Characters of the Zodiac of Albertus Magnus

The second chapter in Pseudo-Albertus Magnus features the 12 characters of the signs of the zodiac. 

Most follow the same construct: within a rectangular shape we find a central complex seal (often with circle ends), a superior section with corrupted Hebrew letters and star configurations. Libra, Scorpio, Aquarius and Pisces feature the regular symbols of the signs. 

The attributions vary on the three pages that are occupied by the seals: on f.8v, the first four signs are indicated by astrological glyphs, on fol.9r, the middle four signs are indicated by labels in italic Latin and on fol.9v, the last four  use cursive German.

f.8v

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1. Aries                                                 2.Taurus

  3. Gemini                                                 4.Cancer

5. Leo                                                 6.Virgo

7. Libra                                                 8.Scorpio

9. Sagittarius                                                10.Capricorn

11. Aquarius                                                12.Pisces

Planetary Characters of Albertus Magnus

Leipzig University Library Manuscript Cod.Mag.72 is another treasure for the astral magic researcher, with abundant examples of seals, diagrams and characters, which will be reproduced here in a few articles. 

Alberti Magni Tractatus von den 12 himmlischen Zeichen und ihren Sigillis, von den 12 himmlischen Zeichen und ihren Characteribus und denn von den 7 Planeten ihren magischen Ringen, samt ihren großen Heimlichkeiten, Kräften und Nutzen, letzlich von denen speculis magicis mit zugehörigen Instrumenten und Sigillen nebst dessen hohen Gebrauch, omnia ad laudem Dei. 

Or: Albert the Great`s Treatise of the 12 heavenly signs and their seals, of the 12 heavenly signs and their characters and of the seven planets and their magical rings together with their secrets, virtues and uses and lastly of the Speculis Magicis (Magical Mirror) and its  associated instruments and seals most high use, all to the glory of God. 

The Third Chapter (fols.10r-16r) is concerned with the seven planetary rings. 

Unfortunately I have no skill in transcribing or translating the cursive 18th century German, but let`s hope that someone will shed some light on the text in the hopefully-not-so-distant future.  

Ring of Saturn

Character of Saturn

Characters Saturn

ARCHIATROS

Spirit of Saturn

Ring of Jupiter

Character of Jupiter

Characters Jupiter

NABOR

Spirit of Jupiter

Ring of Mars

Character of Mars

Characters  Mars

AMON

Spirit of Mars

Ring of the Sun

Character of the Sun

Characters of the Sun

AFFORES

Spirit of the Sun

Ring of Venus

Character of Venus

Characters Venus

ALLON

Spirit of  Venus

Ring of Mercury

Character of  Mercury

Characters Mercury missing. 

ZEDIETNE

Spirit of  Mercury

Ring of the Moon

Character of the Moon

Characters the Moon

ZETELAY ZELEY

Spirit of  the Moon

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Seven Planetary Seals of King Solomon

A long time fascination of mine was Scheible's masterpiece of Faustiana called Magia Naturalis et Innaturalis. 

Published in Stuttgart in the year 1849, Scheible compiled an enormous compendium of magic rituals, diagrams, talismans, seals and characters.

I always wondrered what his manuscript sources were and if I would ever get the chance to consult them.

I ve had the rare opportunity to consult one version of a Faustian Hoellenzwang due to the kind and generous nature of James Banner from Trident Publishing, with whom I've had quite a few discussions ranging from occult manuscripts to bookbinding (a discipline I also indulge in) and I've seen one such manuscript and analyzed its seals and diagrams. 

But the Leipzig University Magical Collection far surpasses my expectations and I have found a great quantity of manuscripts that are in all possibility Scheible's sources or at least related to them. Why related? As you will notice from the examples below, the similarities definately point to direct inspiration, but there are differences that go far beyond the artistic freedoms the draughtsman took.

I submit for the public inquiry a set of seven seals dedicated to the planetary spirits as found also in the Arbatel.  The work is called Regis Salomonis Septem Sigilla Planetarum ( The Seven Planetary Seals of the King Solomon).

As we see from these examples, the Leipzig manuscript is all in black ink, carefully drawn but not particularly artistic. Scheible's illustrator, whose name eludes me for now, was an excellent draughtsman, standardized the forms of the letters and of the seals as well and used black only for the circles, making the seals and mottoes red. I did my best to remove the yellow tinge of the poor quality scans, the paper grain, the specks and blots that were scattered about, without damaging the images in the case of Scheible, and on the manuscripts I tried to lighten the picture up to clear white without suppressing the black ink.

The order of the talismans varies from the manuscript to Scheible, a thing that increases my suspicions of other versions. In the manuscript, the pentacles are ascribed to different spirits, while the so-called Olypic Spirits of the Arbatel are still mentioned. The first seal leads us to believe that they are just alternate names for the same spirits. Summarizing the two lists and comparing them to the Arbatel, we have the following discrepancies: 

	Arbatel 1575	Regis Salomonis 1750	Scheible 1849
1	SATURN: Aratron	SATURN: Aratron Archiatos	SUN: Och
2	JUPITER: Bethor	JUPITER: (Bethor) Nymphitros	JUPITER: Bethor
3	MARS: Paleg	MARS: (Phaleg) Aethnitros	MARS: Palec
4	SUN: Hoc Och	MERCURY: (Ophiel) Nomifaremtros	SATURN: Aratron
5	VENUS: Hagith	MOON: (Phul) Flagatros	VENUS: Hagith
6	MERCURY: Ophiel	SUN: (Och) Xenirephitros	MERCURY: Ophiel
7	MOON: Phul	VENUS: (Hagith) Phantasmator	MOON: Phul

In listing these seals I will follow the order employed by the manuscript, with the Scheible seal beneath for comparison.

SATURN

Salomonis,1750, f.2v:

1.ARATRON. The seal of the spirit ARCHIATOS, the governor of Saturn

Scheible,1849, plate 140: ARATRON

JUPITER

Salomonis,1750, f.3v:

2.  NYMPHITROS, the spirit of Jupiter. Seal.

Scheible,1849, plate 138:  BETHOR

MARS

Salomonis,1750, f.4v:

3.  AETHNITROS, the spirit of Mars. Seal.

Scheible,1849, plate 139: PHALEC

MERCURY

 

Salomonis,1750, f.5v:

4.  NOMIFAREMTROS, the spirit of Mercury. Seal.

Scheible,1849, plate 142:  OPHIEL

MOON

Salomonis,1750, f.6v:

5.  FLAGATROS, the spirit of the Moon. Seal.

Scheible,1849, plate 143: PHUL

SUN

Salomonis,1750, f.7v:

6.  XENIREPHITROS, the spirit of the Sun. Seal.

Scheible,1849, plate 137: OCH

 VENUS

Salomonis,1750, f.8v:

7.  PHANTASMATOR, the spirit of Venus. Seal.

 Scheible,1849, plate 141: HAGITH

 SOURCES:

Salomonis,1750:

Regis Salomonis septem sigilla planetarum - Cod.mag.38., 1750, Universitat Leipzig.

Scheible,1849:
 Faust, Johannes (ed. Scheible, Johann):  Doktor Johannes Fausts Magia naturalis et innaturalis, oder dreifacher Höllenzwang, letztes Testament und Siegelkunst nach einer kostbar ausgestatteten Handschrift in der Herzogl. Bibliothek zu Koburg vollständig und wortgetreu ; in fünf Abth. Bd.: 5, Stuttgart (1849). Munchener Digitalisierungs Zentru, Bayerische Staatsbiblithek.