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The Book of Ceremonial Magic (A.E. Waite) · 161 of 175 · tr. Arthur Edward Waite

Page 75 (part 2)

At the end of nine days, and at the hour of concealment, bring it forth, open it, and you will discover a small animal in the form of a serpent, which will at once spring up. Say then: I accept the pact. Touch not the creature with your hand, but transfer it into a new box, purchased expressly, without bargaining; for the food of the monster give husks of wheat only, and those daily. When you are in want of gold or silver, place as much as you need in the box; retire to rest with the box at your bedside; sleep, if you wish, for the space of three or four hours; then rise, and you will find double the amount of money which you have entrusted to the serpent. What you originally placed in the box must, however, be left therein; and it becomes therefore a sort of transcendental savings-bank which doubles its capital daily. Should the reptile be of ordinary appearance, you must not try for more than one hundred francs at a time; but if your planet give you the ascendant in things supernatural, the serpent will have a human face, and you may deposit a thousand francs. In either case, should the operator part with his possession, two conditions must be observed: the recipient must be a consenting party to the gift, and a figure, to be drawn on virgin parchment, but omitted by the Grimoire, must be placed in the box. if, however, you prefer to destroy it, let the serpent be provided, not with his usual bran, but with some of the flour used for consecration in the first Mass of a priest, after eating which he will die. On the whole, it will be simpler to retain the enchanted animal, more especially as the vague responsibilities of the pact are not apparently transferred in the one or annulled in the other case. No jest is intended, says the dry author of the Grimorium Verum , but the process of the Gold-Finding Hen is on the whole simpler, as it is also more cleanly.
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Themes
Anthropomorphismtheology

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

The text notes that if the planet gives ascendant, the serpent will have a 'human face,' attributing human form to the magical entity.

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Covenanttheology

A binding agreement or relationship between the divine and a people or individual, establishing mutual obligations.

The operator explicitly states 'I accept the pact,' establishing a binding agreement with the summoned entity.

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Forbidden Knowledgesoteriology

Transgressive knowing acquired against divine prohibition — the Watchers' teaching of metallurgy, sorcery, and cosmetics in 1 Enoch, the Gnostic Eve narratives, the Promethean mytheme; explicitly contrasted with gnosis_direct_knowledge, which is salvific.

The text describes occult practices (pact with a serpent for wealth) typically associated with transgressive or hidden arts rather than orthodox religious instruction.

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Ritual Puritypraxis

The maintenance of a state of cleanliness—physical, moral, or spiritual—required for encounter with the divine.

Instructions specify using a box purchased 'without bargaining' and flour from the 'first Mass of a priest,' implying requirements for ritual cleanliness or consecration.

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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 a specific grimoire ritual for summoning, binding, and maintaining a spirit entity (the serpent) for magical purposes.

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Word Power Incantationpraxis

The doctrine and practice that spoken or sung word carries causal-magical force — that uttering names, formulas, songs, or incantations alters reality directly rather than merely communicating about it. Vainamoinen's runo-songs that move mountains and command iron, Norse galdr, Vedic mantra, Shinto kotodama, the magician's barbarous names in the Greek Magical Papyri, Iamblichean arcane signatures and inexplicable symbols, biblical creation-by-word. Distinct from sacred_names (the ontological power of names themselves) and prayer (address to the divine); word_power_incantation is the magical-causal efficacy of the spoken word as such.

The ritual requires specific spoken phrases ('I accept the pact') to activate the magical effect.

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