# Three Books of Occult Philosophy/Book 1/Chapter 50

​binding, which comes from the spirit of the Witch, through the eyes of him that is bewitched, entering to his heart. Now the instrument of Fascination is the spirit, viz. a certain pure, lucid, subtile vapour, generated of the purer blood, by the heat of the heart. This doth alwaies send forth, through the eyes, rayes like to it self; Those rayes being sent forth, do carry with them a spirituall vapour, and that vapour a blood, as it appears in bleer, and red eyes, whose raies being sent forth to the eyes of him that is opposite, and looks upon them, carries the vapour of the corrupt blood, together with it self, by the contagion of which, it doth infect the eyes of the beholder with the like disease. So the eye being opened, and intent upon any one with a strong imagination, doth dart its beams, which are the Vehiculum of the spirit into the eyes of him that is opposite to him, which tender spirit strikes the eyes of him that is bewitched, being stirred up from the heart of him that strikes, and possesseth the breast of him that is stricken, wounds his heart, and infects his spirit. Whence Apuleius saith, Thy eyes sliding down through my eyes, into mine inward breast, stir up a most vehement burning in my Marrow. Know therefore that men are most bewitched, when with often beholding they direct the edge of their sight to the edg of their sight that bewitch them, and when their eyes are reciprocally intent one upon the other, and when raies are joyned to raies, and lights to lights, for then the spirit of the one is joyned to the spirit of the other, and fixeth its sparks: So are strong ligations made, and so most vehement loves are inflamed with the only raies of the eyes, even with a certain sudden looking on, as if it were with a dart, or stroke penetrating the whole body, whence then the spirit, and amorous blood being thus wounded, are carried forth upon the lover, and enchanter, no otherwise then the blood, and spirit of the vengeance of him that is slain, are upon him that slayes him. Whence Lucretius sang concerning those amorous bewitchings.
   The body smitten is, but yet the mind Is wounded with the darts of Cupid blind. All parts do Simpathize i' th' wound, but know The blood appears in that which had the blow.
So great is the power of Fascination, especially when the vapours of the eyes are subservient to the affection. Therefore Witches use Collyries, ointments, alligations, and such like, to affect, and corroborate the spirit this or that manner. To procure love, they use venereall collyries, as Hippomanes, the blood of Doves, or Sparrows, and such like. To induce fear, they use Martiall Collyries, as of the eyes of Wolves, the Civet Cat, and the like. To procure misery or sickness, they use Saturnine, and so of the rest.

## Chapter li. Of certain observations, producing wonderfull Vertues.Chapter li. Of certain observations, producing wonderfull Vertues.

They say that certain acts, and observations have a certain power of naturall things, that they believe diseases may be expelled, or brought thus, and thus. So they say that quartanes may be driven away if the parings ​of the nails of the sick be bound to the neck of a live Eel in a linnen clout, and she be let go into the water. And Pliny saith, that the paring of a sick mans nailes of his feet, and hands being mixed with wax, cure the quartan, tertian, and quotidian Ague, and if they be before Sun rising fastened to another mans gate, will cure such like diseases. In like manner let all the parings of the nailes be put into Pismires caves, and they say that that which begun to draw the nailes first must be taken, and bound to the