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The Book of Ceremonial Magic (A.E. Waite) · 58 of 175 · tr. Arthur Edward Waite

Page 18 (part 5)

Their particular forms are an armed king riding on a wolf; an armed man; a woman holding a buckler on her thigh; a she-goat; a horse; a stag; a red garment; wool; a cheestip. Wool of a choleric disposition is perhaps a Goëtic form of gun-cotton. The Spirits of the Sun are usually large of body and limb, sanguine, gross, and of a gold colour tinctured with blood--which recalls Mrs. Browning's pomegranate. Their motion is that of lightning; their sign is to produce sweat in the operator, which might, however, be the normal property of all these stellar nondescripts of the world infernal. Their particular forms are a sceptred king riding on a lion; a crowned king; a queen with a sceptre; a bird-not otherwise described, but anything probably except that of paradise; a lion; a cock; a golden garment; a sceptre; and lastly, something which Robert Turner wisely left untranslated-- caudatus , i.e. , tailed. The Spirits of Venus have a body of medium height and a pleasant visage, of which the upper part is golden and the lower white or green. Their motion is like that of a brilliant star. Their sign is the semblance of maids sporting about the circle and luring the Magician to join them. Their particular forms are a sceptred king riding on a camel; a naked maid; a she-goat; a camel--possibly the atrocious demon of Cazotte; a dove; a white or green garment; the herb savine. The Spirits of Mercury appear commonly with a body of middle stature, cold, liquid, moist, which sounds redundant, but the reference is to the properties of quicksilver--that is to say, the Mercury of the philosophers was supposed not to wet the hand, but the Mercurial spirits of the sorcerer apparently did. They are withal fair, affable in speech, of human shape and like unto armed knights. They are comparable to silver-coloured clouds in their motion. Their sign is that they cause horror and fear in the operator. Their special shapes are a king riding on a bear; a comely youth; a woman holding a distaff-it is difficult to understand how such an apparition can be like an armed knight, an observation which, if it were worthwhile, might apply to the remaining modes of manifestation; a dog; a she-bear; a magpie; a garment of many changing colours; a rod; and a little staff. Finally, the Spirits of the Moon have a large, soft, phlegmatic body, even as a dark cloud in colour. Their countenance is swollen, their head bald, their eyes are red and rheumy, their teeth like those of a wild boar. Their motion is like that of a great tempest sweeping the sea. Their sign is a heavy shower of rain about the circle. Their particular shapes area king like an archer riding on a doe; a little boy; a huntress with bow and arrows; a cow; a small doe; a goose; a green or silver-coloured garment; an arrow; a many-footed creature--perhaps a centipede. The imbecility of this muddled tabulation places the forged Fourth Book in a more absurd light than it otherwise deserves. It really reproduces the manner of Agrippa's treatise with a fidelity which is not unskilful and has quite as much claim to be taken seriously as any of the composite Rituals. It is difficult to say whether it is more especially on the side of the devil or on that of folly, except in so far as these two are one.
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Themes
Anthropomorphismtheology

Attributing human characteristics, emotions, or form to the divine; embodied divine imagery.

The spirits are described with human-like forms (kings, queens, maids, youths) and attributes (visage, teeth, limbs), attributing human characteristics to divine or preternatural beings.

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Archonscosmology

Malevolent planetary rulers or demiurgic powers that govern the material world and obstruct the soul's ascent.

The text refers to these entities as 'stellar nondescripts of the world infernal' and mentions a 'demon', implying planetary rulers or powers governing the material realm.

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Correspondencecosmology

The Hermetic axiom that the structure of the cosmos is reflected at every scale — 'as above, so below; as within, so without' — making each level a legible map of the others.

The passage links specific spirits to planetary bodies (Sun, Venus, Mercury, Moon) and associates them with corresponding colors, garments, animals, and elemental qualities (e.g., Mercury with quicksilver properties).

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Spirit Conjurationpraxis

The grimoire-tradition practice of ceremonially commanding or binding a spirit through consecrated seals, circles, divine names, and prescribed instruments, compelling its appearance and obedience. Distinct from theurgy in the direction of the power relationship — theurgy is reverent engagement with the gods on the premise of the operator's own ascent, this is subordination of a lesser spirit to the operator's will — and from word_power_incantation and sacred_names, which name components (verbal force, name-power) this practice deploys rather than the ritual structure itself.

The passage details specific forms, signs, and attributes of planetary spirits used in ceremonial magic rituals, which is the core subject matter of spirit conjuration grimoires.

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Related passages · 9 parallels
hermeticism|Corpus Hermeticum 11: The Hymn|Section 1b
It <i.e., Soul> fills it <i.e., the Body of the Cosmos> from within, and from without encircles it, making the All to live. Without, this vast and perfect Life [encircles] Cosmos; within, it fills [it with] all lives; above, in Heaven, con…”
Shared concept: Correspondence — The Hermetic axiom that the structure of the cosmos is reflected at every scale — 'as above, so below; as within, so without' — making each level a legible map of the others. (derived)
theosophy|The Secret Doctrine|Page 42 (part 6)
should have selected a god against whose commandments Jesus was the first one to rise in rebellion. The Planetary origin of the Monad (Soul) and of its faculties was taught by the Gnostics. On its way to the Earth, as on its way back from…”
Shared concept: Archons — Malevolent planetary rulers or demiurgic powers that govern the material world and obstruct the soul's ascent. (derived)
theosophy|The Secret Doctrine|Page 10 (part 2)
The whole Kosmos in its objective form is Vaikhari-Vach , the light of the Logos is the Madhyama form, and the Logos itself the Pasyanti form, and Parabrahm the Para form or aspect of that Vach. It is by the light of this explanation that…”
Shared concept: Correspondence — The Hermetic axiom that the structure of the cosmos is reflected at every scale — 'as above, so below; as within, so without' — making each level a legible map of the others. (derived)
neoplatonism|Iamblichus: On the Mysteries|Chapter VII
Moreover, in the manifestations there is an indication of the order which the powers that are seen possess. For the Gods are surrounded by either Gods or angels; but archangels have angels either preceding or coarranged with them, or follow…”
Shared concept: Archons — Malevolent planetary rulers or demiurgic powers that govern the material world and obstruct the soul's ascent. (derived)
neoplatonism|Iamblichus: On the Mysteries|Chapter V
Moreover, that which purifies souls is perfect in the Gods; but in archangels it is anagogic. Angels alone dissolve the bond of generation. Dæmons draw souls down into nature; but heroes lead them to a providential attention to sensible wor…”
Shared concept: Archons — Malevolent planetary rulers or demiurgic powers that govern the material world and obstruct the soul's ascent. (derived)
platonism|Plato: Phaedrus|Section 1r
But he whose initiation is recent, and who has been the spectator of many glories in the other world, is amazed when he sees any one having a godlike face or form, which is the expression of divine beauty; and at first a shudder runs throug…”
Shared concept: Anthropomorphism — Attributing human characteristics, emotions, or form to the divine; embodied divine imagery. (derived)
christian_mysticism|Pseudo-Dionysius: The Divine Names|Chapter 9, Section 1c
For just as, supposing we were in thought to represent the soul itself in bodily shape, and represent this indivisible substance as surrounded by bodily parts, we should, in such a case, give the surrounding parts a different meaning suited…”
Shared concept: Anthropomorphism — Attributing human characteristics, emotions, or form to the divine; embodied divine imagery. (derived)
renaissance_hermeticism|The Heroic Enthusiasts, Part I (Gli Eroici Furori)|Third Dialogue-b
It is not a fury of black bile which sends him drifting outside of judgment, reason, and acts of prudence, and tossed by the discordant tempest, like those who, having violated certain laws of the divine Adrastia, are condemned to be scourg…”
Shared concept: Anthropomorphism — Attributing human characteristics, emotions, or form to the divine; embodied divine imagery. (derived)
hermeticism|Corpus Hermeticum 15: The Hymn of Hermes|Section 1d
1 The daimons, therefore, exercise the whole of this terrene economy, 2 using our bodies as [their] instruments. And this economy Hermes has called Heimarmenē. 3 17. The World Intelligible, 4 then, depends from God; the Sensible from the…”
Shared concept: Archons — Malevolent planetary rulers or demiurgic powers that govern the material world and obstruct the soul's ascent. (derived)