Doctor Faustus Faustus Quotes

Faustus > Faustus

Quote 37

CORNELIUS
Then doubt not, Faustus, but to be renowned
And more frequented for this mystery
Than heretofore the Delphian oracle. (1.1.134-136)

Faustus's friend Cornelius says that he will be famous for "this mystery." The Delphian oracle was a Greek speaker of prophecies and riddles, and Cornelius's reference to him implies that people will come to Faustus to learn about secrets and mysteries. That's some serious power.

Faustus > Faustus

Quote 38

CORNELIUS
Valdes, first let him know the words of art,
And then, all other ceremonies learned,
Faustus may try his cunning by himself. (1.1.151-153)

Valdes and Cornelius make doing magic sound so simple, like it's just a matter of saying the right words and making the right gestures. Of course, as Faustus is about to learn, it's a lot more complicated than a little hocus pocus. There's some serious brainpower involved.

Faustus > Faustus

Quote 39

You are deceived, for I will tell you; yet, if you were not dunces, you would never ask me such a question. For is he not corpus naturale? And is that not mobile? Then wherefore should you ask me such a question? But that I am by nature phlegmatic, slow to wrath, and prone to lechery (to love, I would say), it were not for you to come within forty foot of the place of execution, although I do not doubt but to see you both hanged at the next sessions. Thus having triumphed over you, I will set my countenance like a precisian and begin to speak thus. (1.2.15-24)

When Faustus's scholar friends ask his servant, Wagner, where he is, Wagner replies with this mishmash of nonsense. Of course it's not nonsense at all. In fact, Wagner is mocking the fussy language of university scholars. He references the physical sciences with his discussion of corpus naturale (natural bodies) and mobile (able to move, to say that Faustus is a "moveable body"). Then he references medicine and its belief in the "humors" and "natural" dispositions, or personalities, one of which is the phlegmatic. Then he claims victory, as if this whole time he had been engaging in scholarly debate with Dr. F's fellow smart guys. With all this, he displays his cleverness, his ability to beat the scholars at their own game. Bet they didn't see that coming.