The Book of Ceremonial Magic (A.E. Waite) · 110 of 175 · tr. Arthur Edward Waite
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Click to view THE SEAL OF BUER Click to view THE SEAL OF GUSION X. BUER, a great president, who appears when the sun is in Sagittarius and teaches philosophy, logic, the virtues of herbs, &c. He heals all diseases and gives good familiars. XI. GUSION, a mighty duke, who appears like a cynocephalus, discerns the past, present and future, answers all questions, reconciles enemies and gives honour and dignities. Click to view THE SEAL OF SYTRY Click to view THE SEAL OF BELETH XII. SYTRY, a great prince, who appears with a leopard's head and the wings of a griffin, but assumes a beautiful human form at the Magician's command. He procures love between the two sexes, and causes women to shew themselves naked. XIII. BELETH, a terrible and mighty king, riding on a pale horse, preceded by all manner of musicians. He is very furious when first summoned, and must be commanded into a triangle or circle with the hazel wand of the Magician pointed to the South-East. He must be received courteously and with homage, but a silver ring must be worn on the middle finger of the left hand, which must he held against the face. He procures love between man and woman and is of the Order of the Powers. Click to view THE SEAL OF LERAJIE Click to view THE SEAL OF ELIGOR XIV. LERAJIE, a powerful marquis, coming in the likeness of an archer, clad in green and bearing bow and quiver. He occasions battles and causes arrow-wounds to putrefy. XV. ELIGOR, a great duke, appearing as a goodly knight carrying a lance, pennon and sceptre. He discovers hidden things, causes war, marshals armies, kindles love and lust. Click to view THE SEAL OF ZEPAR Click to view THE SEAL OF BOTIS XVI. ZEPAR, a great duke, who appears in red apparel and armed like a soldier. He inflames women with love for men and can transform them into other shapes till they have been enjoyed by their lovers. XVII. BOTIS, a great president and earl, who appears like a horrid viper, but, when commanded, assumes a human shape, with large teeth and horns. He bears a sharp sword in his hand, discerns past, present and future reconciles friends and foes. Click to view THE SEAL OF BATHIN XVIII. BATHIN, a mighty duke, who appears like a strong man with a serpent's tail, riding on a pale horse. He knows the virtues of herbs and precious stones, and can transport men swiftly from one country to another. Click to view THE SEAL OF SALEOS XIX SALEOS, a great duke, who appears like a brave soldier, riding on a crocodile and wearing a duke's crown. He promotes love between the sexes. Click to view THE SEAL OF PURSON XX. PURSON, a great king, who appears like a lion-headed man, carrying a viper in his hand and riding on a bear, preceded by many trumpeters. He conceals and discovers treasure, discerns past, present and future, gives true answers respecting things human and divine, and provides good familiars.
Attributing human characteristics, emotions, or form to the divine; embodied divine imagery.
The spirits are frequently described with human characteristics or forms (e.g., 'beautiful human form', 'goodly knight', 'strong man'), attributing human traits to divine/preternatural beings.
The doctrine that human volition, cultivated by discipline and emancipated from passion and servitude, is the primary instrument of magical operation — will confirmed by persistent acts acquires causal power over self, others, and nature; distinct from faith and from mere desire.
The text emphasizes the Magician's command ('assumes a beautiful human form at the Magician's command', 'must be commanded into a triangle'), highlighting the operator's volition over the spirits.
Divine names or formulas that carry ontological power, used in prayer, liturgy, or magical practice.
The text relies on the invocation of specific names (Buer, Gusion, Sytry, etc.) to summon and command these entities, implying ontological power in the names.
Form-mutability as a constitutional property of divine and preternatural beings — gods, heroes, spirits, and their human practitioners possessing inherent capacity to alter form across human, animal, plant, or elemental states. Loki and Odin's transformations in Norse, Math's pigs and Blodeuwedd's owl-shape and Pwyll's exchange with Arawn in the Mabinogion, the Greek Proteus, the Indian dasavatara, Vainamoinen's bird-flight in the Kalevala, Ovid's metamorphoses, the shamanic and witch's capacity for ritual form-change. Distinct from anthropomorphism (divine taking specific human form, single embodiment) in that anthropomorphism establishes a stable form whereas this concept establishes form's plurality and instability.
Multiple spirits are described as assuming different forms (e.g., Sytry assumes human form, Botis assumes human shape from viper, Beleth rides a horse), indicating form-mutability.
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 the summoning, appearance, and command of specific spirits using seals, circles, and instruments, which is the core definition of spirit conjuration.