III. Heptameron: or, Magical Elements — Peter de Abano

Peter of Abano (1250—131 7) was one of the most influen-
tial men of learning of his time. Many, of his writings on
medicine, philosophy and astronomy are extent, together
with works on geomancy and magic often attributed to him,
the latter possibly spurious. However it is easier to consider
the Heptameron or Magical Elements and the Geomantia
as by him: as he had quite a well paid practice as a physician

and a place in society to keep up, it is conceivable that the
above treatise remained in manuscript form till sometime
after his death, especially as he was in some trouble with the
Inquisition.

He studied medicine in Paris before returning to Padua to
practice as a physician. Towards the end of his life he was
actually accused of practicing sorcery by the Inquisition and
was imprisoned. He was later acquitted but then re-arrested
and died in prison in 131 7 whilst awaiting trial.

Amongst the less salubrious works from his pen was a
work on poisons, commissioned by the then incumbent pope,
possibly Pope Honorius IV.

Of the books of magic attributed to Peter, the Heptameron
is the best known, but Naude states that two other books of
his were banned after his death, the Elucidarium Necroman-
ticum and Liber Experimentorum Mirabilium de Annulis
Secundum 28 Mansiones Lunae, or 'Book of marvelous
experiments with rings according to the 28 mansions of the
moon'.

The Heptameron, which draws heavily on the Picatrix, a
magical text by the Arab pseudo—Magriti, may have first
appeared in Latin at Venice in 1496 before being bound with
Agrippa in 1565. The Heptameron has well earned its reputa-
tion as a key work on practical magic and it follows in the
tradition of Trithemius' Steganographia in as much as it
catalogues the names of many angels and the times of their
conjuration.

He commences his book on the magical elements by des-
cribing the composition of the circle which is described as a
certain fortress to defend the operator safe from the evil
spirits. The names of the hours and the angels ruling them
follows his succinct description of the circle, giving the names
for each season, its beginning and end.

Next follow the consecrations and benedictions to be per-
formed before the magical operation, the exorcism of the
fire, the manufacture of the garments to be worn and the
pantacle to be used as a lamen on the magician's breast.
Orations similar to those in the Key of Solomon are given for
the donning of robes before the ceremony.

In many ways Abano's instructions for invocation are

XI

much more straightforward than most grimoires the empha-
sis being on the careful recitation of the conjurations in latin
to the spirits of the elements. These conjurations are primarily
qabalistic words of power, with the occasional word of Greek
or Gnostic derivation cropping up every so often. After these,
specific instructions are given for each day of the week be-
ginning with the circle to be used, the name of the angel for
the day, his sigil, planet and sign of the zodiac, together with
his ministers and the names of power to be used at each
quarter, which precede a specific conjuration suitable for the
day in question. Peter also wrote a geomancy which is a
classic in its field, neatly complimenting the two studies of
the subject included in this collection.