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Difference between revisions of "Johannes Trithemius"
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Trithemius' most famous work, ''Steganographia'' (written c. 1499; published Frankfurt, 1606), was placed on the ''Index Librorum Prohibitorum'' in 1609 and removed in 1900. This book is in three volumes, and appears to be about magic—specifically, about using spirits to communicate over long distances. | Trithemius' most famous work, ''Steganographia'' (written c. 1499; published Frankfurt, 1606), was placed on the ''Index Librorum Prohibitorum'' in 1609 and removed in 1900. This book is in three volumes, and appears to be about magic—specifically, about using spirits to communicate over long distances. | ||
Since the publication of the decryption key to the first two volumes in 1606, they have been known to be actually concerned with cryptography and steganography. Until recently, the third volume was widely still believed to be solely about [[ritual magic|magic]], but the "magical" formulae have now been shown to be covertexts for yet more cryptographic content. However, mentions of the magical work within the third book by such figures as Agrippa and John Dee still lend credence to the idea of a mystic-magical foundation concerning the third volume. | Since the publication of the decryption key to the first two volumes in 1606, they have been known to be actually concerned with cryptography and steganography. Until recently, the third volume was widely still believed to be solely about [[ritual magic|magic]], but the "magical" formulae have now been shown to be covertexts for yet more cryptographic content. However, mentions of the magical work within the third book by such figures as Agrippa and [[John Dee]] still lend credence to the idea of a mystic-magical foundation concerning the third volume. | ||
While Trithemius's steganographic methods were established to be free of the need for angelic–[[astrology|astrological]] mediation, they left intact is an underlying theological motive for their contrivance. The preface to the ''Polygraphia'' equally establishes that the everyday practicability of cryptography was conceived by Trithemius as a "secular consequent of the ability of a soul specially empowered by [[Yahweh|God]] to reach, by magical means, from [[earth]] to [[Heaven]]." | While Trithemius's steganographic methods were established to be free of the need for angelic–[[astrology|astrological]] mediation, they left intact is an underlying theological motive for their contrivance. The preface to the ''Polygraphia'' equally establishes that the everyday practicability of cryptography was conceived by Trithemius as a "secular consequent of the ability of a soul specially empowered by [[Yahweh|God]] to reach, by magical means, from [[earth]] to [[Heaven]]." | ||