Cornelius Agrippa - Definition and Overview

Cornelius Agrippa, as portrayed in
"Libri tres de occulta philosophia"

Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa von Nettesheim (born in Köln September 14 1486 - died in Grenoble February 18 1535) was a magician and occult writer, astrologer, and alchemist. He may also be considered as an early feminist.

During his wandering life in Germany, France and Italy he worked as theologian, physician, legal expert and soldier.

He is most known for his books:

• De incertitudine et vanitate scientiarum (printed in Köln 1527) a satire of the (according to Agrippa) sad state of science.
• Libri tres de occulta philosophia or Three Books of Occult Philosophy (printed in Paris 1531 and in Köln 1533) a book about magic and cult-classic for practitioners of that art to this day.
• Declamation on the Nobility and Preeminence of the Female Sex a book on the equality of women.

(A complete collection of his writings were also printed in Lyon in 1550.)

Also see

• Website devoted to Agrippa's Life (http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Agora/7850/)
• Short Biography of Agrippa (http://www.renaissanceastrology.com/agrippa.html)
• Pentagram
• Paracelsus