an evil sorcerer?

. a written by Chris McCarron The landlord of the Lion’s Inn knocked on the door. The frightened man finally unlocked the door and there amid the broken furniture was the body of the much feared sorcerer, Faust. Faust’s body was muti- lated and twisted about in unnatural ways. In Wurttemberg, Germany the townspeople wrote down their belief of the mystery behind the death. Ona plaque at the Lion’s Inn reads “‘One of the most powerful devils, Mephistopheles, whom he had called brother-in-law during his lifetime, had broken his neck, as the pact had expired after 24 years, and delivered his soul to external damnation.’’ This murder occurred around 1540. Historians disagree about much when discussing Faust, but most agree that Faust had been famous for years as being eithera quack or an evil sorcerer.

Johann Gast, a Protestant Pastor said that the dog and horse Faust owned were actually evil spirits who along with Faust were part ofa contract with Satan. On the other hand was Trithemius, who also dabbled _in magic, who called the infamous Faust nothing more _thana fool who should be horsewhipped. Johann Faust graduated from Hiedelberg University in 1509. He soon became known as an astrologerandnecro- _ _mancer, one who communicated with the dead. Fora short time Faust was schoolmaster ata boy’s boarding school in Nurenberg, but in 1532 he was fired and ; exiled from the city ‘*for corrupting the morals of his

“young students.’’ Faust was happy to boast of his

“powers, he called himself ‘‘ Fountain of the Necro-

_mancers, Astrologers, Second of the Magicians,

Chiromancer, Aeromancer, Pyromancer, Second of “Hydromancy.””

During the Renaissance astrology was seen asa “respectable science. Some forms of magic were ac- “ceptable, these were called White magic. Legend has “it the Faust was one of the few who practised black “magic. Black magic as defined as ‘‘Consulting with “evil spirits and demons in order to gain secret knowl- edge,”’

: artin Luther, brave enough to separate Catholics and Protestants, stated that he needed God to save himself trom demons sent by Faust.

Word of mouth describes Faust’s incredible feats. Faust could tap a table and wine would pour from it.

Faust could order a demon to bring him fresh straw- berries in the middle of the winter. One bizarre story had Faust being so hungry that he ate a whole horse as well as the cart of hay the horse was pulling. One

day Fast saw a group of men struggling to lift a barrel fromacellar. Faust yelled to the men ‘‘ You are foolish. I can bring up the barrel by myself.’’ The men watched as Faust rode the barrel out of the cellar.

Why did Faust trade his soul in order to achieve special favours from evil spirits? The answer may again be the plaque in the Lion’s Inn ‘‘Though finally damned- did indeed for 24 years enjoy the power and pleasure of the forbidden secrets of Satanic evil. Forbidden... but seductive.

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peoruary 20,1992 . Page 9