S. L. MacGregor Mathers
The Key of Solomon the King
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Table of contents
Preface
Second Preface
Preliminary Discourse
Introduction
Introduction From Lansdowne Mss
Book 1
I
II
III
IV
V
VI
VII
VIII
IX
X
XI
XII
XIII
XIV
XV
XVI
XVII
XVIII
Book 2
PREFATORY NOTE
CHAPTER I
CHAPTER II
CHAPTER III
CHAPTER IV
CHAPTER V
CHAPTER VI
CHAPTER VII
CHAPTER VIII
CHAPTER IX
CHAPTER X
CHAPTER XI
CHAPTER XII
CHAPTER XIII
CHAPTER XIV
CHAPTER XV
CHAPTER XVI
CHAPTER XVII
CHAPTER XVIII
CHAPTER XIX
CHAPTER XX
CHAPTER XXI
CHAPTER XXII
Notes
Preface
IN
presenting this celebrated magical work to the student of occult
science some few prefatory remarks are necessary.The
Key of Solomon, save for a curtailed and incomplete copy published
in
France in the seventeenth century, has never yet been printed, but
has for centuries remained in Manuscript form inaccessible to all
but
the few fortunate scholars to whom the inmost recesses of the great
libraries were open. I therefore consider that I am highly honoured
in being the individual to whose lot it has fallen to usher it into
the light of day.The
fountain-head and storehouse of Qabalistical Magic, and the origin
of
much of the Ceremonial Magic of mediaeval times, the 'Key' has been
ever valued by occult writers as a work of the highest authority;
and
notably in our own day Eliphaz Lévi has taken it for the model on
which his celebrated '
Dogme
et Rituel de la Haute Magie
'
was based. It must be evident to the initiated reader of Levi, that
the Key of Solomon was his text book of study, and at the end of
this
volume I give a fragment of an ancient Hebrew manuscript of the
'Key
of Solomon,' translated and published in the 'Philosophie Occulte,'
as well as an Invocation called the 'Qabalistical Invocation of
Solomon,' which bears close analogy to one in the First Book, being
constructed in the same manner on the scheme of the
Sephiroth
.The
history of the Hebrew original of the 'Key of Solomon' is given in
the Introductions, but there is every reason to suppose that this
has
been entirely lost, and Christian, the pupil of Lévi, says as much
in his 'Histoire dc la Magie.'I
see no reason to doubt the tradition which assigns the authorship
of
the 'Key' to King Solomon, for among others Josephus, the Jewish
historian, especially mentions the magical works attributed to that
monarch; this is confirmed by many Eastern traditions, and his
magical skill is frequently mentioned in the Arabian Nights.There
are, however, two works on Black Magic, the '
Grimorium
Verum
,' and the
'
Clavicola di
Salomone ridolta
,'
which have been attributed to Solomon, and which have been in some
cases especially mixed up with the present work; but which have
nothing really to do therewith; they are full of evil magic, and I
cannot caution the practical student too strongly against
them.There
is also another work called 'Lemegeton or the Lesser Key of Solomon
the King,' which is full of seals of various Spirits, and is not
the
same as the present book, though extremely valuable in its own
department.In
editing this volume I have omitted one or two experiments partaking
largely of Black Magic, and which had evidently been derived from
the
two Goetic works mentioned above I must further caution the
practical
worker against the use of blood the prayer, the pentacle, and the
perfumes, rightly used, are sufficient and the former verges
dangerously on the evil path. Let him who, in spite of the warnings
of this volume determines to work evil, be assured that that evil
will recoil on himself and that he will be struck by the reflex
current.This
work is edited from several ancient MSS. in the British Museum,
which
all differ from each other in various points, some giving what is
omitted by the others, but all unfortunately agreeing in one thing,
which is the execrable mangling of the Hebrew words through the
ignorance of the transcribers. But it is in the Pentacles that the
Hebrew is worst, the letters being so vilely scribbled as to be
actually undecipherable in some instances, and it has been part of
my
work for several years to correct and reinstate the proper Hebrew
and
Magical characters in the Pentacles. The student may therefore
safely
rely on their being now as nearly correct in their present
reproduction as it is possible for them to be. I have therefore,
wherever I could, corrected the Hebrew of the Magical Names in the
Conjurations and Pentacles; and in the few instances where it was
not
possible- to do so, I have put them in the most usual form;
carefully
collating throughout one MS. with another. The Chapters are a
little
differently classed in the various MSS., in some instances the
matter
contained in them being transposed, etc. I have added notes
wherever
necessary.The
MSS. from which this work is edited are:--Add. MSS., 10,862; Sloane
MSS., 1307 and 3091; Harleian MSS., 3981; King's MSS., 288; and
Lansdowne MSS., 1202 and 1203; seven codices in all.Of
all these 10,862 Add. MSS. is the oldest, its date being about the
end of the sixteenth century; 3981 Harleian is probably about the
middle of the seventeenth century; the others of rather later
date.Add.
MSS. 10,862 is written in contracted Latin, and is hard to read,
but
it contains Chapters which are omitted in the others and also an
important Introduction. It is more concise in its wording. Its
title
is short, being simply 'The Key of Solomon, translated from the
Hebrew language into the Latin.' An exact copy of the signature of
the writer of this MS. is given in Figure 93. The Pentacles are
very
badly drawn.3981
Harleian MSS.; 288 King's MSS.; and 3091 Sloane MSS., are similar,
and contain the same matter and nearly the same wording; but the
latter MS. has many errors of transcription. They are all in
French.
The Conjurations and wording of these are much fuller than in
10,867
Add. MSS. and 1202 Lansdowne MSS. The title is 'The Key of Solomon
King of the Hebrews, translated from the Hebrew Language into
Italian
by Abraham Colorno, by the order of his most Serene Highness of
Mantua; and recently put into French.' The Pentacles are much
better
drawn, are in coloured inks, and in the case of 3091 Sloane MSS.,
gold and silver are employed.1307
Sloane MSS. is in Italian; its Title is 'La Clavicola di Salomone
Redotta et epilogata nella nostra materna lingua del dottissimo Gio
Peccatrix.' It is full of Black Magic, and is a jumble of the Key
of
Solomon proper, and the two Black Magic books before mentioned. The
Pentacles are badly drawn. It, however, gives part of the
Introduction to 10,862 Add. MSS., and is the only other MS. which
does, save the beginning of another Italian version which is bound
up
with the former MS., and bears the title 'Zecorbenei.'1202
Lansdowne MSS. is 'The True Keys of King Solomon, by Armadel.' It
is
beautifully written, with painted initial letters, and the
Pentacles
are carefully drawn in coloured inks. It is more concise in style,
but omits several Chapters. At the end are some short extracts from
the
Grimorium
Verum
with the
Seals of evil spirits, which, as they do not belong to the 'Key of
Solomon' proper, I have not given. For the evident classification
of
the 'Key' is in two books and no more.1203
Lansdowne MSS. is 'The Veritable Keys of Solomon translated from
the
Hebrew into the Latin language by the Rabbin Abognazar (?Aben
Ezra).'
It is in French, exquisitely written in printing letters, and the
Pentacles are carefully drawn in coloured inks. Though containing
similar matter to the others, the arrangement is utterly different
being all in one book, and not even divided into chapters.The
antiquity of the Planetary sigils is shown by the fact that, among
the Gnostic talismans in the British Museum, there is a ring of
copper with the sigils of Venus, which are exactly the same as
those
given by the mediaeval writers on Magic.Where
Psalms are referred to I have in all instances given the English
and
not the Hebrew numbering of them.In
some places I have substituted the word AZOTH for 'Alpha and
Omega,'
e.g.
,
on the blade of the Knife with the Black Hilt,
Figure
62.
I may remark that the Magical Sword may, in many cases, be used
instead of the Knife.In
conclusion I will only mention, for the benefit of non-Hebraists,
that Hebrew is written from right to left, and that from the
consonantal nature of the Hebrew Alphabet, it will require fewer
letters than in English to express the same word.I
take this opportunity of expressing my obligations to Dr. Wynn
Westcott for the valuable assistance he has given me in the
reconstruction of the Hebrew of the Pentacles.S.
LIDDELL MACGREGOR MATHERS.LONDON,
October
,
1888.
Second Preface
The history of western magic started about 4000
years ago. And since then
it has been adding something to western magic. Originally, the
Latin
word magus nominated the followers of the spiritualist-priest
class,
and later originated to elect ‘clairvoyant, sorcerer’ and in a
judgmental sense also ‘magician, trickster’. Thus, the initial
meaning of the word ‘magic’ was the wisdoms of the Magi, that is
the abilities of attaining supernatural powers and energy, while
later it became practical critically to deceitful wizardry. The
etymological descriptions specify three significant features in the
expansion of the notion ‘magic’:
1)
Magic as a discipline of celestial natural forces and in the course
of formation
2)
Magic as the exercise of such facts in divinations, visions and
illusion
3)
Fraudulent witchery. The latter belief played a significant part in
the Christian demonization process.
The
growth of the western notion ‘magic’ directed to extensive
assumptions in the demonological and astrophysical argument of the
Neoplatonists. Their tactic was grounded on the philosophy of a
hierarchically ordered outer space, where conferring to Plotinus
(C205–C270 AD) a noetic ingredient was shaped as the outcome of
eternal and countless radiation built on the ultimate opinion; this
in its chance contributed to the rise of psychic constituent, which
formed the basis of the factual world.
Furthermore,
these diverse phases of release came to be measured as convinced
forces, which underneath the impact of innocent and evil views
during
late ancient times were embodied as humans. The hierarchical cosmos
of Iamblichus simply demonstrates the legitimacy of this process.
In
his work, the Neoplatonic cosmology has initiated a channel through
the syncretism distinctive of the late antiquity and in the essence
of Greco-Oriental dualism. Superior productions are taken closer to
inferior ones by various midway creatures. The higher the site of
the
mediators, the further they bear a resemblance to gods and whizzes;
the minor they are, the nearer they stand to the psychic-spiritual
part. The aforementioned group of intermediaries has been settled
in
order of series on the origin of cosmic gravity.
Proclus
(c410–485 AD) has described the system of magic origin conversed
above in better aspect: in the hierarchical shackles of cosmic
rudiments the power and nature of a firm star god disturbs
everything
mediocre, and with growing distance the impact slowly becomes
weaker.
The Humanists approached the Platonic notions from the outlook of
the
bequest of late antiquity, and were thus first familiarized to the
Neoplatonic form of the doctrine.
And
since Ficino’s work has been inscribed in the spirit of emanation
theory, and the author has been persuaded of the existence of the
higher and lower spheres of magic and powers defined in Picatrix,
he
claims that planets and cosmic movements have much to do with power
and magic spirit.
Today’s
occult marketplace also offers, in addition to books, multifarious
paraphernalia for practicing magic: amulets, talismans, pendulums
and
magic rods. Though added with modern essentials and
pseudoscientific
advices to give some weight to the fundamentals, they are nothing
but
the leftovers of the western ethnicities of magic.
Preliminary Discourse
From
Lansdowne MSS. 1203, ' 7'he Veritable Clavicles of Solomon,
translated from the Hebrew into the Latin language by the Rabbi
Abognazar.'
1
EVERY
one knoweth in the present day that from time immemorial Solomon
possessed knowledge inspired by the wise teachings of an angel, to
which he appeared so submissive and obedient, that in addition to
the
gift of wisdom, which he demanded, he obtained with profusion all
the
other virtues; which happened in order that knowledge worthy of
eternal preservation might not be buried with his body. Being, so
to
speak, near his end, he left to his son Roboam a Testament which
should contain all (the Wisdom) he had possessed prior to his
death.
The Rabbins, who were careful to cultivate (the same knowledge)
after
him, called this Testament the Clavicle or Key of Solomon, which
they
caused to be engraved on (pieces of) the bark of trees, while the
Pentacles were inscribed in Hebrew letters on plates of copper, so
that they might be carefully preserved in the Temple which that
wise
king had caused to be built.This
Testament was in ancient time translated from the Hebrew into the
Latin language by Rabbi Abognazar, who transported it with him into
the town of Arles in Provence, where by a notable piece of good
fortune the ancient Hebrew Clavicle, that is to say this precious
translation of it, fell into the hands of the Archbishop of Arles,
after the destruction of the Jews in that city; who, from the
Latin,
translated it into the vulgar tongue, in the same terms which here
follow, without having either changed or augmented the original
translation from the Hebrew.
Introduction
Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!
Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!
Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!
Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!
Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!
Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!
Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!
Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!
Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!
Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!
Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!
Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!
Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!
Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!
Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!
Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!
Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!
Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!
Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!
Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!
Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!
Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!
Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!
Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!
Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!
Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!
Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!
Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!
Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!
Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!
Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!
Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!
Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!
Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!
Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!
Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!
Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!
Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!
Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!
Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!
Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!
Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!
Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!
Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!
Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!