On Lycanthropy is an essential read for enthusiasts of witchcraft, folklore, and the darker corners of history.
For the first time translated to English, this medieval pamphlet marked a particular turn in the history of witchcraft and its representations in popular beliefs where demonic metamorphoses and the witches’ flights start to be interpreted through more empiricist and physiological explanations. Through the lens of theology and natural philosophy, Jean de Nynauld provides a thorough analysis on the lore of witches’ ointments, the sabbat and the practices of lycanthropy, presenting such phenomena as hallucinatory experiences fueled by psychoactive concoctions and the Devil’s cunning. While his primary intention was certainly to dismiss the supernatural powers associated with the Devil, witches and the sabbat, De Nylaud provides unique information on the compositions and effects of the sabbatic unguents, leaving an interesting testimony for contemporary scholars and practitioners.

Readers interested in the folklore of the sabbat, the sinister uses of magical ointments and historical perspectives on sorcery will find this little book intriguing and chilling. It is a scholarly yet gripping exploration of how the fear and fascination with the supernatural shaped beliefs and practices surrounding witchcraft and the Devil.

The book is introduced by Vini de Monte (Brujería Ibérica, Nyktelios Ediciones) who contextualizes its place in the history of witchcraft and provides a botanical categorization of the plants used in the ointments.

The English translation from Middle French was made by philologist and folklore enthusiast Marina Rivas García