Friday, March 29, 2013

Hydromancy

Meaning: Cotgrave:*
Divination by the observation of water, or by spirits appearing in it.
Usefulness: 2 (It covers a wide range of -mancys, including ceromancy and catoptromancy, the time-honoured witch-test, the mirror of Galadriel, and even raises your basic throwing-pebbles-into-water to a form of divination.)

Logofascination: 3 (The Greek hydro- is ultimately from the same root as water, and vodka, and otters.)

In the wild: Yes; as with pyromancy, there are those who confuse divination with spell-casting, and use it incorrectly. There's also a how-to video out there, this being the internet.

Degrees: 1

Connections: n/a

Which is used in: G&P, Book the Third, XXV: the -mancy chapter.

Have you a mind, quoth Herr Trippa, to have the truth of the matter yet more fully and amply disclosed unto you by pyromancy, by aeromancy, whereof Aristophanes in his Clouds maketh great estimation, by hydromancy,
You'll note that Rabelais has neatly lined up divination by fire, air and water to start the chapter.


*I'm using Cotgrave a lot recently; might be time to do some more recent words.

No comments:

Post a Comment