It is claimed to be a work of white magic, but, inasmuch as it, like other old books making the same claim, gives descriptions of a pentacle for causing ruin, destruction, and death, and another for causing earthquakes--to give only two examples,--the distinction between black and white magic, which we shall no doubt encounter again in later excursions, appears to be somewhat arbitrary.
Regarding the authorship of the work, Mr MATHERS, translator and editor of the first printed copy of the book, says, "I see no reason to doubt the tradition which assigns the authorship of the `Key' to King Solomon." If this view be accepted, however, it is abundantly evident that the _Key_ as it stands at present (in which we find S. JOHN quoted, and mention made of SS. PETER and PAUL) must have received some considerable alterations and additions at the hands of later editors.
But even if we are compelled to assign the _Clavicula Salomonis_ in its present form to the fourteenth or fifteenth century, we must, I think, allow that it was based upon traditions of the past, and, of course, the possibility remains that it might have been based upon some earlier work.
With regard to the antiquity of the planetary sigils, Mr MATHERSnotes "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 mediaeval writers on magic."In spite of the absurdity of its claims, viewed in the light of modern knowledge, the _Clavicula Salomonis_ exercised a considerable influence in the past, and is to be regarded as one of the chief sources of mediaeval ceremonial magic.
Historically speaking, therefore, it is a book of no little importance.
_The First Pentacle of the Sun_.--"The Countenance of Shaddai the Almighty, at Whose aspect all creatures obey, and the Angelic Spirits do reverence on bended knees." About the face is the name "El Shaddai". Around is written in Latin: "Behold His face and form by Whom all things were made, and Whom all creatures obey" (see fig.
21). _The Fifth Pentacle of Mars_.--"Write thou this Pentacle upon virgin parchment or paper because it is terrible unto the Demons, and at its sight and aspect they will obey thee, for they cannot resist its presence."The design is a Scorpion,[1] around which the word Hvl is repeated.
The Hebrew versicle is from _Psalm_ xci. 13: "Thou shalt go upon the lion and adder, the young lion and the dragon shalt thou tread under thy feet"(see fig. 22).
[1] In astrology the zodiacal sign of the scorpion is the "night house"of the planet Mars.
_The Third Pentacle of the Moon_.--"This being duly borne with thee when upon a journey, if it be properly made, serveth against all attacks by night, and against every kind of danger and peril by Water." The design consists of a hand and sleeved forearm (this occurs on three other moon talismans), together with the Hebrew names Aub and Vevaphel. The versicle is from _Psalm_ xl. 13: Be pleased O IHVH to deliver me, O IHVH make haste to help me" (see fig 23)_The Third Pentacle of Venus_.--"This, if it be only shown unto any person, serveth to attract love. Its Angel Monachiel should be invoked in the day and hour of Venus, at one o'clock or at eight."The design consists of two triangles joined at their apices, with the following names--IHVH, Adonai, Ruach, Achides, AEgalmiel, Monachiel, and Degaliel. The versicle is from _Genesis_ i. 28: "And the Elohim blessed them, and the Elohim said unto them, Be ye fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it" (see fig. 24).
_The Third Pentacle of Mercury_.--"This serves to invoke the Spirits subject unto Mercury; and especially those who are written in this Pentacle." The design consists of crossed lines and magical characters of Mercury. Around are the names of the angels, Kokaviel, Ghedoriah, Savaniah, and Chokmahiel (see fig.
25). CORNELIUS AGRIPPA, in his _Three Books of Occult Philosophy_, describes another interesting system of talismans.
FRANCIS BARRETT'S _Magus, or Celestial Intelligencer_, a well-known occult work published in the first year of the nineteenth century, I may mention, copies AGRIPPA'S system of talismans, without acknowledgment, almost word for word.
To each of the planets is assigned a magic square or table, _i.e_. a square composed of numbers so arranged that the sum of each row or column is always the same. For example, the table for Mars is as follows:--It will be noticed that every number from 1 up to the highest possible occurs once, and that no number occurs twice.
It will also be seen that the sum of each row and of each column is always 65. Similar squares can be constructed containing any square number of figures, and it is, indeed, by no means surprising that the remarkable properties of such "magic squares,"before these were explained mathematically, gave rise to the belief that they had some occult significance and virtue.
From the magic squares can be obtained certain numbers which are said to be the numbers of the planets; their orderliness, we are told, reflects the order of the heavens, and from a consideration of them the magical properties of the planets which they represent can be arrived at. For example, in the above table the number of rows of numbers is 5.
The total number of numbers in the table is the square of this number, namely, 25, which is also the greatest number in the table.
The sum of any row or column is 65. And, finally, the sum of all the numbers is the product of the number of rows (namely, 5) and the sum of any row (namely, 65), _i.e_. 325.
These numbers, namely, 5, 25, 65, and 325, are the numbers of Mars. Sets of numbers for the other planets are obtained in exactly the same manner.[1]
[1] Readers acquainted with mathematics will notice that if _n_ is the number of rows in such a "magic square," the other numbers derived as above will be n, 1/2_n_(_n_ + 1), and 1/2_n_(_n_ + 1).
