My favorite copy of the Goetia of Solomon has seen better days. So I
recently decided to compile my own and have a copy printed through lulu.
I drew up the outline and started making font choices.
I slept about
three hours that night and dreamed of two warriors with spears. The
dream was narrated. The narrator explained these two warriors were
demons trying to scare me.
The next night I was
visited in dream by a giant bird. The flapping of its wings made a hot
wind that knocked me down. I tried to look directly at the bird, but had
to shield my eyes from the light which was on it or maybe behind it.
On the third night I dreamed of green butterflies. I have a friend among the green butterflies now.
Then,
a few days later, on Wednesday, March 14, 2014, I went for a walk. In a
tree right outside my door there was sitting a large crow. I stopped
and looked up at him. He looked down at me. He studied my face. I
smiled. He said "hello". My rational mind tells me it was just a low
warbling sound, but the rest of me knows it was "hello".
The next night I
drank hundred-proof moonshine for the first time in my life and right as
my vision began to get blurry, I saw the pentagram of Solomon from the
Goetia and tried to force my eyes to focus and read the words. In this
state I read:
BALLATON (BILETH)
BEL-LVN
ELI
ELIJAH
OBEDIAH
SOLOMON
It
is now nearly 11pm and two crows have sounded an alarm outside my
window. My roommate says she has never heard a crow at night. She just
said, "I don't know how, but you summoned them here." She has no idea
what I am working on. But she may be right.
Wednesday, March 19, 2014
Thursday, August 8, 2013
Edward Kelley and Paul Waring Raising the Dead
Yesterday I saw a picture come across my tumblr. It was an illustration of a scene showing Edward Kelley in a cemetery, calling up a ghost. The picture's description said it was Edward Kelley and John Dee performing necromancy. Of course I knew that was nonsense because John Dee stopped associating with Kelley because Kelley was practicing black magic. John Dee wanted to talk to angels, not dead people.
So I went to wikipedia and looked up necromancy. Yep, there's the illustration and the description reads:
"Engraving of occultists John Dee and Edward Kelley "in the act of invoking the spirit of a deceased person"; from Astrology (1806) by Ebenezer Sibly.
Going to google books and looking up Sibly's Astrology, we find it on page 1106 of the second volume. You can read about the scene depicted in the plate on page 1099. It seems Edward Kelley's companion in this picture is one Paul Waring.
Sibly got his story from John Weever's book on funeral monuments. Weever allegedly heard the story from Paul Waring himself.
If you were one of the many people who liked or reblogged the picture and caption I described, please make up for it by reblogging this post.
UPDATE:
I have been contacted about this matter in private message. There still seems to be some doubt as to the identity of the two men in the picture above. I am told I cannot prove that John Dee is not in the picture and therefore Wikipedia has to be right. I will now honor that abuse of logic with a short reply.
The story begins with Weever's book on funeral monuments. On page LXV, we find this story:
This story places Edward Kelley and a man named Peter Waring in the park of Walton in le dale. Peter Waring is Kelley's companion in deeds of darkness (not John Dee). Weever claims to have heard this from a gentleman who heard it from one of his servants. The servant claimed he helped dig up a dead body for this scene.
The story was later retold on page 1099 of the second volume of Sibly's Astrology:
Sibly spells Edward's last name differently and gives the name Paul Waring instead of Peter Waring. John Dee broke company with Edward Kelly because of Kelly's black magic and lack of morals. Edward Kelly and Paul Waring "went together to the church-yard of Walton Ledale, in the county of Lancaster."
If we look closely at the illustration in question, we see two men. One, with a book and wand who looks somewhat like other images of Edward Kelley. The other man looks nothing like John Dee. And the church in the background? As long as we are on wikipedia, let's go to the Wikipedia page for Saint Leonard's Church, Walton-le-Dale. Does that look like the church in the illustration?
After all of this I find that my anonymous critic still has a point. I cannot prove that the second man in the illustration is NOT supposed to be John Dee. I also can't see anything remotely suggesting it IS. As usual, I will now wait to be proven wrong (yes, it happens every now and then).
UPDATE:
Wednesday, June 18, 2014A few days ago, on Fathers Day, I posted on the Solomonic Facebook page some information about a picture posted to the group. I said this illustration was from Sibly's Astrology. That doesn't seem to be true. The illustration is based on the one above, but appears in print at a much later date. The quality of the illustration is also much better than Sibly's.
Here it is in Raphael's The Astrologer of the Nineteenth Century.
If you know of any other sources for this story or of illustrations of the story, let me know.
Friday, October 24, 2014:
This information has become quite popular on Tumblr. It is nice to see a little quality information in social media. The Headless Hashasheen has added another source for this information:
[Edward Kelly] … upon a certain night in the Park of Walton in le dale, in the County of Lancaster, with one Paul Waring (his fellow companion in such deeds of darkness) invocated some of the Infernal Regiment, to know certain passages in the life, as also what might be known of the Devil’s foresight of the manner and time of the death of a noble young gentleman, as then in wardship. The black ceremonies of the night being ended, Kelly demanded of one of the gentleman’s servants what corpse was last buried in Law churchyard, a church thereunto adjoining, who told him of a poor that was buried there but the same day. He and Waring entreated this foresaid servant to go with them to the grave of the man so lately interred, which he did; ad withal did help them to dig up the carcase of the poor caitiff, whom by their incantations they made him (or rather some evil spirit through his organs) to speak, who delivered strange predictions concerning the said gentleman. I was told thus much by the said serving-man, a secondary actor in that dismal abhorred business; and the divers gentlemen and others now living in Lancashire to whom he hath related this story.
- Christina Hole, A Mirror of Witchcraft. (Chapter IV: “The Fairies and the Dead”. P. 86.)
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
Notes on the Magickal Alphabets Section of "Grimoire for the Apprentice Wizard"
I mentioned Grimoire for the Apprentice Wizard in a previous post. I have mixed feelings about the book. First off, I love the idea of a general magical text book for young readers. BUT, I see many things in the book that I would do differently. I also see many errors in the text. Although I could just move on and never write anything about the errors, I am bored. So, here's another post.
Being bored tonight, I opened the Grimoire for the Apprentice Wizard and thumbed through. The table titled "Ancient & Magickal Alphabets" (page 145) really stuck out. I like the look of it. So I started reading the text.
This all sounds fine if you haven't done any reading, but breaks down on the slightest effort to check the facts.
If we open Agrippa's Three Books of Occult Philosophy, we see several of the scripts mentioned by the Grimoire for the Apprentice Wizard. Reading the text we see it is the Celestial script that is supposedly from the stars (thus the name), but is obviously based on Hebrew letters. It is the Malachim that is the writing of Angels.
The publication date of Agrippa's third book is 1533. What are the chances that Agrippa was referencing the work produced by John Dee in 1581?
The Grimoire for the Apprentice Wizard credits Pope Honorius III with the creation of the Theban script. As I wrote about previously, this script was created by a man named Honorius who is from Thebes. Pope Honorius III was from Rome.
Being bored tonight, I opened the Grimoire for the Apprentice Wizard and thumbed through. The table titled "Ancient & Magickal Alphabets" (page 145) really stuck out. I like the look of it. So I started reading the text.
Hermetic Alphabets: Chaldean; Malachim
Often called sacred or hermetic alphabets, these are used almost exclusively by Ceremonial Magicians, though occasionally you may find an individual Witch or Wizard using them on a talisman. The best-known scripts are: Passing the River, Celestial, and Malachim. Celestial is also known as Angelic or Enochian, and it is still used in the higher degrees of Masonry. It came from Dr. John Dee's work with Edward Kelly, who in 1581 produced a set of 21 symbols which he claimed had been revealed to him as the true alphabet of the angels, used to compose the names of the heavenly hosts. These symbols became the foundation of Dee and Kelly's Enochian system, used to invoke angels and demons. The figures of Malachim are said to be derived from the constellations--though which ones, it is impossible to say. Malachim is sometimes confused with the "Writing of the Magi."
Theban
The Theban script is also called Honorian in honor of its creator, Honorius III (Pope 1216-1227)."
This all sounds fine if you haven't done any reading, but breaks down on the slightest effort to check the facts.
If we open Agrippa's Three Books of Occult Philosophy, we see several of the scripts mentioned by the Grimoire for the Apprentice Wizard. Reading the text we see it is the Celestial script that is supposedly from the stars (thus the name), but is obviously based on Hebrew letters. It is the Malachim that is the writing of Angels.
The publication date of Agrippa's third book is 1533. What are the chances that Agrippa was referencing the work produced by John Dee in 1581?
The Grimoire for the Apprentice Wizard credits Pope Honorius III with the creation of the Theban script. As I wrote about previously, this script was created by a man named Honorius who is from Thebes. Pope Honorius III was from Rome.
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Triangle of Solomon (Take Three)
I previously wrote about "reconstructing" Solomon's Triangle of Arte.
Here's my updated version
Founded on TETRAGRAMMATON.
Through the power of the first (PRIMEumaton) unto the last.
Representing the AZoTh.
Here's my updated version
Founded on TETRAGRAMMATON.
Through the power of the first (PRIMEumaton) unto the last.
Representing the AZoTh.
Thursday, March 8, 2012
The Mystic Eye (Game)
Over the last twenty years or so I have experimented with Ouija boards, pendulums, automatic drawing, and other forms of automatism. I seem to have some sort of block against this type of thing, or maybe I just have not invested enough time to develop the skills required.
Earlier this week I ordered the "Mystic Eye Game" from Amazon. It arrived a few hours ago. It is a board with the words "YES" and "NO" along with numbers, the letters of the alphabet and various other words. The game comes with a pendulum that you hold over the center of the board. Then something odd happens... the pendulum will literally point to an answer.
I asked the Mystic Eye a few Yes/No answers to start out. It answered much more quickly than I expected. The first answer spun the pendulum around the circle three times in about a second and stopped abruptly on the "YES" section of the circle. It's kind of like a cross between a pendulum and a talking board except it is much more uncanny to look at. I still do not know if the answers to my first few questions were correct since they are still in the future.
My next questions required the Mystic Eye to spell out answers. For a few minutes I thought I was going to have to re-sell the game on eBay. The pendulum would spin and spin in circles in one direction and then spin in the other. Then the pendulum would move back and forth in arcs between sections of the board.
Then it spelled a name. It moved straight past plain pendulums and talking boards. You see, with all of my previous experiments I have not been able to get anything coherent out of a talking board (while using it by myself) and nothing other than binary answers (Yes/No, Day/Night, etc.) from a pendulum.
Like the Ouija and other talking boards, the Mystic Eye is sold as a game. I do appreciate the entertainment value of automatism, but I see much more potential in this "game".
Earlier this week I ordered the "Mystic Eye Game" from Amazon. It arrived a few hours ago. It is a board with the words "YES" and "NO" along with numbers, the letters of the alphabet and various other words. The game comes with a pendulum that you hold over the center of the board. Then something odd happens... the pendulum will literally point to an answer.
I asked the Mystic Eye a few Yes/No answers to start out. It answered much more quickly than I expected. The first answer spun the pendulum around the circle three times in about a second and stopped abruptly on the "YES" section of the circle. It's kind of like a cross between a pendulum and a talking board except it is much more uncanny to look at. I still do not know if the answers to my first few questions were correct since they are still in the future.
My next questions required the Mystic Eye to spell out answers. For a few minutes I thought I was going to have to re-sell the game on eBay. The pendulum would spin and spin in circles in one direction and then spin in the other. Then the pendulum would move back and forth in arcs between sections of the board.
Then it spelled a name. It moved straight past plain pendulums and talking boards. You see, with all of my previous experiments I have not been able to get anything coherent out of a talking board (while using it by myself) and nothing other than binary answers (Yes/No, Day/Night, etc.) from a pendulum.
Like the Ouija and other talking boards, the Mystic Eye is sold as a game. I do appreciate the entertainment value of automatism, but I see much more potential in this "game".
Sunday, December 18, 2011
Did I Make Up the Idea of Lesser Seals?
I recently received a message which was not very coherent. The sender was upset about a couple things in my post about the Explanation of the Pentagram and Hexagram of Solomon. The first objection was my identification of the word Bellaton (from the Pentagram) with Beleth, the 13th spirit of the Goetia of Solomon. That's fine with me. I was just putting it out there.
The second objection was actually a statement. I'm not going to repeat it here because the rest of my audience is not playing the role of drunken sailor and also because I deleted the message faster than a cyberman. Basically, I was accused of making something up. In this day and age it is good to be skeptical, but it is still bad to be a blathering idiot. So, I have formed my accuser's statements into the question he should have asked: "Did you make up the idea of Greater and Lesser Seals?"
And now I will set myself to the task of answering that question.
I was first introduced to the idea of Lesser and Greater (or Noble) Seals at the same time I did my study of the Triangle of Solomon, back in the '90s.
I am not going to go into the way the Lesser and Greater Seals worked in 16th and 17th century magick, but I'll show you there was such a distinction.
In the Mathers/Crowley Goetia we see a type of spirit compass showing the directions to face when calling certain spirits.
This diagram actually belongs to the second book of the Lemegaton. These names can be found in many old books on magic.
In the book Elizabethan Magic
by Robert Turner, there is something very interesting in the chapter on Simon Forman. Robert Turner reproduces a text, "typical in form and representative of Forman's Age." The text is called Operation by the Regal Spirit Usiel. It opens with "The Great Seal of King Usiel". This seal is almost identical to the seal of Usiel found in Theurgia Goetia.
Next to this Greater Seal we find another Seal titled "The Lesser Seal According to Trithemeus".
Where did that come from?
Well, let's dust off our Steganographia and take a look at page 6.
Do those names look familiar? That's right, they're the same names as on the spirit compass thingy above! And those squigglies next to the names? Those are Lesser Seals!
The text reproduced in Elizabethan Magic gives the names and seals of 14 diurnal dukes under Usiel and 14 nocturnal dukes. It also gives the number of attending spirits for each duke. These dukes and their seals can be found in Theurgia Goetia.
These Dukes and the numbers of attending spirits (and a few seals) can also be found in Steganographia.
The Operation used Seals from the Lemegeton and Trithemeus, referenced Dee's Liber Scientiae Terrestris, and used conjurations like those in The Key of Solomon. The magical synthesis is impressive.
But I've really gone off target. No, I did not make up the idea of Lesser and Greater Seals.
The second objection was actually a statement. I'm not going to repeat it here because the rest of my audience is not playing the role of drunken sailor and also because I deleted the message faster than a cyberman. Basically, I was accused of making something up. In this day and age it is good to be skeptical, but it is still bad to be a blathering idiot. So, I have formed my accuser's statements into the question he should have asked: "Did you make up the idea of Greater and Lesser Seals?"
And now I will set myself to the task of answering that question.
I was first introduced to the idea of Lesser and Greater (or Noble) Seals at the same time I did my study of the Triangle of Solomon, back in the '90s.
I am not going to go into the way the Lesser and Greater Seals worked in 16th and 17th century magick, but I'll show you there was such a distinction.
In the Mathers/Crowley Goetia we see a type of spirit compass showing the directions to face when calling certain spirits.
In the book Elizabethan Magic
by Robert Turner, there is something very interesting in the chapter on Simon Forman. Robert Turner reproduces a text, "typical in form and representative of Forman's Age." The text is called Operation by the Regal Spirit Usiel. It opens with "The Great Seal of King Usiel". This seal is almost identical to the seal of Usiel found in Theurgia Goetia.Next to this Greater Seal we find another Seal titled "The Lesser Seal According to Trithemeus".
Where did that come from?
Well, let's dust off our Steganographia and take a look at page 6.
Do those names look familiar? That's right, they're the same names as on the spirit compass thingy above! And those squigglies next to the names? Those are Lesser Seals!
The text reproduced in Elizabethan Magic gives the names and seals of 14 diurnal dukes under Usiel and 14 nocturnal dukes. It also gives the number of attending spirits for each duke. These dukes and their seals can be found in Theurgia Goetia.
The Operation used Seals from the Lemegeton and Trithemeus, referenced Dee's Liber Scientiae Terrestris, and used conjurations like those in The Key of Solomon. The magical synthesis is impressive.
But I've really gone off target. No, I did not make up the idea of Lesser and Greater Seals.
Monday, November 28, 2011
The Salus/Hygiea Ring
Yesterday I was on Amazon when I noticed a recommendation for something free. Since ya don't see that every day, I clicked through. It was for an interesting looking Kindle book. I don't have a Kindle, but I noticed the Kindle software was a free download as well. A minute later I was reading The Book of Talismans, Amulets and Zodiacal Gems
. It's a very interesting book packed with a lot of curious lore. My kind of book. The reader is very handy on my laptop and includes the ability to bookmark and make notes.
While skimming I noticed a neat looking ring. It has a Pentagram inside an Ouroboros. Between the points of the Pentagram are the Roman letters SALVS (Latin for "Salvation"). This is the ring of the Roman Goddess Salus. Salus is a Roman form of the Greek Goddess Hygiea.
The paragraph on page 85 reads:
If you actually go to the Wikipedia page for Salus you see the statement:
It's a good thing someone put that on Wikipedia because a lot of silly Romans seem to have made Salus' statues, Name/Pentagram, symbols and general attributes the same as Hygiea.
Roman Salus Coin
Roman Hygiea Statue
. It's a very interesting book packed with a lot of curious lore. My kind of book. The reader is very handy on my laptop and includes the ability to bookmark and make notes. |
| THE PENTAGRAM WITH THE WORD SALUS |
 |
| THE PENTAGRAM WITH THE NAME HYGIEA |
"Salus Ring (Illustration No. 112, Plate VIII) was worn by the devotees of Salus, or Hygiea, daughter of Æsculapius, who was worshipped as the goddess of Health. Several holy days were appointed in her honour and worship, and she was publicly invoked for the welfare of the rulers and for the general peace and prosperity of the community; also for an abundant harvest. She is usually represented with a serpent as a tribute to her attainments in the art of medicine, and her symbol was worn for Health and Success in all undertakings, as well as for general Good Fortune."
Thomas, William; Kate Pavitt (2009-12-12). The Book of Talismans, Amulets and Zodiacal Gems (Kindle Locations 847-851). Evinity Publishing Inc. Kindle Edition.
If you actually go to the Wikipedia page for Salus you see the statement:
"She is sometimes erroneously associated with the Greek goddess Hygieia."
It's a good thing someone put that on Wikipedia because a lot of silly Romans seem to have made Salus' statues, Name/Pentagram, symbols and general attributes the same as Hygiea.
Roman Salus Coin
Roman Hygiea Statue
Sunday, November 13, 2011
The Testament of Solomon (The Source Material)
One of the things I love about having blogger blogs is the "Stats" tab in the control panel. I get to see what sites link to what blog posts, what countries my blogs are popular in (Go, go, Germany!), and what search terms people use to get to my blogs.
Lately I have noticed people are coming to this blog in search of the Testament of Solomon and related material. Some include "Greek text" and "Greek codex" in their search string for the ToS. They have searched, found this blog and then gone away empty handed. Well, no more of that!
Here are some of my web links related to the Testament of Solomon. You're welcome ;)
McCown's English Translation of the Testament of Solomon
Includes texts with critical apparatus. Archeological finds since McCown's translation are against some of McCown's assumptions. Foremost for the readers of this blog? McCown assumes the pentagram on Solomon's ring to be a later addition to the text. As I wrote about previously, the pentagram seal on jars and other items was something the author of the Testament of Solomon probably saw with their own eyes. The magical nature of the jars is debatable, but their existence is not.
This having been said, McCown's is the most thorough and scholarly translation of the Testament of Solomon I have seen. More scholarly translations and updated critical devices may exist, but I cannot find them in google.
http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924028957400
The Testament of Solomon translated by F. C. Conybeare
The Jewish Quarterly Review volume 11 (1899)
This is the translation most readily available in a google search.
http://books.google.com/books?id=ylkpAAAAYAAJ&dq=jewish%20quarterly%20review%201899&pg=PA1#v=onepage&q&f=false
Fleck's Greek Testament of Solomon
Wissenschaftliche Reise dur Deutschland, Italien, &c. (1837)
http://books.google.com/books?id=31UvAAAAYAAJ&dq=Wissenschaftliche%20Reise%20durch%20das%20s%C3%BCdli%201837&pg=PA111#v=onepage&q&f=false
Zeitschrift für die historische Theologie, Volume 14
Doctor Friedrich August Bornemann's German translation of Fleck's Greek Testament of Solomon
Das Testament des Salomo (1844)
http://books.google.com/books?id=Z9UAAAAAcAAJ&dq=bornemann%20zeitschrift%20f%C3%BCr%20die%20histor%20theologie%201844&pg=RA2-PA9#v=onepage&q&f=false
Conjectanea in Salomonis Testamentum
A German essay on the Testament of Solomon. This essay is also by Doctor Bornemann.
http://books.google.com/books?id=h5RAAAAAcAAJ&dq=Studien%20von%20Geistlichen%20des%20Konigr.%20Sachsen%201843&pg=PA45#v=onepage&q&f=false
Harley MS 5596
15th century Greek manuscript at the British Library. Contains parts of the Testament of Solomon along with the Magical Treatise of Solomon (a work related to the Key of Solomon) .
http://www.bl.uk/manuscripts/Viewer.aspx?ref=harley_ms_5596_f007r
Anecdota Atheniensia
French book. Presents Herley MS 5596.
https://archive.org/stream/MN40020ucmf_0?ui=embed#page/n226/mode/1up
Lately I have noticed people are coming to this blog in search of the Testament of Solomon and related material. Some include "Greek text" and "Greek codex" in their search string for the ToS. They have searched, found this blog and then gone away empty handed. Well, no more of that!
Here are some of my web links related to the Testament of Solomon. You're welcome ;)
McCown's English Translation of the Testament of Solomon
Includes texts with critical apparatus. Archeological finds since McCown's translation are against some of McCown's assumptions. Foremost for the readers of this blog? McCown assumes the pentagram on Solomon's ring to be a later addition to the text. As I wrote about previously, the pentagram seal on jars and other items was something the author of the Testament of Solomon probably saw with their own eyes. The magical nature of the jars is debatable, but their existence is not.
This having been said, McCown's is the most thorough and scholarly translation of the Testament of Solomon I have seen. More scholarly translations and updated critical devices may exist, but I cannot find them in google.
http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924028957400
The Testament of Solomon translated by F. C. Conybeare
The Jewish Quarterly Review volume 11 (1899)
This is the translation most readily available in a google search.
http://books.google.com/books?id=ylkpAAAAYAAJ&dq=jewish%20quarterly%20review%201899&pg=PA1#v=onepage&q&f=false
Fleck's Greek Testament of Solomon
Wissenschaftliche Reise dur Deutschland, Italien, &c. (1837)
http://books.google.com/books?id=31UvAAAAYAAJ&dq=Wissenschaftliche%20Reise%20durch%20das%20s%C3%BCdli%201837&pg=PA111#v=onepage&q&f=false
Zeitschrift für die historische Theologie, Volume 14
Doctor Friedrich August Bornemann's German translation of Fleck's Greek Testament of Solomon
Das Testament des Salomo (1844)
http://books.google.com/books?id=Z9UAAAAAcAAJ&dq=bornemann%20zeitschrift%20f%C3%BCr%20die%20histor%20theologie%201844&pg=RA2-PA9#v=onepage&q&f=false
Conjectanea in Salomonis Testamentum
A German essay on the Testament of Solomon. This essay is also by Doctor Bornemann.
http://books.google.com/books?id=h5RAAAAAcAAJ&dq=Studien%20von%20Geistlichen%20des%20Konigr.%20Sachsen%201843&pg=PA45#v=onepage&q&f=false
Harley MS 5596
15th century Greek manuscript at the British Library. Contains parts of the Testament of Solomon along with the Magical Treatise of Solomon (a work related to the Key of Solomon) .
http://www.bl.uk/manuscripts/Viewer.aspx?ref=harley_ms_5596_f007r
Anecdota Atheniensia
French book. Presents Herley MS 5596.
https://archive.org/stream/MN40020ucmf_0?ui=embed#page/n226/mode/1up
Friday, October 21, 2011
Explanation of the Pentagram and Hexagram of Solomon
I previously wrote about the "Explanation of Certain Names Used in this Book Lemegeton". I glossed over the portion of the "explanations" about the Hexagram and Pentagram of Solomon. After a forum thread at evocationmagic.com, I decided to look more closely at both the "explanation" and the Pentagram of Solomon.
In the following table you will see "The Explanation of the two triangles in the Parchment". The two "triangles" referred to are the Hexagram and Pentagram of Solomon. In the left column are the words from the Hexagram and Pentagram being "explained" by the words in the right column. Under the words as they appear in the manuscript I have included the words that appear in the Mathers/Crowley version. I have colored alternate rows for easier reading.
Wikipedia Entry: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alpha_and_omega
Wikipedia entry: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tetragrammaton
Can be found with its sigil in the center of the Pentagram. This is possibly a corruption of the name of Solomon or Jerusalem. Here you see the seal of Jerusalem
NOTE:
This "Aton" is likely Beleth, the 13th spirit of the Goetia of Solomon. Of Belleth (or Beleth or Bileth or Bilet or Ballat) the Goetia of Solomon Says:
The Hebrew of Dr. Rudd has the name Beth-Lamed-Aleph-Tau.
Most sigils these days begin with a circle and terminate with a little cross-line. As you can see from the image above, Agrippa (and the creators of the grimoires) had no such strict rules. Compare the sigil I have drawn above to the sigil of Bellony as it appears in the pentagram:
Like the Lesser Seal appearing in the Hexagram of Solomon, Bellony's sigil has been degraded and reversed. Compare these two versions of this sigil (1,2):
UPDATE: Find out more about this "sigil" here: http://brotherenochsgoetia.blogspot.com/2015/03/this-sigil-is-not-sigil.html
Another manuscript shows the sigil of Bellony more clearly:
The sigil seems to not include the final 'Y' or Yud. That leaves us Bal-LVN (Lord or master of the Levites), suggesting a Lord and possibly a connection to the Levites or priests of the Temple of Solomon.
Alternately, LVN could be Lamed-Beth-Nun, which means "white".
This post is more like notes for myself and I will probably return to it from time to time to see if I can make more progress.
In the following table you will see "The Explanation of the two triangles in the Parchment". The two "triangles" referred to are the Hexagram and Pentagram of Solomon. In the left column are the words from the Hexagram and Pentagram being "explained" by the words in the right column. Under the words as they appear in the manuscript I have included the words that appear in the Mathers/Crowley version. I have colored alternate rows for easier reading.
The Explanation of the two triangles in the Parchment |
|
| Alpha and Omega | Thou
O great God who art the beginning and the end who was before all
Eternity and ever shall be Mathers/Crowley version reads: Thou, O great God, Who art the beginning and the end: |
| Tetragrammaton | Thou
God of mighty power be ever present with us to guard us and protect us
and let thy holy presence be now and always with us Mathers/Crowley: Thou God of Almighty power, be ever present with us to guard and protect us, and let Thy Holy Spirit and presence be now and always with us: |
| Soluzen | I
command thou spirit of what Region soever thou art to come into this
circle Mathers/Crowley: I command thee, thou Spirit, of whatsoever region thou art, to come unto this circle: |
| Halliza | and
Appear in human shape Mathers/Crowley: And appear in human shape: |
| Bellatar M/C: Bellator or Bellaton |
and
speak to us audably in our mother tongue Mathers/Crowley: And speak unto us audibly in our mother-tongue: |
| Bellonoy M/C: Bollonoy or Bellony |
and
shew and discover to us all treasures that thou knowest of or that is
in thy keeping and deliver it to us quietly Mathers/Crowley: And show, and discover unto us all treasure that thou knowest of, or that is in they keeping, and deliver it unto us quietly: |
| Hallÿ
Fra M/C: Halli. Hra. |
and
answer us all such questions as we shall demand without any defect now
at this time Mathers/Crowley: And answer all such questions as we may demand without any defect now at this time. |
Alpha and Omega
can be found in the Hexagram of Solomon. This is the Beginning and End of the Greek alphabet.Wikipedia Entry: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alpha_and_omega
Tetragrammaton
is found in the Hexagram and Pentagram of Solomon. This is, as most people know, the unspeakable four-letter name of God.Wikipedia entry: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tetragrammaton
Soluzen
In Folger Shakespeare manuscript V.b.26, this word appears as Soluze with a line above the last two letters. That line means there are missing letters.
Can be found with its sigil in the center of the Pentagram. This is possibly a corruption of the name of Solomon or Jerusalem. Here you see the seal of Jerusalem
(Image snagged from HERE)
Although the seal directly above is dated to the second century, it was in use for several hundred years, including the second temple period. That's the period we start seeing stories of exorcisms and rings handed down by Solomon.
Jerusalem and Solomon contain the same root word, SLM.
NOTE:
Although the word SHAMIR does not appear in this "explanation" or the pentagram in this grimoire, it should be noted that if you omit the Lamed from the seal of Jerusalem above and read from the letter Sin, you will see why this word became part of this legend.
Jerusalem: Yud Resh Shin (Lamed) Mem
Shamir: Shin Mem Yud Resh
Jerusalem: Yud Resh Shin (Lamed) Mem
Shamir: Shin Mem Yud Resh
Halliza
is in the Pentagram with its sigil.Bellatar
is spelled Ballaton or Ballator in the Pentagram of Solomon. With the grimoiric obsession with creating words with the "Aton" suffix, I am leaning in favor of Ballaton. Note the "name" begins with Bal or Bel, meaning "master".This "Aton" is likely Beleth, the 13th spirit of the Goetia of Solomon. Of Belleth (or Beleth or Bileth or Bilet or Ballat) the Goetia of Solomon Says:
The 13 spirit is called Beleth, he is a mighty king and terrable, ridding on a pale horse wth Trumpets and all other kinds of Musicall Instruments playing before him, he is very furious at his first apperance That is whilest ye Exorcist allay his Courage, for to doe that, he must hold a hazel stick in his hand, streched forth towards ye South & East quarters making a Triangle without ye Circle, commanding him into it by ye vertue of ye Bonds & chaines of spirits hereafter following, & if he doe not come into yeBalath's Noble or greater seal is given in the text and his lesser seal appears in the Pentagram of Solomon.by your Threats, rehearse ye Bounds & chaines before him, and then he will yeild obediance and come into it and do what he is commanded by ye Eorcist [Exorcist], yet he must receive him courteously, because he is a great king & doe homage to him, as the kings and princes doe that attend him, and you must [also] have allwayes a silver Ring on the middle finger of the left hand, held against your face as they do for Amaimon, This king Beleth causeth all ye love that possible may be, both of Men and women till ye Master Eorcist [Exorcist] hath had his mind fullfilled &c. he is of the order of Powers and governeth 85 Legions of [102v] spirits, his Noble seal is this wch is to be worne before you in the Time of working.
The Hebrew of Dr. Rudd has the name Beth-Lamed-Aleph-Tau.
Bellonoy
is in the Pentagram with its sigil. This name is spelled Bellonoy in the "explanation" and Bellony in the Pentagram of Solomon. Bellony is more likely. As with Bellatar, Bellany's name begins with Bel. I believe that in Hebrew his name may be spelled Beth-Lamed-Lamed-Vav-Nun-Yud. If you use these letters to trace a sigil over the kamea of Mercury (use the one with the Hebrew letters!), you will get something like this:
Another manuscript shows the sigil of Bellony more clearly:
Alternately, LVN could be Lamed-Beth-Nun, which means "white".
Hallÿ Fra
is written (as Hally) in the Pentagram along with its sigil.ABDIA
is written in the Pentagram along with its sigil. ABDIA does not appear in the "explanation". Abdia is another way of writing Obadiah. In V.b.26, the name is written Abdiah.This post is more like notes for myself and I will probably return to it from time to time to see if I can make more progress.
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
An Explanation of the Explanations of the Diagrams of Solomon
Within the Mathers/Crowley version of the Lesser Key of Solomon, titled "The Book of the Goetia of Solomon the King
" we find three "Explanations". These are actually more like prayers than explanations.
The first explanation is titled "Explanation of Certain Names Used In This Book Lemegeton". This title was made up by Mathers. This is like a prayer for the magic circle (figure 153).
The second explanation is titled "The Explanation of the Two Triangles in the Parchment". As the footnote points out, these words are in the Hexagram (figure 155) and Pentagram ( figure 156) of Solomon.
The third explanation is titled "An Explanation of Solomon's Triangle". As the title suggests, this explains the Triangle of Solomon.
These "explanations" only appear in Sloane 2731. Sloane 2731, like all the other manuscripts used by Mathers in this "translation", is in English. I know Crowley gives a list of languages, but it's just not true.
Mathers' footnote to the first "explanation" reads:
For Mathers to criticize the orthography of the "explanations" is almost as appropriate as criticizing Mathers for spelling Cabalist with a "Q". Most of the words Mathers corrects were correct at the time of writing (as you will see in a little bit). And Crowley's dismissal shows he needed to look a little bit closer since the "explanations" have a source and are a key to understanding the tools used in the Goetia.
When dealing with grimoires you find many languages mixed together and you also find many strange spellings of Greek, Hebrew, and Latin words. It is obvious that most grimoires were composite works, built up over time by several people of varying knowledge of the languages and lore involved. I believe the Lesser Key of Solomon began its life as a catalog of demons. To the catalog conjurations were added. And sigils too. Elements were added layer on layer from other manuscripts. In time errors crept in and were embellished. It is only natural. Do you have a mastery of English, Latin, Greek, and Hebrew as well as astrology, Cabala, correspondences, ritual procedures... If you think it's tough mastering all that in our time, just imagine you live in the 16th century. So we can forgive the author of the "explanations" for any corruptions and minor errors, right? As I have shown before, not even Agrippa is free of such errors.
Consider the word Tetragrammaton. It is a Greek word representing a Hebrew word written in Latin characters in an English manuscript. This is the nature of magic and old grimoires. Tetragrammaton has remained consistently spelled and defined in most books, but other words have not fared so well. You might find the word ANAPHAXETON spelled ANEPHEZETON, or ANAPHENETON.
So, can the words appearing in the "explanations" be traced to more definite sources? I believe they can. But before we get to the source, let's have a look at the first "explanation". The manuscript has planetary symbols and a formatting I will not try to emulate in this blog post. In place of the planetary symbol I will simply write the name of the planet. Also, I will place my comments in brackets [] and in red since there is no easy way to use footnotes on this blog. Numbers are placed for easier reference to the illustration appearing after the "explanation".
In the first "explanation" we see many Hebrew words. These fit not only the order found in the grimoire's manuscripts, but can be found in Agrippa (De Occulta Philosophia, Book II, chapter 13). The "explanations" were probably made while referencing a later version of Agrippa's table "The Scale of the Number Ten". Note that in the following illustration you can see where ink has bled from the other side of the paper and also transferred by way of contact from one page to another. This along with other characteristics of old books can explain the errors in the "explanations".
The second "explanation" lists the words found in the Hexagram and Pentagram of Solomon. These are spirit names and Greek terms which are known well enough not to mention. The variants listed are found in the pentagrams and hexagrams of several manuscripts.
I wrote briefly about the third "explanation" in the post Reconstructing Solomon's Triangle. I gave a theory on what Hebrew words I believed to be implied by the Greek words around the triangle and I gave my reasoning why. While working on the illustration above I noticed something interesting.
Although I'm still not 100% certain, I am now more convinced than ever that I have the meanings of the two mysterious words ANAPHAXETON and PRIMEUMATON. Did you notice there was another "ATON" born in the first "explanation"?
" we find three "Explanations". These are actually more like prayers than explanations.The first explanation is titled "Explanation of Certain Names Used In This Book Lemegeton". This title was made up by Mathers. This is like a prayer for the magic circle (figure 153).
The second explanation is titled "The Explanation of the Two Triangles in the Parchment". As the footnote points out, these words are in the Hexagram (figure 155) and Pentagram ( figure 156) of Solomon.
The third explanation is titled "An Explanation of Solomon's Triangle". As the title suggests, this explains the Triangle of Solomon.
These "explanations" only appear in Sloane 2731. Sloane 2731, like all the other manuscripts used by Mathers in this "translation", is in English. I know Crowley gives a list of languages, but it's just not true.
Mathers' footnote to the first "explanation" reads:
This explanation, or rather paraphrased prayer, only exists in one codex as far as my knowledge goes. The Qabalist will remark that the orthography of several of the Qabalistical names is incorrect. I give it, however, as it stands.To this Crowley ads:
In any case it is worthless; the names mean nothing of the sort.
For Mathers to criticize the orthography of the "explanations" is almost as appropriate as criticizing Mathers for spelling Cabalist with a "Q". Most of the words Mathers corrects were correct at the time of writing (as you will see in a little bit). And Crowley's dismissal shows he needed to look a little bit closer since the "explanations" have a source and are a key to understanding the tools used in the Goetia.
When dealing with grimoires you find many languages mixed together and you also find many strange spellings of Greek, Hebrew, and Latin words. It is obvious that most grimoires were composite works, built up over time by several people of varying knowledge of the languages and lore involved. I believe the Lesser Key of Solomon began its life as a catalog of demons. To the catalog conjurations were added. And sigils too. Elements were added layer on layer from other manuscripts. In time errors crept in and were embellished. It is only natural. Do you have a mastery of English, Latin, Greek, and Hebrew as well as astrology, Cabala, correspondences, ritual procedures... If you think it's tough mastering all that in our time, just imagine you live in the 16th century. So we can forgive the author of the "explanations" for any corruptions and minor errors, right? As I have shown before, not even Agrippa is free of such errors.
Consider the word Tetragrammaton. It is a Greek word representing a Hebrew word written in Latin characters in an English manuscript. This is the nature of magic and old grimoires. Tetragrammaton has remained consistently spelled and defined in most books, but other words have not fared so well. You might find the word ANAPHAXETON spelled ANEPHEZETON, or ANAPHENETON.
So, can the words appearing in the "explanations" be traced to more definite sources? I believe they can. But before we get to the source, let's have a look at the first "explanation". The manuscript has planetary symbols and a formatting I will not try to emulate in this blog post. In place of the planetary symbol I will simply write the name of the planet. Also, I will place my comments in brackets [] and in red since there is no easy way to use footnotes on this blog. Numbers are placed for easier reference to the illustration appearing after the "explanation".
The Explanation of the Circle of Solomon
[1] Eheie [2] Kether
|
Almighty God whose dwelling is in the highest heavens
| |
[3] Haioth
|
The great King of heaven and all the powers therein
| |
[4] Metthraton
[Mathers gives Methratton. Agrippa has Metattron] |
And of all the holy hosts of Angels and Archangels
| |
[5] Reschith
|
Hear the prayers of thy servant who put his whole trust in thee
| |
[6] Tagallalim
[Mathers gives Hagalgalim. Agrippa gives Hagallalim.]
|
Lett thy holy Angells command assist me at this time and at all times
| |
P:[rimum] M:[obile]
|
[Note that this sub-heading and all other sub-headings appears at the end of the section. This matches the order given in Agrippa's table.]
| |
[7] Jehovah
|
God Almighty God omnipotent hear my prayers
| |
[8] Hadonath
|
Command thy holy Angels Above the fixed stars
| |
[9] Ophamim
|
To be Assisting and Aiding of thy servants
| |
[10] Jophiel
|
That I may command all spirits of the Air fire water earth and hell
| |
[11] Masloth
|
Soe that it may tend to thy glory and Mans good
| |
[Sphera Zodiaci]
| ||
[12] Jehovah
|
God Almighty God omnipotent hear my prayers
| |
[13] Elohim
|
God with us God be always present with us
| |
[14] Binah
|
Strengthen us and support us both now and forever
| |
[15] Aralim
|
In these our undertakings which I doe as an Instrument in thy hands
| |
[16] Zabbathy
[Mathers gives Zabbathi and then adds the correction, "should be Shabbathii." Agrippa gives Sabbathai]
|
Of thee the great God of Sabaoth
| |
[Sphera Saturni]
| ||
[17] Hesel
[Mathers writes "should be Chesed". Agrippa gives Hesed]
|
Thou great god governour and creator of all the Planets and host of heaven
| |
[18] Hasmalim
[Mathers "should be Chashmalim". Agrippa gives Hasmallim]
|
Command them by the Almighty Power
| |
[19] Zedez
[Mathers gives Zelez then notes "should be Zedeq". Agrippa gives Zedeck]
|
To be now present and assisting to us thy poor servants both now and forever
| |
K: S. Jupiter
[Spera Iouis]
| ||
[20] Elohim Geber
[Mathers notes Geber "should be Gibor"]
|
Most Almighty eternal and everliving Lord God
| |
[21] Seraphim
|
Command thy Seraphims
| |
[22] Camael [23] Modim
[Mathers/Crowley edition correctly changes Modim to Madim without noting it]
|
To attend on us now at this time to assist us and defend us from all perils and dangers
| |
[Sphera Martis]
| ||
[24] Eloha
|
O Almighty God be present with us both now and forever
| |
[25] Tetragrammaton
[The author's copy of Agrippa was probably not as clear as mine. This should be Tiphareth.]
|
And let thy Almighty power and presence ever guard us and protect us at this present and forever
| |
[26] Raphael
|
Lett thy holy Angell Raphael wait upon us at at this present and forever
| |
[27] Schemes
[Mathers notes "or Shemesh".]
|
To Assist us in this our undertakings
| |
[Sphera Solis]
| ||
[28] Jehovah
|
God Almighty God omnipotent hear my prayers
| |
[29] Sabaoth
|
Thou great God of Sabaoths
| |
[30] Vesah
[Mathers corrects Vesah to "Netzah (or Netzach)". ]
|
All seeing God
| |
[31] Elohim
|
God be preset with us and let thy presence be now and always present with us
| |
[32] Haniel
|
Let thy holy Angel Haniell come and minister unto us at this present
| |
[Sphera Veneris]
| ||
[33] Elohim
|
God be present with us and let thy presence be now and always present wth us
| |
[34] Sabaoth
|
O thou great god of Sabaoths be present with us at this time and forever
| |
[35] Hodben
[Mathers writes, "should be Hod simply". I believe this is a result of the ink from the word Binah on the facing page along with the word bne (later prints of the table read ben) in the cell directly below it in Agrippa.]
|
Let thy Almighty power defend us and protect us both now and forever
| |
[36] Michael
|
Let Michael who is under thee Generall of thy heavenly host
| |
[37] Cockab
|
Come and expell all evil and danger from us both now and forever
| |
S. Mercury
[Sphera Mercurii]
| ||
[38] Sadai
|
Thou great God of all wisdom and knowledge
| |
[39] Jesal
[Mathers notes "should be Iesod"]
|
Instruct thy poor and most humble servant
| |
[40] Cherubin
[Mathers has Cherubim]
|
By thy holy Cherubins
| |
[41] Gabriel
|
By thy holy Angel Gabriel who is the Author and messenger of good tidings
| |
[42] Zenanah
[Mathers corrects to Levanah without note]
|
Direct us and support us at this present and forever
| |
S. Luna
[Sphera Luna]
|
In the first "explanation" we see many Hebrew words. These fit not only the order found in the grimoire's manuscripts, but can be found in Agrippa (De Occulta Philosophia, Book II, chapter 13). The "explanations" were probably made while referencing a later version of Agrippa's table "The Scale of the Number Ten". Note that in the following illustration you can see where ink has bled from the other side of the paper and also transferred by way of contact from one page to another. This along with other characteristics of old books can explain the errors in the "explanations".
The second "explanation" lists the words found in the Hexagram and Pentagram of Solomon. These are spirit names and Greek terms which are known well enough not to mention. The variants listed are found in the pentagrams and hexagrams of several manuscripts.
I wrote briefly about the third "explanation" in the post Reconstructing Solomon's Triangle. I gave a theory on what Hebrew words I believed to be implied by the Greek words around the triangle and I gave my reasoning why. While working on the illustration above I noticed something interesting.
Although I'm still not 100% certain, I am now more convinced than ever that I have the meanings of the two mysterious words ANAPHAXETON and PRIMEUMATON. Did you notice there was another "ATON" born in the first "explanation"?
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