Foucault's Pendulum

by Umberto Eco · 1988

Three Milanese book editors invent "the Plan," a combinatorial occult conspiracy linking the Knights Templar to centuries of esoteric secret societies, only to find their private game of connections taking on a menacing life of its own.

Books mentioned in Foucault's Pendulum (126)

• De Occulta Philosophia by Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa von Nettesheim: “(epigraph) —Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa von Nettesheim, De occulta philosophia, 3, 65”
• 5000 B.C. and Other Philosophical Fantasies by Raymond Smullyan: “(epigraph) —Raymond Smullyan, 5000 B.C., 1.3.8 ("Superstition brings bad luck.")”
• New Atlantis by Francis Bacon: “(epigraph + narrative) —Francis Bacon, The New Atlantis, ed. Rawley, London, 1627”
• De Arte Cabalistica by Johannes Reuchlin: “(epigraph) —Johannes Reuchlin, De arte cabalistica, Hagenhau, 1517”
• Atalanta Fugiens by Michael Maier: “(epigraph) —Michael Maier, Atalanta Fugiens, Oppenheim, De Bry, 1618, emblem XXVII”
• Chayyei ha-Nefesh by Abraham Abulafia: “(epigraph) —Abulafia, Hayye ha-Nefes, MS Munchen 408, fols. 65a-65b”
• El Golem by Jorge Luis Borges: “(epigraph) —Jorge Luis Borges, El Golem”
• Unkempt Thoughts (Myśli nieuczesane) by Stanislaw Jerzy Lec: “(epigraph) —Stanislaw J. Lec, Aforyzmy. Fraszki, Krakow, 1977, "Mysli nieuczesane"”
• The Chemical Wedding of Christian Rosenkreutz by Johann Valentin Andreae: “(epigraph, recurs across several chapters) —Johann Valentin Andreae, Die Chymische Hochzeit des Christian Rosencreutz, Strassburg, Zetzner, 1616”
• Il Mondo Magico degli Eroi by Cesare della Riviera: “(epigraph) —Cesare della Riviera, Il Mondo Magico degli Eroi, Mantua, Osanna, 1603”
• Le Mauvais Démiurge by E. M. Cioran: “(epigraph) —E. M. Cioran, Le mauvais demiurge, Paris, Gallimard, 1969”
• Fama Fraternitatis: “(epigraph, recurs) —Fama Fraternitatis, in Allgemeine und general Reformation, Cassel, Wessel, 1614”
• Confessio Fraternitatis: “I read through the two manifestoes of the Rosicrucians, the Fama and the Confessio.”
• Histoire de Saint Louis by Jean de Joinville: “(epigraph) —Joinville, Histoire de Saint Louis, 46, 226”
• Le Secret de la Chevalerie by Victor-Émile Michelet: “(epigraph) —Victor Emile Michelet, Le secret de la Chevalerie, 1930”
• Telluris Theoria Sacra by Thomas Burnet: “(epigraph + narrative) —Thomas Burnet, Telluris Theoria Sacra, Amsterdam, 1694; also "a first edition of the Telluris Theoria Sacra of Burnetius"”
• Die Entstehung der Rittergrade in der Freimaurerei um die Mitte des XVIII Jahrhunderts by G. A. Schiffmann: “(epigraph) —Manuscript of 1760, in G. A. Schiffmann, ...Leipzig, Zechel, 1882”
• Il Mistero del Graal by Julius Evola: “(epigraph) —Julius Evola, Il mistero del Graal, Rome, Edizioni Mediterranee, 1983”
• Parzival by Wolfram von Eschenbach: “(epigraph, x2) —Wolfram von Eschenbach, Parzival, IX, 477 and XVI, 819”
• Dogme et Rituel de la Haute Magie by Éliphas Lévi: “(epigraph) —Eliphas Levi, Dogme de la haute magie, Paris, Balliere, 1856”
• Comment on devient Fée by Joséphin Péladan: “(epigraph) —Joséphin Péladan, Comment on devient Fée, Paris, Chamuel, 1893”
• Le Tombeau de Jacques de Molay by Charles-Louis Cadet de Gassicourt: “(epigraph + narrative) "wrote a book entitled Le tombeau de Jacques Molay ou le secret des conspirateurs..."”
• De l'Esprit des Choses by Louis-Claude de Saint-Martin: “(epigraph) —Louis-Claude de Saint-Martin, De l'esprit des choses, Paris, Laran, 1800”
• Dictionnaire Infernal by Jacques Collin de Plancy: “(epigraph) —Collin de Plancy, Dictionnaire infernal, Paris, Mellier, 1844”
• Corpus Hermeticum: “(epigraph) —Corpus Hermeticus, Stobaeus, excerptum VI”
• Pia et Ultimissima Admonestatio de Fratribus Rosae-Crucis by Heinrich Neuhaus: “(epigraph) —Heinrich Neuhaus, Pia et ultimissima admonestatio de Fratribus Rosae-Crucis, Danzig, Schmidlin, 1618”
• Von der Spanischen Monarchy (De Monarchia Hispanica) by Tommaso Campanella: “(epigraph) —Christoph von Besold (?), Appendix to Tommaso Campanella, Von der Spanischen Monarchy, 1623”
• Aperçu sur l'Initiation by René Guénon: “(epigraph) —René Guénon, Aperçu sur l'initiation, Paris, Editions Traditionelles, 1981”
• Adversus Valentinianos by Tertullian: “(epigraph) —Tertullian, Adversus Valentinianos”
• Martines de Pasqually by Papus: “(epigraph) —Papus, Martines de Pasqually, Paris, Chamuel, 1895”
• Picatrix: “(epigraph + narrative) "I got hold of a copy of Picatrix, from which I learned that an evocation of the spirit of Cagliostro..."”
• The Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri: “(epigraph, cantos of Purgatorio and Paradiso cited) —Dante, Purgatorio, XXVII, 100-102”
• The Anatomy of Melancholy by Robert Burton: “(epigraph) —Robert Burton, The Anatomy of Melancholy, Oxford, 1621”
• The Mystical Qabalah by Dion Fortune: “(epigraph) —Dion Fortune, The Mystical Qabalah, London, Fraternity of the Inner Light, 1957”
• Turba Philosophorum: “(epigraph) —Turba Philosophorum”
• Le Satanisme et la Magie by Jules Bois: “(epigraph, x2, preface by J.-K. Huysmans) —J. K. Huysmans, Preface to J. Bois, Le satanisme et la magie, 1895”
• The Original Account of the Teachings, Rites and Ceremonies of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn by Israel Regardie: “(epigraph) —Israel Regardie, ...Ritual for Invisibility, St. Paul, Llewellyn Publications, 1986”
• Terra Senza Tempo by Peter Kolosimo: “(epigraph) —Peter Kolosimo, Terra senza tempo, Milan, Sugar, 1964”
• L'Idea del Theatro by Giulio Camillo Delminio: “(epigraph) —Giulio Camillo Delminio, L'idea del Theatro, Florence, Torrentino, 1550”
• Our Inheritance in the Great Pyramid by Piazzi Smyth: “(epigraph + narrative) —Piazzi Smyth, Our Inheritance in the Great Pyramid, London, Isbister, 1880”
• Temple et Contemplation by Henry Corbin: “(epigraph) —Henry Corbin, Temple et contemplation, Paris, Flammarion, 1980”
• Il Theatro de vari e diversi cervelli mondani by Thomaso Garzoni: “(epigraph) —Thomaso Garzoni, Venice, Zanfretti, 1583, discorso XXXVI”
• Mission de l'Inde en Europe by Saint-Yves d'Alveydre: “(epigraph + narrative) —Saint-Yves d'Alveydre, Mission de l'Inde en Europe, Paris, Calmann Lévy, 1886”
• Histoire et Doctrine des Rose-Croix by Paul Sédir: “(epigraph) —J. M. Hoene-Wronski, quoted by P. Sédir, Histoire et doctrine des Rose-Croix, Paris, 1910”
• King Lear by William Shakespeare: “(epigraph) —Shakespeare, King Lear, III, iv”
• Utriusque Cosmi Historia by Robert Fludd: “(epigraph) —Robert Fludd, Utriusque Cosmi Historia, Tomi Secundi Tractatus Primi Sectio Secunda, Oppenheim, 1620”
• Annales Hirsaugienses (Annalium Hirsaugensium) by Johannes Trithemius: “(epigraph) —Trithemius, Annalium Hirsaugensium Tomi II, S. Gallo, 1690”
• De Homunculis by Paracelsus: “(epigraph) —Paracelsus, De Homunculis, in Operum Volumen Secundum, Genevae, De Tournes, 1658”
• Arcanum Hermeticae Philosophiae Opus by Jean d'Espagnet: “(epigraph) —Jean d'Espagnet, Arcanum Hermeticae Philosophiae Opus, 1623”
• Les Druides. Les Sociétés Initiatiques Celtes Contemporaines by M. Raoult: “(epigraph) —M. Raoult, Paris, Rocher, 1983”
• Catch-22 by Joseph Heller: “(epigraph) —Joseph Heller, Catch 22, New York, Simon & Schuster, 1961”
• Somniorum Synesiorum by Gerolamo Cardano: “(epigraph) —Gerolamo Cardano, Somniorum Synesiorum, Basel, 1562”
• Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift: “(epigraph) —Jonathan Swift, Gulliver's Travels, III, 5”
• The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail by Michael Baigent, Richard Leigh and Henry Lincoln: “(epigraph) —M. Baigent, R. Leigh, H. Lincoln, The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail, 1982, London, Cape”
• Os Cavalheiros do Amor by Sampaio Bruno: “(epigraph) —Sampayo Bruno, Lisbon, Guimarães, 1960”
• Sefer Chayei ha-Olam ha-Ba by Abraham Abulafia: “(epigraph) —Abulafia, Sefer Haie Olam”
• Effroyables Pactions Faictes entre le Diable et les Prétendus Invisibles: “(epigraph) —Effroyables pactions faictes entre le diable & les pretendus Inuisibles, Paris, 1623”
• Bacon, Shakespeare ou Saint-Germain? by J. Duchaussoy: “(epigraph) —J. Duchaussoy, Paris, La Colombe, 1962”
• La Tradizione Ermetica by Julius Evola: “(epigraph) —Julius Evola, La tradizione ermetica, Rome, Edizioni Mediterranee, 1971”
• La Franc-Maçonnerie Templière et Occultiste by René Le Forestier: “(epigraph + narrative) —René Le Forestier, Paris, Aubier, 1970”
• Tractatus de Quinta Essentia by Johannes de Rupescissa: “(epigraph) —Johannes de Rupescissa, Tractatus de Quinta Essentia, II”
• Mundus Subterraneus by Athanasius Kircher: “(epigraph + narrative) "It's the Mundus Subterraneus of Athanasius Kircher, first edition, 1665."”
• Dictionnaire Mytho-Hermétique by Antoine-Joseph Pernety: “(epigraph) —Dom J. Pernety, Paris, Bauche, 1758, "Blancheur"”
• Beasts, Men and Gods by Ferdinand Ossendowski: “(epigraph) —Ferdinand Ossendowski, Beasts, Men and Gods, 1924”
• Isis Unveiled by Helena Blavatsky: “(epigraph, recurs + narrative) —H. P. Blavatsky, Isis Unveiled, New York, Boulton, 1877”
• Science and Sanity by Alfred Korzybski: “(epigraph) —Alfred Korzybski, Science and Sanity, 1933”
• Jules Verne, initié et initiateur by Michel Lamy: “(epigraph) —Michel Lamy, Paris, Payot, 1984”
• Les Mystères de la Cathédrale de Chartres by Louis Charpentier: “(epigraph) —L. Charpentier, Paris, Laffont, 1966”
• Francis Bacon versus Phantom Captain Shakespeare: The Rosicrucian Mask by W. F. C. Wigston: “(epigraph) —W. F. C. Wigston, London, Kegan Paul, 1891”
• Essai sur la Secte des Illuminés by Marquis de Luchet: “(epigraph) —Marquis de Luchet, Paris, 1789”
• Mémoires pour Servir à l'Histoire du Jacobinisme by Abbé Augustin Barruel: “(epigraph) —Abbé Barruel, Hamburg, 1798”
• Les Jésuites Chassés de la Maçonnerie et leur Poignard Brisé par les Maçons by F. N. de Bonneville: “(epigraph) —F. N. de Bonneville, Orient de Londres, 1788”
• La Franc-Maçonnerie, Synagogue de Satan by Léon Meurin: “(epigraph) —Mons. Léon Meurin, S.J., Paris, Retaux, 1893”
• Neueste Arbeiten des Spartacus und Philo in dem Illuminatenorden: “(epigraph) —Die neuesten Arbeiten des Spartacus und Philo in dem Illuminatenorden, 1794”
• Giuseppe Balsamo (Memoirs of a Physician cycle) by Alexandre Dumas: “(epigraph) —Alexandre Dumas, Giuseppe Balsamo, ii”
• Les Sources Occultes du Nazisme by René Alleau: “(epigraph) —René Alleau, Paris, Grasset, 1969”
• Le Matin des Magiciens (The Morning of the Magicians) by Louis Pauwels and Jacques Bergier: “(epigraph) —Pauwels and Bergier, Paris, Gallimard, 1960”
• Lands Beyond by L. Sprague de Camp and Willy Ley: “(epigraph) J. Cleves Symmes letter quoted in Sprague de Camp and Ley, Lands Beyond, New York, Rinehart, 1952”
• Conclusiones (900 Theses) by Giovanni Pico della Mirandola: “(epigraph) —Pico della Mirandola, Conclusiones Magicae”
• De Rebus Incognitis by Odoric of Pordenone: “(epigraph) —Odorico da Pordenone, De rebus incognitis, Impressus Esauri, 1513”
• Sarguzasht-i Sayyidna by Hasan-i Sabbah: “(epigraph) —Hasan as-Sabbah, Sargozasht is-Sayyidna”
• De Rerum Natura by Lucretius: “(epigraph) —Lucretius, De Rerum Natura, iii, 453”
• Getting Even by Woody Allen: “(epigraph) —Woody Allen, "The Metterling List," Getting Even, New York, Random House, 1966”
• Faust by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe: “(epigraph) —Faust, ii, Without the City-Gate”
• Secret Societies and Subversive Movements by Nesta Webster: “(epigraph + narrative) —Nesta Webster, London, Boswell, 1924”
• Les Sectes et les Sociétés Secrètes by Le Couteulx de Canteleu: “(epigraph) —Le Coulteux de Canteleu, Paris, Didier, 1863”
• Commentary on the Sefer Yetzirah by Pseudo-Saadia Gaon: “(epigraph) —Pseudo Saadya, Commentary on the Sefer Yesirah”
• Le Diable Amoureux by Jacques Cazotte: “(epigraph) —Jacques Cazotte, 1772, from a page suppressed in later editions”
• The English Physitians Guide: Or A Holy Guide by John Heydon: “(epigraph) —John Heydon, London, Ferris, 1662, The Preface”
• Das Narrenschiff (Ship of Fools) by Sebastian Brant: “(epigraph) —Sebastian Brant, Das Narrenschiff, 1494”
• Conjectures and Refutations by Karl Popper: “(epigraph) —Karl Popper, London, Routledge, 1969”
• The Expulsion of the Triumphant Beast by Giordano Bruno: “(epigraph) —Giordano Bruno, transl. Arthur D. Imerti, Rutgers University Press, 1964”
• The Holy Land by John Heydon: “a certain John Heydon rewrote the New Atlantis under the title The Holy Land, and he put the Rosicrucians in it.”
• Zanoni by Edward Bulwer-Lytton: “Bulwer-Lytton, author of the Rosicrucian novel Zanoni, joins.”
• The Golden Bough by James George Frazer: “Because I had read about Saint John's Fire in Frazer's Golden Bough.”
• The Advancement of Learning by Francis Bacon: “in what the good Bacon called The Advancement of Learning”
• Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes: “the first English translation of Don Quixote bears corrections in Bacon's hand.”
• The Communist Manifesto by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels: “The Communist Manifesto is alluding sarcastically to the secret hunt for the Plan...”
• Mein Kampf by Adolph Hitler: “on Himmler's desk, along with Mein Kampf, there was always the Koran”
• Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert: “I who keep searching for my own Madame Bovary so we can have a big scene”
• Nathan the Wise by Gotthold Ephraim Lessing: “Fu Manchu is more real than Nathan the Wise”
• The Little Mermaid by Hans Christian Andersen: “I was standing on a bed of spiny sea urchins. The Little Mermaid.”
• Little Red Riding Hood by Charles Perrault: “"a remark...something about Little Red Riding-Hood" (Diotallevi)”
• Puss in Boots by Charles Perrault: “How can the Marquis de Carabas not exist when Puss in Boots says he's in the marquis's service?”
• The Leopard by Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa: “SFA encyclopedia entry: "Long ignored, achieved fame posthumously for his novel The Leopard."”
• Theatrum Chemicum: “clear proof being available on a certain page of the Theatrum Chemicum, published in Strasbourg in 1613.”
• Naometria by Simon Studion: “Simon Studion, author of Naometria, an occult treatise on the measurements of the Temple of Solomon”
• Amphitheatrum Sapientiae Aeternae by Heinrich Khunrath: “Heinrich Khunrath, who wrote Amphitheatrum sapientiae aeternae, full of allegories...”
• Arcana Arcanissima by Michael Maier: “Maier published Arcana arcanissima, in which the brethren of the Rosy Cross were not mentioned explicitly”
• Dialogue aux Enfers entre Montesquieu et Machiavel by Maurice Joly: “discovers the original book, by Maurice Joly, Dialogue aux enfers entre Montesquieu et Machiavel...1864.”
• Les Juifs, le Judaïsme et la Judaïsation des Peuples Chrétiens by Henri Gougenot des Mousseaux: “publishes Les Juifs, le judaisme et la judaisation des peuples chrétiens”
• Monas Hieroglyphica by John Dee: “His Monas Hieroglyphica seems directly inspired by the Tabula smaragdina”
• Tabula Smaragdina (The Emerald Tablet): “the Tabula smaragdina, the bible of the alchemists”
• Steganographia by Johannes Trithemius: “found an edition of his Steganographia, hoc est ars per occultam scripturam...published in Frankfurt in 1606.”
• Kabbala Denudata by Christian Knorr von Rosenroth: “a first edition of the Kabbala denudata of Christian Knorr von Rosenroth.”
• Traicté des Chiffres by Blaise de Vigenère: “the Hebrew characters of Vigenère's Traicté des Chiffres.”
• Ars Magna Sciendi by Athanasius Kircher: “Father Kircher reread all the treatises on the combinatorial art...you see what he published in his Ars Magna Sciendi.”
• The Zohar by Moses de León: “'The Zohar,' he explained. 'Lekh Lekha. Passages still completely misunderstood.'”
• Sefer HaBahir (The Bahir): “Postel...translates the Zohar and the Bahir, has contacts with the cabalists”
• Sefer Yetzirah (Book of Formation): “Read the Sefer Yesirah, Chapter Four, Section Sixteen.”
• Comte de Gabalis by Montfaucon de Villars: “'I am the Comte de Gabalis,' he introduces himself, the lying ninny.”
• Les Plus Secrets Mystères des Hauts Grades de la Maçonnerie Dévoilée: “Apocryphal publication in Jerusalem of Les plus secrets mystères des hauts grades de la maçonnerie devoilée, ou le vrai Rose-Croix”
• Nachtrag von weiteren Originalschriften, die Illuminatensekte betreffend by Adam Weishaupt: “Weishaupt publishes his Nachtrag, which describes the structure of a secret organization...”
• Traité Méthodique de Science Occulte by Papus: “Papus publishes his Traité méthodique de science occulte.”
• Les Prophéties (The Centuries) by Nostradamus: “"Nostradamus himself alludes to it in one of his Centuries...." (quatrain quoted)”
• The Protocols of the Elders of Zion: “(epigraph) —Sergei Nilus, Epilogue to the Protocols / —Protocols, v; discussed at length as the Okhrana forgery built from Joly's Dialogue”

Books that mention Foucault's Pendulum (1)

• On Literature by Umberto Eco: “discussed extensively, including its Rosicrucian research and character Casaubon”