Transcendental Magic — Éliphas Lévi

EXPLANATION OF THE FIGURES XX111 PAQK of the Lion is the word IMO, Although, Persist. In the centre, and near the symbolical serpent there is AP Do SKL, a word composed of an abbreviation, of a word written kabbalistically and in the Hebrew fashion, and, finally, of a complete ordinary word ; AP, which should be read An, because these are the first two letters of the Greek ARCHEUS ; Do, which should be read OD ; and, lastly, SEL, Salt.

These are the three prime substances, and the occult names of Archeus and Od have the same significance as the Sulphur and Mercury of the Philosophers. On the iron stem which serves as a haft for the trident there is the triplicated letter P. P.

P., a phallic and lingamic hieroglyph, with the words VLI Dox FATO, which must be read by taking the first letter for the number of the Pentagram in Roman figures, thus completing the phrase PENTAGRAM- MATICA LIBERTATE Dox FATO, equivalent to the three letters of Cagliostro — L. P. D. — Liberty, Power, Duty.

On the one side, absolute liberty ; on the other, necessity or invincible fatality ; in the centre, REASON, the Kabbalistic Absolute, which constitutes universal equilibrium.

This admirable magical summary of Paracelsus will serve as a key to the obscure works of the Kabbalist Wronski, a remarkable man of learning who more than once allowed himself to be carried away from his ABSOLUTE REASON by the mysticism of his nation, and by pecuniary speculations unworthy of so distinguished a thinker. We allow him at the same time the honour and the glory of having discovered before us the secret of the Trident of Paracelsus.

Thus, Paracelsus represents the Passive by the Crab, the Active by the Lion, Intelligence or equilibrating Reason by Jupiter or the Man-King ruling the serpent ; then he balances forces by giving the Passive the fecundation of the Active represented by the Sun, and to the Active space and might to conquer and enlighten under the symbol of the Cross.

He says to the Passive : Obey the impulse of the Active and advance with it by the very equilibrium of resistance. To the Active he says : Resist the immobility of obstacle ; persist and advance. Then he explains these alternated forces by the great central triad — LIBERTY, NECESSITY, REASON, — REASON in the centre, LIBERTY and NECESSITY in counterpoise.

There is the power of the Trident, there its haft and foundation ; it is the universal law of nature ; it is the very essence of the Word, realised and demonstrated by the triad of human life — the Archeus, or mind ; the Od, or plastic mediator ; and the Salt Divisible matter. We have given separately the explanation of this figure because it is of the highest importance, and gives the measure of the greatest genius of the occult sciences.

After this interpretation, it will be understood why, in the course of our work, we invariably bow with the traditional veneration of true adepts before the divine Paracelsus. FIGURE XIII. The Pentagram . . . . . .228 FIGURE XIV. Magical Instruments— the Lamp, Rod, Sword, and Dagger 244

XXIV EXPLANATION OF THE FIGURES FAUK FIGURE XV. The Key of Thoth . * . . . .281 FIGURE XVI. Goetic Circle of Black Evocations and Pacts . . 299 FIGURES XVII. and XVIII. Divers infernal characters taken from Agrippa, Peter of Apono, a number of Grimoires, and the documents of the trial of Urban Grandier ..... 301, 302 FIGURE XIX. Kabbalistic signs of Orion . . . . .316 FIGURE XX. Infernal Characters of the Twelve Signs of the Zodiac . 318 FIGURE XXI. Magic Squares of the Planetary Genii according to Paracelsus ....... 361, 362 FIGURE XXII. Chariot of Hermes, seventh Key of the Tarot . . 365 FIGURE XXIII. The Ark of the Covenant . . . .371 FIGURE XXIV. Apocalyptic Key— The Seven Seals of St John . . 376

THE DOCTEINE OF TRANSCENDENT MAGIC

INTRODUCTION BEHIND the veil of all the hieratic and mystical allegories of ancient doctrines, behind the shadows and the strange ordeals of all initiations, under the seal of all sacred writings, in the ruins of Nineveh or Thebes, on the crumbling stones of the old temples, and on the blackened visage of the Assyrian or Egyptian sphinx, in the monstrous or marvellous paintings which interpret to the faithful of India the inspired pages of the Vedas, in the strange emblems of our old books of alchemy, in the ceremonies at reception practised by all mysterious societies, traces are found of a doctrine which is everywhere the same, and everywhere carefully concealed.

Occult philosophy seems to have been the nurse or god-mother of all intellectual forces, the key of all divine obscurities, and the absolute queen of society in those ages when it was reserved exclusively for the education of priests and of kings.

It reigned in Persia with the magi, who at length perished, as perish all masters of the world, because they abused their power; it endowed India with the most wonderful traditions, and with an incredible wealth of poesy, grace, and terror in its emblems ; it civilised Greece to the music of the lyre of Orpheus ; it concealed the principles of all the sciences and of all human intellectual progress in the bold calculations of Pythagoras ; fable abounded in its miracles, and history, attempting to appreciate this unknown power, became confused with fable ; it shook or strengthened empires by its oracles, caused tyrants to tremble on their thrones, and governed all minds, either by curiosity or by fear.

For this science, said the crowd, there is nothing impossible ; it commands the elements, knows the language of the stars, and directs the planetary courses; when it