S. L. Macgregor Mathers

The story of King Solomon has fascinated spiritual and religious writers for millennia - this book advances a theory that Solomon was infact a Magi who created many of the rituals, spells and symbols important to occultists. Although the idea that Solomon carried some sort of mystical powers is not new, this book purports to be written in the ancient king of the Jews' own hand. The magical symbols and diagrams which are situated alongside the various rituals and incantations are intricate, containing pentacles and other shapes. Towards the end of the book a large table is appended, detailing a selection of mystical alphabets and their English. For his investigation, Mathers delved deep into the archives of the British Museum, unearthing an old French manuscript of the text which he duly translated into English. He also replicated the diagrams and symbols; these efforts resulted in this modern English version of the old Solomon manuscripts, and an increase in interest toward writings hitherto obscure.

The Key of Solomon the King: A Biography Concerning King Solomon; His Magic, Conjurations and Mythical History (Biblical Pseudepigrapha)

2020 Reprint of the 1889 Edition. Full facsimile of the original edition and not reproduced with Optical Recognition software. The Key of Solomon (Latin: Clavicula Salomonis) is a grimoire (also known as a book of spells) attributed to King Solomon. It probably dates back to the 14th or 15th century Italian Renaissance. It presents a typical example of Renaissance magic. It is possible that the Key of Solomon inspired later works, particularly the 17th-century grimoire also known as Clavicula Salomonis Regis, Lesser Key of Solomon or Lemegeton, although there are many differences between the books. Many such grimoires attributed to King Solomon were written during the Renaissance, ultimately being influenced by earlier works of Jewish kabbalists and Arab alchemists. These, in turn, incorporated aspects of the Greco-Roman magic of Late Antiquity. This grimoire of sigils and rituals for summoning and mastering spirits the most famous, or infamous, of all magic books. It has influenced everything from the revival of magic and the Western Mystery Traditions (tarot, alchemy, astrology, etc.) to fictional works such as Lovecraft's The Necronomicon. S. L. MacGregor Mathers (1854-1918) was a prominent scholar and leader of the occult movement in Britian at the turn of the century. A lifelong fascination with mysticism and Celtic symbolism led Mathers to hold high office in the Rosicrucian Society of England, and eventually to become a founder of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. He is also well known for having been a key tutor to Aleister Crowley.

Clavicula Salomonis

The Key of Solomon the King

Revised and expanded edition of Mathers' original treatise. Three methods of reading cards are included, along with instructions for the game of tarot, which can be played by two or three people. This is a classic text that will be appreciated by anyone interested in the study of the tarot.

A Short Treatise on Reading Cards

The Tarot

Aleister Crowley

F. C. Conybear

Includes all original images and text for The Greater Key of Solomon, The Lesser Key of Solomon & The Testament of Solomon. The Greater Key of Solomon contains all original seals, charts and sigils first researched by S.L. MacGregor Mathers in the ancient manuscripts of the British Library. The Lesser Key of Solomon, perfected by Aleister Crowley himself, compiles ancient sources, writings and other material to create a workable grimoire for the student of Magick. The Testament of Solmon, written by Solmon himself, illustrates the use of this magick against demons and other powers in the time of Solmon the King. This collection is a must have for any serious student of esoteric knowledge.

The Greater and Lesser Keys & The Testament of Solomon

The Magical Books of Solomon

F. C. Conybeare

Reprint of Three Grimoires in One Volume. This omnibus edition reprints the three great magical works of King Solomon in one volume. The Key of Solomon the King was originally researched and translated by S.L. MacGregor Mathers from ancient manuscripts in the British museums. The work is traditionally divided into two books detailing the Key of King Solomon. The Lesser Key of Solomon 1904], or the Clavicula Salomonis Regis, or Lemegeton, is a compilation of materials and writings from ancient sources making up a text book of magic or "grimoire." Portions of this book can be traced back to the mid-16th to 17th centuries, when occult researchers such as Cornelius Agrippa and Johannes Trithemisus assembled what they discovered during their investigations into ancient texts. The Greater Key [1914] lists and describes a variety of purifications an exorcist should undergo. Instructions are given on clothing, magical devices, and even animal sacrifices. The Testament of Solomon [1898] is attributed to King Solomon of the Old Testament. Written in the first-person narrative, the book tells the story of the creation of the magical ring of King Solomon and how Solomon's ring was used to bind and control demons, including Beelzebub. The manuscripts from which this work was discovered date from the 15th, 16th, and 17th centuries. All were written in Greek. This dating makes most experts believe that the work is medieval. But some scholars argue that it is likely that the work comes from the 5th or 6th centuries. Regardless of the dates, these texts provide an immensely interesting description of how King Solomon tamed various demons to build his temple. The text includes predictions of the coming of Christ, as one demon explains to Solomon that while he may be bound, the only thing that can truly take his power away is the man born from a virgin who will be crucified by the Jews.

The Three Magical Books of Solomon: The Greater and Lesser Keys & the Testament of Solomon

For the first time, the three great magical works of King Solomon are together in one volume. The Greater and Lesser Keys give a practical guide to the operation of his magic. The testament gives a historical account of its use by Solomon himself. The Key of Solomon the King was originally researched and translated by S.L. MacGregor Mathers from ancient manuscripts in the British museums. Included by Mathers is the Order of the Pentacles of Solomon, the Ancient Fragment of the Key of Solomon, The Qabalistic Invocation of Solomon, and 15 plates full of figures, seals and charts, as well as the original text giving detailed instruction for spells and invocations. The work is traditionally divided into two books detailing the Key of King Solomon. Book One explains the operation of conjurations, curses, spells and other magical works. Book Two instructs the practitioner on the proper attire, purification rituals and other means of obtaining the goals of the Goetia. Between these two books is the list of plates that contain numerous illustrations and secret seals of Solomon, including the Mystical Seal of Solomon, the Pentacles of Solomon, and the Mystical Alphabet, which impart the mechanisms and requirements for the invocation of spirits and demons. The Lesser Key of Solomon, or the Clavicula Salomonis Regis, or Lemegeton, is a compilation of materials and writings from ancient sources making up a text book of magic or "grimoire." Portions of this book can be traced back to the mid-16th to 17th centuries, when occult researchers such as Cornelius Agrippa and Johannes Trithemisus assembled what they discovered during their investigations into their own great works. As a modern grimoire, the Lesser Key of Solomon has seen several editions with various authors and editors taking liberty to edit and translate the ancient writings and source material. In 1898, Arthur Edward Waite published his The Book of Black Magic and of Pacts, which contained large portions of the Lemegeton. He was followed by Mathers and Crowley in 1904 who published The Goetia: The Lesser Key of Solomon. In the preface to this edition, it is explained that a "Secret Chief" of the Rosicrucian Order directed the completion of the book. The original editor was a G. H. Fra. D.D.C.F. who translated ancient texts from French, Hebrew, and Latin, but was unable to complete his labors because of the martial assaults of the Four Great Princes. Crowley was then asked to step in and finish what the previous author had begun. The Testament of Solomon is a pseudepigraphical work attributed to King Solomon the Wise of the Old Testament. Written in the first-person narrative, the book tells the story of the creation of the magical ring of King Solomon and how Solomon's ring was used to bind and control demons, including Beelzebub. In this book of King Solomon, the discourses between the King and the various spirits are told, and the story shows how Solomon uses his wisdom to withstand the demons' tricks and guile and enlist their aid in the building of his temple. The manuscripts from which this work was discovered date from the 15th, 16th, and 17th centuries. All were written in Greek. This dating makes most experts believe that the work is medieval. But some scholars, including D.C. Duling, argue that it is likely that the work comes from the 5th or 6th centuries.

The Three Magical Books of Solomon

F. С. Conybear

The Key of Solomon the King is the most famous and most significant of all known grimoires, or ancient spellbooks. Much of Western magical tradition rests on the book's charts of planetary alignments, doctrines about angels and spirits, and information on talismans endowed with magic properties. The grimoire of ceremonial magic recounts how King Solomon bested some demons using a magic ring that had been given to him by the Archangel Raphael. Contents: The Lesser Key of Solomon The Greater Key of Solomon the King The Testament of Solomon

The Lesser Key of Solomon, The Greater Key of Solomon the King, The Testament of Solomon

The Three Magical Books of Solomon. Illustrated

This remarkable grimoire was translated by S.L.M. Mathers from a 15th century French mauscript. This text has had a huge influence on modern ceremonial magic, and has been cited as a primary influence on Aleister Crowley. Abraham of Würzburg, a cabalist and scholar of magic, describes a quest for the secret teachings which culminated in Egypt, where he encountered the magician Abramelin, who taught him his system in detail. The procedure involves many months of purification, followed by the invocation of good and evil spirits to accomplish some very worldly goals, including acquisition of treasure and love, travel through the air and under water, and raising armies out of thin air. It also tells of raising the dead, transforming ones appearance, becoming invisible, and starting storms. The key to this is a set of remarkable magic squares, sigils consisting of mystical words which in most cases can be read in several directions. Of course, these diagrams are said to have no potency unless used in the appropriate ritual context by an initiate. Mathers analyzed these words in an extensive set of notes and gives possible derivations from Hebrew, Greek and other languages.

S. L. Macgregor Mathers

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