208 THE LIFE AND LEGEND OF MICHAEL SCOT 



Dittamondo to those of Dante relating to Michael 

 Scot : 



' In questo tempo che m'odi contare 

 Michele Scotto fii, che per sua arte 

 Sapeva Simon ]\Iago contraffare, 

 E se tu leggerai nelle sue carte 

 Le profezie ch'ei fece, troverai 

 Vere venire dove sono sparte.' 



Here the reader will observe that the prophetical 

 writings of Scot are distinctly mentioned, and we 

 are not left, as by Dante, to infer, merely from the 

 company in which we find him, the view that was 

 taken by the poet of his character and fame. 



It was to reinforce this unfavourable judgment 

 based on other grounds that Dante adopted the 

 legend already popular regarding Scot's magical 

 studies. In doing so he gave the matter a turn 

 which widely separated his version of the tale from 

 the prevailing Ghibelline stories, told no doubt 

 with bated breath, but told on the whole to Scot's 

 credit. In thus dealing with the legend Dante 

 made use of a distinction well known to the Arabs, 

 and now becoming familiar also in the West : that, 

 namely, which divided the art of magic into the 

 real and the illusory ; called by Eastern magicians 

 Er Roohlidnee and Es Seemiya} The former was 

 noble magic, and acted in power upon high spirits, 

 subduing them to the magician's will ; being either 

 white or black according to the purpose that was 

 sought by their aid. The latter, on the other hand, 

 produced no real effects whatever on material things, 

 but moved altogether in the sphere of mind. At 

 its highest it gave a mastery, which was perhaps 



' Lane's Modern Egyptians, 1837, vol. i. p. 360. For a tract on Es 

 Seemiya, by the Shaik Ali Al Tarabulsio (of Tripoli), who composed it 

 in 1219, see Asseman, Cat. Bibl. Pal. Med. p. 362. 



