Saturday 27 January 2018

Seals of the Four Emperors in the Florentine Handbook

I call The Florentine Handbook manuscript Plut. 89, Sup. 38 of the Bibliotheca Medicea Laurentiana, a compendium of tracts and fragments on magic closely related to the Munich Handbook. 

This was one of my first loves as it was an illusive piece of treasure. I found the name of the manuscript by researching the necromantic manuscripts listed by Frank Klaassen in his delicious list.  I looked for the library, researched, translated and found it, to my astonishment. 

Fols. 47v-51r are the final part of a Liber Spirituum containing about 100 spirits. Although not all the descriptions survine, these pages have the seals of the whole hierarchy. I have translated and adnotated the treatise and will publish it, but new information about this treatise keeps popping up so I had to pospone any attempt at a critical edition. 

Headed by Belzabuh and listing illustrious names, such as Lucifer, Astarot, Magot and Apolin (Appolion in the Revelations of John), they are not the ruling council, but rather our traditional cardinal emperors. 

Fol.47v

These are the oldest seals of the Four emperors I was able to find, the manuscript is datable from internal evidence to the 15th century. 

The seal of Oriens




The seal of Amaymon


The seal of Egin


The seal of Paimon


FAQ:
1. No, i will not send you the manuscript.
2. No, I will not translate the manuscript for you.
3. No, I will not teach you demon summoning. 
4. This is an academically oriented page, please make your inquiries academic. 

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