The Book of the Sacred Magic of Abramelin the Mage

S. L. MacGregor Mathers

• Editorial: Dover Publications
• Año: 2012
• ISBN:
  9780486121024
• Categoría: History
• Categoría: European Medieval History

Around the turn of the century, when Aleister Crowley was working out his system of Magick, the source that he turned to for basics was the system of Abramelin of Egypt. From Abramelin he took his concepts of protections, purifications, evocations, vestments, and dromena down to specific details.
This system of Abramelin the Mage is known from a unique fifteenth century manuscript preserved in the Bibliothèque de L'Arsenal in Paris. In it, Abraham of Würzburg, a cabalist and connoisseur of magics, describes a tour that he made of the then civilized world, visiting sorcerers, magicians, and cabalists, estimating their powers and virtues. This quest is in itself as fascinating as the similar tours of Gurdjieff.
The high point of Abraham's travels was found in a small town on the banks of the Nile, where he encountered the great magician Abramelin, whose complete system Abraham thereupon sets out in detail. This amounts to a complete course in ceremonial magic (both white and black), which the student can pursue by himself.
Abramelin, whose system is based mostly on Hellenistic theurgy of the Iamblichan sort, but with Jewish increments from the Cabala, explains the qualifications needed to become a magician, purifications, and asceticisms to be practiced month by month, studies and activities permitted during this period, selection of place and time for working magic, equipment needed, prayers and formulas, evocation of good and evil spirits, commanding spirits to do one's will, overcoming rebellious spirits, and similar material. Specific instructions are offered to develop such powers as clairvoyance, divining metals and treasures, warding off evil magic, healing illness, levitation, transportation, rendering oneself invisible, creating illusions and glamour, reading minds, placing compulsions, working black magic, and a host of other abilities.
We do not guarantee that Abramelin's techniques work, nor that the results are desirable, but we offer this as a genuine medieval course in magic, one of the most important books in the history of occultism. It is of paramount importance to both the historian and the practitioner.

THE THIRD BOOK OF THE SACRED MAGIC,

WHICH GOD GAVE UNTO MOSES, AARON, DAVID, SOLOMON, AND OTHER
SAINTS, PATRIARCHS AND PROPHETS; WHICH TEACHETH
THE TRUE DIVINE WISDOM.

BEQUEATHED BY ABRAHAM UNTO LAMECH HIS SON.

TRANSLATED FROM THE HEBREW.

1458.

THE THIRD BOOK.

(THE PROLOGUE.)

HE who shall have faithfully observed that which hath been taught unto him, and shall have with a good will obeyed the Commandments of God, let him, I say, be certain that this Veritable and Loyal Wisdom shall be accorded unto him ; and also that the Perfidious BELIAL can do no otherwise than become his slave, together with all his Pestiferous Generation.

However I pray the True God who governeth, ruleth over, and maintaineth all that He hath created ; that thou, O Lamech, my son, or whomsoever he may be unto whom thou shalt have granted this Sacred Operation, mayest work it out, having always before thee the Fear of God, and in no way use it for Evil, because God the Eternal hath wished herein to leave us our free will, but woe unto him who shall abuse His Divine Grace. Yet I say not but that if an enemy should attempt thy life, that it is permissible unto thee if necessary to destroy him ; but in any other case lay not thine hand unto the sword, but use gentler methods. Be kind and affable unto every one. One may also serve a friend without harm unto oneself.

David and King Solomon could have destroyed their enemies in an instant, but they did not so ; in imitation of God Himself who chastiseth not unless He is outraged.

If thou shalt perfectly observe these rules, all the following Symbols and an infinitude of others will be granted unto thee by thy Holy Guardian Angel ; thou thus living for the Honour and Glory of the True and only God, for thine own good, and that of thy neighbour.

Let the Fear of God be ever before the eyes and the heart of him who shall possess this Divine Wisdom and Sacred Magic.

THE FIRST CHAPTER.

TO know all manner of things Past and Future, which be not however directly opposed to God, and to His Most Holy Will.

• (1)To know all things Past and Future in general.
• 
  To know things appertaining unto the Future.
• (4)Things to happen in War.
• (5)Things past and forgotten.
• (6)Tribulations to come.
• (7)Things propitious to come.
• (8)Things past regarding Enemies.
• (9)To know the Signs of Tempests.
• (10)To know the Secrets of War.
• (11)To know true and false Friends.

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

(5)

(6)

(7)

(8)

(9)

(10)

(11)

NOTES TO THE CHAPTERS OF MAGICAL SYMBOLS,

BY S. L. MACGREGOR-MATHERS.

THE following Notes to these Chapters I have classed under various heads for greater convenience of reference, thinking that besides the explanations of most of the Magical Names employed in the Symbols, it would also be of assistance to the Occult student to be able to see at a glance briefly stated at the end of each Chapter, the substance of the information especially referring thereto, given by Abraham the Jew in other parts of the work, notably towards the end of the Second Book :—

Under (a) therefore I have stated by what Powers the Symbols of each particular Chapter are manifested.

Under (b) the Names of the Sub-Princes of the Evil Spirits who are the especial overseers of the execution of the effect desired.

Under (c) whether the Operations of the Chapter in question can be to an extent performed by the “Familiar Spirits,” or not.

Under (d) an abridgment of any especial instructions given by Abraham in other parts of the work.

Under (e) I have given the meanings of most of the Names employed in the Squares, as far as possible, and also any additional remarks which seemed necessary.

These Magical Symbols of this Third Book consist solely of Squares of Letters, which may be roughly divided into four distinct classes.

(1) Those in which the whole of the Square is occupied by Letters. In this form the double Acrostic arrangement is especially marked ; though in some few cases it is slightly varied by the introduction of a different name.

(2) Those in which part of the Square is left vacant, the Letters being arranged in the form of what is called in Geometry, a Gnomon.

(3) Those in which the central part of the Square is left vacant, the Letters forming a border round the void part.

(4) Those of more irregular disposition, and in which in some instances...