CHORUS
For, falling to a devilish exercise,
And glutted now with learning's golden gifts,
He surfeits upon cursed necromancy.
Nothing so sweet as magic is to him,
Which he prefers before his chiefest bliss. (Prologue.22-26)
It's interesting that the Chorus describes Faustus as "surfeit[ing] upon cursed necromancy." Near the end of the play, the Scholars remark that Faustus's problem is probably a "surfeit," or excess, of something in his blood, which was thought to cause disease. Faustus responds that it's a "surfeit of deadly sin" (5.2.36-37). Sin, magic, and disease are all linked by that word—"surfeit." The description of Faustus as "glutted," and magic as "sweet," also links Faustus's pursuit of magic to the sin of gluttony. He just wants too much of everything.
CHORUS
So much he profits in divinity
That shortly he was graced with doctor's name,
Excelling all, and sweetly can dispute
In th'heavenly matters of theology. (Prologue.15-18)
Becoming a doctor of divinity in a medieval university was a process that took almost fifteen years. Yep, you read that right. First you had to study the classics, and in the end you had to study the Bible in detail.So the fact that Faustus has this degree means he's smart. We're talking genius level here, folks.
CHORUS
Learnèd Faustus, to find the secrets of astronomy
Graven in the book of Jove's high firmament,
Did mount him up to scale Olympus' top,
Where, sitting in a chariot burning bright,
Drawn by the strength of yokèd dragons' necks,
He views the clouds, the planets, and the stars. (3.Chorus.1-6)
Faustus's relationship with Mephistopheles enables him to get firsthand knowledge of astronomy in a way that we bet makes his colleagues insanely jealous. Even as this knowledge is described as book-learning, as "graven in the book of Jove's high firmament," it is in fact much closer to scientific analysis than anything Faustus has done before.
CHORUS
But new exploits do hale him out again,
And, mounted then upon a dragon's back,
That with his wings did part the subtle air,
He now is gone to prove cosmography,
That measures coasts and kingdoms of the earth. (3.Chorus.16-20)
Faustus has totally achieved a god's-eye view of the earth. In other words, he can see everything. He's omniscient, which is often a word the devout use to describe God. One of God's powers, as told in the Christian creation story, is as measurer and analyzer of his creation. But Faustus takes this role upon himself when he seeks to measure the earth's kingdoms from above.
CHORUS
So much he profits in divinity
That shortly he was graced with doctor's name,
Excelling all, and sweetly can dispute
In th'heavenly matters of theology;
Till swoll'n with cunning, of a self-conceit,
His waxen wings did mount above his reach,
And melting, heavens conspired his overthrow. (Prologue.15-20)
Ever heard of Icarus? He's the figure from Greek mythology who tried to fly too close to the sun and fell to Earth and died when its rays melted the wax holding his hand-crafted wings together (to make a long story short). The implication is that the gods are jealous when Icarus (and Faustus) tries to do things beyond the normal abilities of humankind. And, boy, do they get punished for it.