magia

Forms

magīa f (genitive magīae); first declension^[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Ancient Greek μαγεία (mageía, “magic, sorcery”),^[2][1][3] the noun of μάγος (mágos, “a member of the Median priestly caste, magus”), the word Latin took over as magus.^[3] Etymonline calls the Greek noun a borrowing from Old Persian and connects it, with a “possibly”, with Proto-Indo-European *magʰ- (“to be able, have power”);^[4] Köbler compares the same root.^[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Apuleius is the first author to use it,^[3][2] for magic and sorcery: in his Apology he speaks of a charge of magic, “easier to slander than to prove”, and also uses the word for the religion of the Persian Magi, citing Plato's account of it.^[2]

Semantic evolution

Lewis & Short define it as the science of the Magi and class it as post-classical;^[5] Ammianus Marcellinus and Prudentius use it too, Prudentius of Thessalian magic,^[6] and the Vulgate has the plural for magic arts.^[6] Ecclesiastical Latin kept the sense “magic, sorcery”.^[7]

In medieval Latin it meant magic,^[8] and British writers distinguish a forbidden magic, which they equate with necromancy, from a lawful “natural” magic, the hidden wisdom of nature and the mother of true medicine.^[9] The word survives as Italian magia, Portuguese magia and French magie.^[1]

Timeline

• c. 125–175 AD – Apuleius uses it for magic and for the religion of the Magi.^[2][3]
• c. 390 AD – Ammianus Marcellinus uses it.^[6][3]
• 348/49–c. 413 AD – Prudentius speaks of Thessalian magic.^[6][5][3]
• 390–406 AD – The Vulgate uses the plural for magic arts.^[6][3]
• Medieval Latin – British authors such as Bede use it for magic and sorcery.^[9]

Meanings

Noun

1. Magic, sorcery.^[2][5]
2. The religion or lore of the Persian Magi.^[2][5]
3. (plural) Magic arts, sorceries.^[6]
4. (Medieval Latin) Occult wisdom, natural magic, as opposed to forbidden magic.^[9]

Related words

• magus
• magicus
• magicē
• English magic

References

1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ a b c d e f g h Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
4. ^ Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
5. ^ a b c d Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
6. ^ a b c d e f Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
7. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
8. ^ Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
9. ^ a b c Latham, R. E., D. R. Howlett, R. K. Ashdowne, et al. (1975–2013), Dictionary of Medieval Latin from British Sources, London: British Academy / Oxford University Press