Three Books of Occult Philosophy/Book 1/Chapter 18
CHAP. XVIII.
Of the Inclinations of Enmities.
On the contrary there are inclinations of Emnities, and they are as it were the odium, and anger, indignation, and a certain kind of obstinate contrariety of nature, so that any thing shuns its contrary, and drives it away out of its presence. Such kinds of inclinations hath Rhubarb against Choller, Treacle against poison, the Saphir Stone against hot biles, and feavorish heats, and diseases of the eyes; the Amethyst against drunkenness, the Jasper against Flux of blood, and offensive imaginations, the Emrald, and Agnus Castus against Lust, Achates against poison, Piony against the Falling sickness, Corall against the ebullition of black Choller, and pains of the stomack. The Topaze against spirituall heats, such as are coveteousness, lust, and all manner of exceses of love. The like inclination is there also of Pismires against the Hearb Origanum, and the wing of a Bat, and the heart of a Lapwing, from the presence of which they flie. Also Origanum is contrary to a certain poisonous fly, which cannot endure the Sun, and resists Salamanders, and loaths Cabbage with such a deadly hatred, that they destroy one the other; so Cucumbers hate oile, and will run themselves into a ring least they should touch it. And it is said that the Gall of a Crow makes men afraid, and drives them away where it is, as also certain other things; so a Diamond doth disagree with the Loadstone, that being set by it, it will not suffer Iron to be drawn to it; and sheep fly from Frog-parsley as from some deadly thing: and that which is more wonderfull, nature hath pictured the sign of this death in the livers of sheep, in which the very figure of Frog-parsly being described, doth naturally appear; So Goats do so hate Garden basil, as if there were nothing more pernicious. And again, amongst Animals, Mice, and Weesels do disagree; whence it is said that Mice will not touch Cheese, if the brains of a Weesel be put in the rennet, and besides that the Cheese will not be corrupt with age. So a Lizard is so contrary to Scorpions, that it makes them afraid with its very sight, as also it puts them into a cold sweat; therefore they are killed with the oile of them, which oile also cures the wounds made by Scorpions. There is alsso an enmity betwixt Scorpions, and Mice: wherefore if a Mouse be applyed to a prick or wound made by a Scorpion, it cures it, as it is reported. There is also an enmity betwixt Scorpions, and Stalabors, Aspes, and Waspes. It is reported also that nothing is so much an enemy to Snakes as Crabs, and that if Swine be hurt therewith they eat them, and are cured. The Sun also being in Cancer, Serpents are tormented. Also the Scorpion, and Crocodile kil one the other; and if the Bird Ibis doth but touch a crocodile with one of his feathers, he makes him immoveable; the Bird called Bustard flies away at the sight of a horse; and a Hart runs away at the sight of a Ram, as also of a Viper. An Elephant trembles at the hearing of the grunting of a Hog, so doth a Lyon at the sight of a Cock: And Panthers will not touch them that are annointed all over with the broth of a Hen, especially if Garlick hath been boiled in it. There is also enmity betwixt Foxes, and Swans, Buls, and Daws. Amongst Birds also some are at a perpetuall strife one with another, as also with other Animals, as Daws, and Owles, the Kite, and Crows, the Turtle, and Ring-taile, Egepis, and Eagles, Harts, and Dragons. Also amongst Water Animals there is enmity, as betwixt Dolphins, and Whirpools, Mullets, and Pikes, Lampreys, and Congers: Also the fish called Pourcontrel makes the Lobster so much afraid, that the Lobster seeing the other but neer him, is struck dead. The Lobster, and Conger tear one the other. The Civet Cat is said to stand so in awe of the Panther, that he hath no power to resist him, or touch his skin: and they say that if the skins of both of them be hanged up one against the other, the haires of the Panthers skin fall off. And Orus Apollo saith in his Hieroglyphicks, if any one be girt about with the skin of the Civet Cat, that he may pass safely through the middle of his enemies, and not at all be afraid. Also the Lamb is very much afraid of the Wolf, and flies from him. And they say that if the taile, or skin, or head of a Wolf be hanged upon the sheep-coate, the sheep are much troubled, and cannot eat their meat for fear. And Pliny makes mention of a Bird, called Marlin, that breaks Crows Eggs; whose young are so annoyed by the Fox that she also will pinch, and pull the Foxes whelps, and the Fox her self also: which when the Crows see, they help the Fox against her, as against a common enemy. The litle Bird called a Linnet living in Thistles, hates Asses, because they eat the Flowers of Thistles. Also there is such a bitter enmity betwixt the litle bird called Esalon, and the Asse, that their blood will not mix together, and that at the braying of the Asse both the eggs and young of the Esalon perish. There is also such a disagreement betwixt the Olive-tree and a Harlot, that if she Plant it, it will either be alwayes unfruitfull, or altogether wither. A Lyon fears nothing so much as fired Torches, and will be tamed by nothing so much as by these: and the Wolf fears neither sword, nor spear, but a stone, by the throwing of which a wound being made, worms breed in the Wolf. A Horse fears a Camell, so that he cannot endure to see so much as his picture. An Elephant when he rageth, is quieted by seeing of a Cock. A Snake is afraid of a man that is naked, but pursues a man that is clothed. A mad Bull is tamed by being tyed to a Fig-tree. Amber draws all things to it besides Garden Basill, and those things, which are smeared with oile, betwixt which there is a kinde of a naturall Antipathy.