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<blockquote data-quote="Doug McCrae" data-source="post: 7914975" data-attributes="member: 21169">This passage from Demons in the Middle Ages (2017) by Juanita Feros Ruys about the differences between common magic and learned necromancy seems remarkably similar to the contrast being drawn between sorcerers and wizards. &quot;Necromancy&quot; at this time meant summoning demons rather than spirits of the dead.When we look at the sorts of spells that learned practitioners were seeking to implement we can see where their desires lay. Whereas for the non-literate population key issues were health, fertility, and survival, for those practising necromancy the priorities appear different. The books of learned magic show that a necromancer was likely to hire out his skills, using the demons’ knowledge of secret things to locate lost and stolen property and identify thieves. Other spells are clearly self-interested, aiming to secure the love of a particular woman, find treasure, develop power and authority, or gain civic honours. Intriguingly, however, love and money do not appear to be nearly as common objectives for necromancers as occult knowledge.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Doug McCrae, post: 7914975, member: 21169"] This passage from Demons in the Middle Ages (2017) by Juanita Feros Ruys about the differences between common magic and learned necromancy seems remarkably similar to the contrast being drawn between sorcerers and wizards. "Necromancy" at this time meant summoning demons rather than spirits of the dead. [indent]When we look at the sorts of spells that learned practitioners were seeking to implement we can see where their desires lay. Whereas for the non-literate population key issues were health, fertility, and survival, for those practising necromancy the priorities appear different. The books of learned magic show that a necromancer was likely to hire out his skills, using the demons’ knowledge of secret things to locate lost and stolen property and identify thieves. Other spells are clearly self-interested, aiming to secure the love of a particular woman, find treasure, develop power and authority, or gain civic honours. Intriguingly, however, love and money do not appear to be nearly as common objectives for necromancers as occult knowledge.[/indent] [/QUOTE]

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