Borrhomeo the Astrologer

Name: Borrhomeo the Astrologer
Author: Joseph Thomas Sheridan Le Fanu

In 1630, during the plague in Milan, superstition gripped the populace, leading to widespread panic and hallucinations. Amidst this chaos lived an astrologer named Borrhomeo, who had predicted the plague's arrival. He was also an alchemist, deeply engrossed in his quest for the philosopher's stone and the elixir of life. After a failed experiment, he encounters a mysterious young man who claims to possess the secrets Borrhomeo seeks. The young man warns him against his covetous pursuits but ultimately reveals a method to create gold and offers the elixir of life, provided Borrhomeo agrees to certain conditions. Borrhomeo, driven by greed, follows the young man to a hidden master alchemist. There, he learns that to gain the elixir, he must mark the doors of churches with a cursed substance, a task that would spread the plague further. Despite the moral implications, Borrhomeo accepts, believing he can gain wealth and immortality. After completing the task, he is arrested and tortured, ultimately confessing his crimes. He is sentenced to be hanged, but he believes the elixir will protect him from death. However, the young man reappears in his cell, revealing the true nature of his fate: while he cannot die, he will endure the agony of hanging and the subsequent torment of being buried alive. Borrhomeo is executed, and fourteen years later, his grave is opened, revealing his body intact, a testament to his cursed immortality. He is reburied in a pit, condemned to suffer eternally for his pact with the devil. The story serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of greed and the pursuit of forbidden knowledge.

By Joseph Thomas Sheridan Le Fanu · First published 1865 · Genre: Gothic Fiction, Fantasy, Horror · 5,756 words

First lines

At the period of the famous plague of Milan in 1630, a frenzy of superstition seized upon the population high and low. Old prophecies of a diabolical visitation reserved for their city, in that particular year of grace, prepared the way for this wild panic of the imagination. When the plague broke out terror seems to have acted to a degree scarcely paralleled upon the fancy or the credulity of the people. Excitement in very many cases produced absolutely the hallucinations of madness. Persons deposed, in the most solemn and consistent terms, to having themselves witnessed diabolical processions, spoken with an awful impersonation of Satan, and been solicited amidst scenes and personages altogether supernatural, to lend their human agency to the nefarious designs of the fiend, by consenting to disseminate by certain prescribed means, the virus of the pestilence.

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Borrhomeo the Astrologer is listed on Textopian as a short story by Joseph Thomas Sheridan Le Fanu, dated 1865 CE.

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Work type: Short story
Author: Joseph Thomas Sheridan Le Fanu
Date: 1865 CE
Language: English
Genres: Gothic Fiction, Fantasy, Horror, Historical Fiction, Philosophical Fiction
Length: 5,756 words
Structure: 1 section, 142 paragraphs
Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)

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Genres

Gothic Fiction — The story features supernatural elements, dark themes, and a sense of horror typical of Gothic literature.
Fantasy — The narrative includes magical practices, alchemy, and the existence of spirits, which are hallmarks of fantasy.
Horror — The themes of madness, possession, and the consequences of dark knowledge evoke horror.
Historical Fiction — Set during the plague in Milan, the story incorporates historical context and figures.