Definition



Witch:
1. a person believed to have magic power: sorceress
2. an ugly old woman: hag
3. a charming or alluring girl or woman

The Merriam Webster Dictionary

 

 According to sixteenth-century English lawyer William West:

 “ A witch or a hag is she which being deluded by a league made with the devil through his persuasion, inspiration or juggling, thinketh she can design what manner or evil things soever, either by thought or imprecation, as to shake the air with lightnings and thunder, to cause hail and tempests, to remove green corn or trees to another place, to be carried of her familiar (which hath taken upon him the deceitful shape of a goat, swine, or calf, etc.) into some mountain far distant, in a wonderful short space of time, and sometime to fly upon a staff or fork, or some other instrument, and to show a thousand such monstrous mockeries.”

Witchcraft

Witchcraft, in various historical, anthropological, religious and mythological contexts, is the use of certain kinds of supernatural or magical powers in order to inflict harm or damage upon members of a community or their property. In many societies, people distinguish between bad witchcraft and good witchcraft, the latter involving the use of these powers to heal someone from bad witchcraft. The concept of witchcraft is normally treated as a cultural ideology, a means of explaining human misfortune by blaming it either on a supernatural entity or a known person in the community. A witch (from Old English wicce f. / wicca m.) is a practitioner of witchcraft.

Belief in witchcraft, and by consequence witch-hunts, are found in many cultures worldwide, today mostly in Sub-Saharan Africa (e.g. in the witch smellers in Bantu culture), and historically notably in Early Modern Europe, where witchcraft came to be seen as a vast diabolical conspiracy against Christianity, and accusations of witchcraft led to large-scale witch-hunts, especially in Germanic Europe.

The "witch-cult hypothesis", a controversial theory that European witchcraft was a suppressed pagan religion, was popularised in the 19th and early 20th centuries. From the mid 20th century on Witchcraft has become the self-designation of a branch of neopaganism, especially in the Wicca tradition following Gerald Gardner, who claimed a religious tradition of Witchcraft with pre-Christian roots.

 Alleged practices

Practices to which the witchcraft label have historically been applied are those which influence another person's mind, body or property against his or her will, or which are believed, by the person doing the labelling, to undermine the social or religious order. Some modern commentators consider the malefic nature of witchcraft to be a Christian projection. The concept of a magic-worker influencing another person's body or property against his or her will was clearly present in many cultures, as there are traditions in both folk magic and religious magic that have the purpose of countering malicious magic or identifying malicious magic users. Many examples can be found in ancient texts, such as those from Egypt and Babylonia, where malicious magic is believed to have the power to influence the mind, body or possessions, malicious magic users can become a credible cause for disease, sickness in animals, bad luck, sudden death, impotence and other such misfortunes. Witchcraft of a more benign and socially acceptable sort may then be employed to turn the malevolence aside, or identify the supposed evil-doer so that punishment may be carried out. The folk magic used to identify or protect against malicious magic users is often indistinguishable from that used by the witches themselves.

There has also existed in popular belief the concept of white witches and white witchcraft, which is strictly benevolent. Many neopagan witches strongly identify with this concept, and profess ethical codes that prevent them from performing magic on a person without their request.

Where belief in malicious magic practices exists, such practitioners are typically forbidden by law as well as hated and feared by the general populace, while beneficial magic is tolerated or even accepted wholesale by the people – even if the orthodox establishment objects to it.

 
Spell casting

Probably the most obvious characteristic of a witch was the ability to cast a spell, a "spell" being the word used to signify the means employed to accomplish a magical action. A spell could consist of a set of words, a formula or verse, or a ritual action, or any combination of these.  The most important part of a spell is of course the energy the practitioner puts into it; this being done in a variety of ways by many different people. Spells traditionally were cast by many methods, such as by the inscription of runes or sigils on an object to give it magical powers, by the immolation or binding of a wax or clay image poppet of a person to affect him or her magically, by the recitation of incantations, by the performance of physical rituals, by the employment of magical herbs as amulets or potions, by gazing at mirrors, swords or other specula (scrying) for purposes of divination, and by many other means.

Conjuring the dead

Strictly speaking, "necromancy" is the practice of conjuring the spirits of the dead for divination or prophecy - although the term has also been applied to raising the dead for other purposes. The Biblical Witch of Endoris supposed to have performed it (1 Sam. 28), and it is among the witchcraft practices condemned by Ælfric of Eynsham:

"Witches still go to cross-roads and to heathen burials with their delusive magic and call to the devil; and he comes to them in the likeness of the man that is buried there, as if he arise from death."

Ethymology

"Witch" comes from the Anglo-Saxon wicce (meaning witch), which in turn derives from an Indo-European root word meaning to bend or change or do magic/religion (making it related to "wicker," "wiggle," and even "vicar"). It is possibly also related to the Old Norse vitki (meaning wizard), derived from root words meaning "wise one" or "seer." "Warlock" (rarely used, for male Witches) is from the Old Norse varðlokkur, "spirit song" (not "oath-breaker").

 "When shall we three meet again? In thunder, lightning, or in rain?
When the hurly-burly's done. When the battle's lost and won.
That will be ere the set of sun...
Fair is foul, and foul is fair
Hover through the fog and filthy air."
 Macbeth, Act I, Scene I

  

Translations and other names

 

hexe, häxen, hexse, hess, hächse, hezze (german)

hag (english)

heks (dutch)

sorciere (french)

stregha, erbaria (italian)

bruja (spanish)

bruxa (portugese)

larva, malefica, lamia, venefica, striga, masca, maga (latin)

 

Commonly Used Plants

Atropa Belladonna Aconite (Aconitum Napellus) Conium maculatum Datura Stramonium Hyoscyamus Niger Digitalis purpured 'width' is a duplicate attribute name. Line 1, position 37. Atropa Belladonna Commonly known as Deadly Nightshade. It is usually found in chalky soils, shaded areas and waste ground or old ruins. The name Belladonna, "Beautiful Lady", is thought to derive from its use by Italian ladies, to dilate the pupil of the eye to make them more attractive. The generic name, "Atropa", is derived from the Greek, Atropos, one of the fates that held the shears to cut the thread of human life. According to folklore it is a plant that belongs to the Devil. The properties of Belladonna depend on the presence of Hyoseyamine and Atropine, the root is the principle source of preparing tinctures, however, the whole plant including the berries contain these alkaloids. Atropine, or Tropane is a highly toxic white crystalline alkaloid (C17H23NO3). In medicines, atropine is used to relieve spasms, to diminsh secretions, to dilate the pupil of the eye, and to relieve pain and inflammation. However, when a potion containing atropine is rubbed into the skin, it can produce life-like dreams, delusions, and high excitement. It has anti spasmodic activity and was used for asthma and whooping cough. In poisonous doses it causes paralysis, excitement and delirium.

'width' is a duplicate attribute name. Line 1, position 37.

Aconite (Aconitum Napellus)

 Commonly known as Monkshood. The poisonous properties of aconite have been used to coat arrowheads for use on humans and animals.

Its medical uses was mainly restricted for the alleviation of muscular and rheumatic pain when applied externally to the affected area.

A number of alkaloids have been identified within aconite but the group which is believed responsible for its medical and poisonous activity are the Aconitines.

 Aconite is extremely poisonous and the symptoms of poisoning begin with numbness in the mouth, crawling sensations on the skin, vomiting, stomach pains, laboured breathing, irregular and weak pulse, giddiness and staggering, eventual cardiac arrest or asphyxiation. The mind remains clear :  in cases of poisoning artificial respiration and stimulants are indicated.





'width' is a duplicate attribute name. Line 1, position 37.

Datura Stramonium

Commonly known as Thornapple. Datura is strongly narcotic and doses lead to dilation of the pupils, giddiness, delirium and mania. 

The active constituents are the same as Belladonna, i.e.  hyoseyamine and atropine, but in smaller concentrations. Its medical uses are also the same as Belladonna, its effects on coughing and respiratory conditions being slightly stronger.




'width' is a duplicate attribute name. Line 1, position 37.

Hyoscyamus Niger

 Commonly known as Henbane. In Greek legend the dead in Hades were crowned with Henbane as they wandered beside the Styx. The plant has been used since antiquity in magic and diabolism for its power of causing delirium and hallucinations.

In poisonous doses, poor vision, dizziness, sleepiness are often followed by delirium and convulsions. The active constituents are Hyoseyamine, Atropine and Hyoseine.

 Similar to Belladonna in its medicinal uses, however the added presence of Hyoscine gives it the properties of reducing secretions and relax spasm of involuntary muscles.

It has been employed in hysteria, pain and rheumatism.  It was also used extensively in insane asylums for treating mania and delirium tremens.





'width' is a duplicate attribute name. Line 1, position 37.

Digitalis purpured

 Commonly known as Foxglove. Digitalis containing a number of glucosides, three of which are cardiac stimulants: digitoxin, digitalin and digitalun. The other glucoside is digitonin, a cardiac depressant.

Digitalis has been used from early times for its properties on the heart and circulation. Its first action is to increase blood pressure due to contraction of the heart and arteries.

In toxic doses it causes disturbances of the senses, blurs the visual field. Low dose poisoning leads to slow and irregular pulse. Higher concentrations of poisoning leads to rapid heart beat and arrest.