VI. Of M&gic\a- Arbatel

This small treatise on the magic of the ancients was issued
at Basel in 15 75 as Arbatel, De Magia Veterum. Despite the
fact that the word Arbatel is also printed in Hebrew, it is
obvious that the author was a Christian, by the liberal sprink-
ling of pious sentiments and Biblical quotes. Because of

XIV

references in the 30th and 31st Aphorisms to obscure details
of Italian history, the author may have been from that country,
perhaps even a Neapolitan magistrate. The word 'ArbateV
however, is probably not an assumed name, but that of a
revelatory angel of one of the four quarters.

This book supposedly contains nine 'tomes'. The first
'tome' containing 49 Aphorisms upon the general precepts of
magic, forms the introduction or Isagoge, and is the only part
included in the edition of 1575 or its present translation.

However the preface to the book claims eight more, of
which none appear to be extant.

Although it is likely that the first 'tome' was the only one
actually written it more than once overlaps with what should
have followed.

For example the 16th Aphorism concerns itself with the 7
Olympic Spirits and their Provinces. (In the text the number
of Provinces is put at 186 of which 32 are ruled by Bethor.
This is probably a misprint for 196 and 42 respectively, for
with the later arrangement each Olympic spirit rules 7 less
Provinces than its predecessor). Each Olympic Spirit is said to
govern an epoch of 490 years (of which the current governing
spirit is Ophiel). Each is also attributed various planetary cor-
respondences, a sigil, a list of powers, and an enumeration of
the legions of spirits under their command.

It is interesting to note that a recently published grimoire
called The Secret Grimoire of Turiel by Marius Malchus which
was supposedly discovered in Las Palmas in 1927, as a latin
manuscript dated 1518, appears to be derived from this
Aphorism with additional details drawn from other parts of
this volume.

Translation

This translation is the first English translation of this col-
lection of six treatises. A. E. Waite (who was only too happy
to criticize the scholarship of other translators) gave Robert
Turner's work the highest accolade when he wrote: 'I shall
depart from my usual custom of translating at first hand, and
make use.. of the version of Robert Turner, which is quite
faithful and has, moreover, the pleasant flavour of antiquity'.
The translation was published in 1655 just one year before

XV

his translation of Paracelsus' work Of the Supreme Mysteries
of Nature which is published as The Archidoxes of Magic,
Volume 2 of the Source Works of Mediaeval and Renaissance
Magic series.

Turner's contribution to the spread of magical knowledge
in the vernacular in the seventeenth century England is con-
siderable as he made some of the best occult writings of the
time generally available.

Agrippa's Three Books of Occult Philosophy were also
translated by Robert Turner, but to date have not been re-
printed except for a 'modernised' version of the first volume
only, which was issued by Willis Whitehead in 1897, and has
been subsequently reprinted several times. It was erroneously
titled to give the impression that it contained all three books.
In fact it contains only the first book which is concerned
mainly with 'natural' or sympathetic magic. The two other
volumes which deal more closely with correspondences, the
Qabalah, invocation, and evocation have not in fact been
reprinted in English since Turner's original translation. It is
hoped to issue all three as Volume 3 in the present series.

Turner felt obliged to defend magic in terms of his own
period, using Biblical and Classical quotations, and to point
out the difference between malefici or venefici ( the sorcerers
or poisoners who relied for the most part on low cunning,
fear and poison) and the committed student of 'natural
philosophy' for whom the gates of experimental science were
just beginning to open. The latter took all of nature, including
that which seemed beyond nature, or supernatural, as his
territory: he could be equally interested in spirits or in the
refractive and image projecting properties of glass lenses (as
was Dr. John Dee), and feel that both fields were equally
within his area of study, or if you prefer, equally outside his
range of scientific certainty: both were to him still miraculous.

Today, only spirits remain miraculous, the fabulous
'burning glas' long since having been accommodated within
the realms of the known. But today opinion is in a sense less
open to experiment, less honest, and less open minded than
in the late Renaissance. For the idea of spirits is no longer
open to dispute :it has simply been dumped on the scrap heap.

However, since the beginning of the last century an insidious

XVI

phenomena has begun to grow up within magic itself, a
phenomena roughly equivalent to Turner's seventeenth cen-
tury attempts to make magic acceptable in the eyes of his
religiously minded contemporaries. In some ways this modern
growth is an extension of the religiously orientated defence
of magic, except that it is in fact a scientifically orientated
defence, as there has always been a compulsion by apologists
to bend their argument into a contemporary mould.

Magic is basically the science and art of causing change to
occur in conformity with Will, through spiritual agencies
which have been evoked or invoked from either the microcosm
(man's own normally subconscious wellsprings of power) or
the macrocosm (the universe). This definition also includes
the 'magical technologies' such as the various forms of divina-
tion which are necessary adjuncts to the above. It is the loss
of the latter half (macro cosmic part) of the definition, which
has allowed modern apologists for magic to hint that the
changes are all internal and psychological, aimed at improving
the interior man andenabling him to transcend his limitations
of personality and achieve enlightenment. The early stages of
this phenomena can easily be explained away in terms of
Jungian psychology — the pursuit of integration; the latter
stages can be explained by invoking religious and mystical
precedents, thereby avoiding the essence of magic as it was
worked prior to the nineteenth century.

This is not to say that there is not a great deal of value in
a Jungian or Reichian approach to magic, just that it leaves a
proportion of magic unaccounted for.

One might say that magic has developed over the last
couple of centuries, but how can a subject develop which
narrows its focus so far as to throw out the bulk of its
theory (for the belief in external entities was a central
belief) without actually improving on its techniques?

It is for this reason that this book and others in the same
series are being republished, to bring forward some of the
best thought in the field, before it is smothered by a mass
of 'scientific' rationalisation, just as oppressive in its own
way as religious bias.

— Stephen Skinner
London, March 1978

Henry Qornelius aAgrippas

HIS

Fourth BOOK

OF

O ecu lc P hilofophy.

Of Geomancy.

Magical Elements ofPeterde
nAbano.

Astronomical Geomancy.

The Nature of Spirits.

<iArbatel of Magick.

Translated into Englifh by Robert Turner,

LONDON'.

Printed by ?. C. for ^ohn Harrifon , at the Lamb

attheEaft-endof Pauls. 1655.

The PREFACE

To the unprejudiced Reader.

S the fall of man made himfelfe and all
other creacures fubjecl to vanity j fo,by
reafon thereof , the raoft noble and ex-
cellent Arts wherewith the Rational
foul was indued, are by the rufty canker
of Time brought unto Corruption. For Magick
it felfe, which the ancients didfo divinely contem-
plate, is fcandalized with bearing the badg of all di-
abolical forceries: which Arc (faith Mirandula} Fau-
ci intelligum, multi reprehendunt, & ficut canes ignotos
femper allatrant: Few underftand,many reprehend,and
as dogges barke ac thofe they know not : fo doe ma*
ny condemne and hate the things they underftand
not. Many men there are, that abhor the very name
and word Magus, becaufe of Simon Magus, who being
indeed not <Magus 9 but Goes, that is , familiar with
evill Spirits, ufurped that Title. But Magicke and
Witchcraft are far differing Sciences 3 whereof Pliny
being ignorant,fcoffeth thereat : for Nero (faith Pliny) tRn.iib.10.
who had the mod excellent Magicians of the Eaft tftU - Hisl -
lent him by Tyridates king of Armenia, who held that
kingdomeby him, found the Art after long ftudy
and labour altogether ridiculous. Now Wirchcraft
and Sorcery, are workes donemeerely bychedevili,
which with refpect unto ibme covenant made with
man,he acleth by men his inftruments,coaccomplifh
his evill ends: of thefe, the hiftories of all ages,
people and countries, as alfothe holy Scriptures, af-
ford us fundry examples.

But Magus is a Perfian word primitively, whereby

A 2 is

The Preface.
isexprefl: fucha one as is altogecher converfanc m
things divine-, and as Plato a ffirmeth , the arc of Ma-
gickistheart of worfhipping God .• and the Per-
fians called their gods M*>r* • hence Afollonlus faith,
that Magus is either l^tf *t/W Qtl( } or Si&mvrif ei*»*
that is, that Magut is a name fometime of him that
is a god by nature, & fomtimes of him that is in the
ferviceof God :in which latter fence ic is taken in
Af4//A.2.i,2. when the wife men came to worfliip
JefuSj and this is the firft and higheft kinde, which is
called divine Magick ; and thefe the Latines did in-
title (afltmts i or wife men r for the feare and worfliip
of God, is the beginning of knowledge. Thefe wife-
men the Greeks call Philofophers $ and amongft the E-
gyptians they were termedPriefts :theHebrews term-
ed them Cabaliftos, Prophets, Scribes and Pharifees \
and amongft the Babylonians they were differenced
by the name of Caldcans- y 8z by the Perfians they were
called Magicians .-and one fpeaking of Sofihenes y or\t of
the ancientMagicians.ufeththele words : Etverum
Dfum merit a majejlate profcquitur , & artgelos mini fires
Deiyfed vert e)w vtnerationi novit afsifttreydtm d&monas
prodit terrenos^Vagos, humanitatis immicos % Soft hen ts af-
cribeth the due Majefty to Che true God, & acknow-
ledged that his Angels are minifters and mefleogers
which attend the worfliip of the true God 5 he alfo
hath delivered,ihat there are devils earthly and wan-
dring,and enemies to mankind.

So that the word Magus of it felf imports a Con-
templator of divine & heavenly Sciences -, but under
the name of Magick, are ail unlawful Arts compre-
hended ; as Necromancy and Witchcraft, and fuch
Arts which are effeded by combination with the de-
vil a and whereof he is a party. Thefe

The Preface.

Thefe Witches and Necromancers are alfo called
Malefici or ventfci . forcerers or poifoners •■> of which
name witches are rightly called, who withoucthe
Arc of Magicke do indeed ufe the helpe of the
devill himfelfe to do mifchiefe • praclifingtomix
che powder of dead bodies with other things by
the help of the devill prepared ; and at other times
to make pi&ures of wax, clay 5 or otherwife (as it
xvereftcramentaliter) to efTcft thofe things which the
devil by other means bringeth to pafs. Such were,
and to this day partly, if not altogether, are the cor-
ruptions which have made odious the very name of
Magick,havingchiefly fought^as the manerof all im-
poflures is,to counterfeit the higheft and moil noble
part of it.

A fecond kind of Magick is A ftrologie, which judg-
eth of the events of things to come, natural and hu-
mane.by the motions and influences of the (tars upon
thefe lower elementSjby them obferv'd&underftood-
Philo ^uddttu affirmeth , that by this part of Ma-
gick or Aftrologie, together with the motions of the
Stars and other heavenly bodies, Abraham found out
the knowledge of the true God while he lived inCal-
dea, gni ContemplathntCrtaturarum^cognovlt Creator tm
( faith Damafcen) who knew the Creator by the con-
templation of the creature, foftphus reporteth of
%^4brahamjX\z\ he intruded the Egyptians in Arith-
metickand Aftronomy- who before Abraham's com-
ing unto them, knew none of thefe Sciences.

Abraham (antlitatt & (apitnUa omnium prtjlantiflimuf,
primum CaUdtos , deinde Phcenicts^ dtmum Egjptios Sa-
cerdates, Afirotegia & Divina docuerit. Abraham the
holicft and wifeft of men, did firft teach the Calde-

ans

The Preface.
ans,then the Phcenicians,laftly the Egypcian Priefts,
Aftrologie and Divine knowledge.

Without doubt, Hermes Trifmegiflu* , that divine
Magician and Philofopher, who (as fome fay) lived
long before 2Vc«£,attained to much Divine knowledg
of the Creator through the ftudie of Magick and
Aftrologie 5 as his Writings, to this day extant a-
mong us, teftifie.

The third kinde of Magick containcth the whole
Philofophy of Nature 5 which bringeth to light the
inmoft vertues, andextracleththemoutof Natures
hidden bofome to humane ufe;Firtutes inuniro centri
latemes 5 Vertues hidden in the centre of the Centre,
according to the Chymifts : of this fort were Albtr-
tus> Arnoldui dt villa nova^Rajmond^Bacon^z^d others,
&c.

The Magick thefe men profefs'd,is thus defined.*/*
git eft connexio a viro fapiente agentiumpermturamcum
patientibuf i /fbi i congruenttr refycndenlibus , utinde Optra
prodeant, nonfim torum admit axiom quicaufam ignorant,
Magick is the connexion of natural agents and pa-
tients, anfwerableeach to other, wrought by a wife
man,tothe bringing forth of fuch effects as are won-
derful to thofe that know not their caufes.

In all thefe, Zoroafler was well learned, efpecially
in the firft and the higheft : for in his Oracles he
confefleth God to be the firftand thehigheftj he
believeth of the Trinity , which he would not inve-
ftigate by any natural knowledge : he fpeaketh of
Angels, and of Paradife • approveth the immorta-
lity of the foul -, teacheth Truth, Faith, Hope, and
Love , difcourfing of the abftinence and charity of
the iJMagi,

Of

The Treface.

Of this Zorcafier s Eufebiui in the Theologie of the
Phoenicians, ultng Zoyoajler'% own words: H&c ad
V(rbumfcribit(fo\th Euf(b:us) Dtut primus } incorrupti-
bilittm , fcmpittrnus , ingtruius y expert partium, fibiipfi/i-
mi//imus y bonorum omnium auriga, muntra non expeftant,
optlmttsrfrudentifsimtts, pater \uris , fine doclrina ]a(ltti-
am perdotiu* , natura perftttus, fapiens^ facra, nature uni-
on inventor t &• Thus faith Zoroafler, word for
word : God the firft, incorruptible, everlafting, un-
begotten, without parts,moft like himfelf, the guide
of all good,expe<5ting no reward,the beft,the wifeft,
the father of right , having learned juftice without
teaching,perfec~t, wife by nature, the onely inventor
thereof.

So that a Magician is no other but divinorumcultor
& interpret , a (ludious obferver and expounder of
divine things 5 and the Art it felf is none other quam
Naturalis Philofophia abfoluta confummatio^ then the ab-
folute perfection of Natural Philofophy. Never-
thelefs there is a mixture in all things, of good with
evil, of falfhood with truth, of corruption with pu-
ri ty. The good,the truth ,the purity,in every kinde,
may well be embraced : As in the ancienc worihip-
ping of God by SacrifTce,there was no man knowing
God among the Elders, that did forbear to worfhip
the God of all power, or condemn that kinde of
Wor/hip, becaufe the devil was Co adored in the
Image of Baal , Dagon, K^dflamh, Chemojh, Jupiter,
ApllO) and the like.

Neither did theabufe of Aftrology rerrifie Abraham,
(if we believe the moft ancient and religiousWriters)
from obferving the motions and natures of the hea-
venly bodies. Neither can it dehort wife and learned

men

The Treface.
men In thefe days from attributing thofe venues, in-
fluences, and inclinations, to the Stars and other
Lights of heaven, which God hath given to chofe his
glorious creatures.

I muft expect Come calumnies and obtreflations againft this,
from the malicious prejudiced man, and the lazie affe&ers of Ig-
norance, of whom this age fwarms : but the voiceand found of
the Snake and the Goofe is all one. But our ftomacks arc not
now fo qucazie and tender , after fo long time feeding upon folid
Divinity j nor we fo umbragious and itanJing.havingbeen folong
enlightned in Gods path, that we fhould relapfe into thatchildifh
Age, in which AriQotlcs Metaphyficks, in a Councel in France,
was forbid to be read.

But I incite the Reader to a charitable opinion hereof, with a
Chriftian Proteftation of an innocent purpofe therein ; and intrcac
the Reader to follow this advice of TTab&ui, Qui littgant, fine
ambo in co»jf>ctlfi tuo malt dr ret. And if there be any fcandal
in this enterprife of mine, it is takcn.not given. And this comfort
I have in that Axiome of Trifmegiftuf , Qui pirn eft, fnmme
phi/ofophatur. And therefore 1 prefent it without difguifc, and
object it to all of candor and indifference : and of Readers, of
whom there be four forts, as one obferves : Spunges.which attraft
all without diftinguiuYing ; Hour-glafTes, which receive.and pour
out as faft • Bags, which retain onely the dregs of Spices, and let
the Wine efcape ; and Sieves, which retain the beft onely. Some
there are of the laft fort, and to them I prefent this Occult Phi-
A>/fy£/,knowing that they may reap good thereby. And they who
are fevere againfr it, they (hall pardon this my opinion, that fuch
their feverity proceeds from Self-guilcinefs • and give me leave to
apply that of ' Ennoditts that it is the nature of Self- wickcdncls,to
think that of others, which themfelves deferve. And it is all the
comfort which the guilty have, Not to find any innocent. But that
amongft others this may find fome acceptation, is the defire of

LondoH i \\\i.j4t4g.\6^. R.Tumcr.

To

To his fpecial friend Mr. ^Turner, on

his judicious Tranflation of

Corn, drfgrippa-j.

AS one that \uU out of aTrance appears,
Kjimaztd with fit anger fights, whofefecrtt fears
Are fcarcelyp&H, but doubtful whether he
May credit's eyes, remalntth fledfafllj
Fix' don thofe ob jells i ]ult like him I ft and,
Rapt in amazement to behold that can
By art come neer the gods , that far excel
The Angels that in thofe bright Spheres do dwelt.
Behold Agrippa mounting th' lofty skies,
Talking with gods ; and then anon be pries
lnt* earths deep cabinet, as t' Mercury,
Allkindes of Spirits willing fubjetfs be.
And more thenth'u his bookfupplies : but we
Blinde mortals , no ways could be led to fee
That light without a taper : then thou to us
CMujlbe Agrippa ana an Oedipus.
Agrippa once again appears, by thee
Pui'd oHto*th'a]hesof Antiquity.
Let fquint-ey'd envie pine away, whilfl thou
Wear'Jl crowns of Praife on thy deferving brow*

I.P>B. Cantabrigian
b To

To his ingenious friend Mr. Turner,
upon his Tranilation.

THrice-noble Soul / renown'd Epitome
Of Learning and Occult Philcfophie •
That unknown Geomancte do/} impart,
With profound Secrets of that abftrufe Art /
T expound Natural Magick. it thy task.;
Not hell-born Necromancie to unmask. ;
Expojing My fl cries to publike view,
That heretofore were known to very few.
Thou dofi not keep thy Knowledge to thy felf t
{As bafe'covetow Mifers do their pelf •
Whofe numerous bags of rufl-eaten gold,
Profits none, till thcmfelves art laid in mold')
But jludioHs of Publike good, dofi make
AH of th' fruits of thy labours to partake-
Therefore if fome caption* Critick^blame
Thy Writings, fur cly then his judgement* s lame.
Art hath no hater but an empty pate,
Which can far better carp, then imitate.
Nay Zoilus or Momus will not dare
Blame thy Tranflat ion. without compare
Excellent, So that if an hundred tongues
Dame Nature had beftow'd and brax.en lungs ;
Tet rightly to ebuccinate thy praifes,
I fhoutd want ftrength, at well a* polite phrafes.
But if the gods will grant what I docrave,
Then Enoch*/ Tranjlationfkalt thou have.

IV.P, S. John' sCambr.

To his friend the (lAuthor 7 on this bis
Tranjlation.

WHat, not a Sibyl or Caflandra left ?
A polio ceasd ? Has {harp-fang d Time bereft
Us of the Oracles ? Is Dodarwgrow
Cut down ? Does ne'er a word proceed from Jove
Into the ears of mortals that inherit
Tire fias foul, or the great Ca\chz'sfpirit ?
What it become o' th' Augurs that foretold
Nature's intents ? Are th'Mzgi dead, that could
TeS what was done in every Sphere ? Shall we
Not know what's done in the remot'fl Country
Without great travel ? Can V we belowt defcry
The mindc o th 'gods above ? ^A 11' s done by thee,
Agrippa 5 all their Arts lie couch'd in thecs.
Th' Art that before in divers heads did lie,
Is now collect ini one Monopoly.
But all's in vain ; we Uclc'd an Oedi pus,
Whofhould interprets meaning unto us :
This thou efecl'Jl with fuch dexterity,
Adding perhaps what th' Author ne'er did fee ;
That we may fay, Thou doll the Art renew :
To thee the greater half of th' praife is dues*

J. B. CantabrigU,

b a To

To tbeaJfuthor, on his Tranjlation of
Cornelius Agrippa.

PA lias of Learning th* art, if Goddefs nam'd ;
Which Prototype thy knowledge hath explain* A $
Which Nature at Jo {{riving to combines ,
Science and Learning, in thit Form of thlneLJ,
To U4 not darkly , but doth clearly flew
Knowledge of My [ley its as thejhrine in you.
By thypermifsion 'tit, we have accefs
IntoGeomancy 5 whtchyet,unlefs
Thou hadji unmaslid^ c myflery't had lain ,
A task too hard for mortals to explain.
Which fine e thou hajlfrom the Lethaean floods
Prefervdy we'll con feet ate the Lawrel buds
To thee: (Phoebus difmijfed) thine (hall be
The Oracle, to which all men (hall flee
In time of danger ; thy predtcl ions jhall^
To whatfoever thou command' ft, Inthral
Oar willing hearts } yea, thoufhaXt he
Sole Prophet^ we obedient to thee*

To

To the ^Author, on his Tranflation of
Cornelius Agrippa.

DOth PhccbuJ ceafe to anfwer t' our demands ?
Or will he not accept at mortals hands
A {ad Bidental f And u Sibyls cave
Inhabitable ? Or may Tircfns have
No fuccejfor nor rival } How (hall we
Then Oedipus to th* world diretl f If he
Do Inceft aide to Parricide, th* are dumb,
That could predict what things fliould furely come :
And they are filent that knew when t' apply
7" our body P o lit iclt^P urge and Phlebotomy.
How will bold thieves our treafures rob, who {hall
Loft goods regain , or by his Charms recal
The nocent t Th* Art it by thee repriv'd :
In thee the Magifeem to be reviv'd,
Phoebus is not brain- fick^t Joyes doves not dead,
Th' Oracles not ceaf'd .- AgrippaV bed
(Likf the Arabian birds felf buildtd neft,
Which firft her Zirn proves, then her quickjning reft
Hath theeprodue'd more then his equal fure»
Elfe had tnit Art as yet remained obfeure,
ji miracle to vulgar s, well known to none,
Scarce read by deepeft apprehenfion*
Then ril conclude Since thou doft him explain,
That th' younger brother hath the better brain*

John Tomlinfon,
of St. John V in Cambridge*

To

To his good friend the Author , on his

Tranjlation of Occult Thilofophj

and Geomancie.

MOfi noble undertakings / at if Art
And Prudence (hould a bargain make, t' impart
Refulgent lu fires : you fend forth a ray
Which noble ft Patrons never could difplay.
Well may Dia na love you and infpire
Tour nob left Genius with c deleft ial fire,
Whofe fparkjing Fancie with more power can quell,
u4ndfooner conquer, then a Afagick. Spelt-
The^futhor thought not, {when he pen'd the Book )
To be fur mounted by a higher look^t
Or be o*ertopt b' a more triumphant flrein.
Which (hould exalt hit then-mofl pleafant vein*
But feeing that a later progeny
Hath fnatch'd hU honour from obfeurity.
Both (had revive, and make SpettatoTs know
The be ft defervers of the Lawrel bow.
Nature and tArt here fir ive* the vttlory
To get : and though toyeeld he doth deny,
Th* haft got the fiart : though he triumph in praife,
Yet may hh /vie wait upon your Bays.