-27, Agrippa published a satirical-critical work called De Incertitudine Et Vanitate Scientiarum Liber, in which he seemingly retracted his Three Books, apparently admitting that his occult studies were misguided.