Talismanic Images of the
Fixed Stars from Cornelius Agrippa's Three Books of Occult
Philosophy
Book Two, Chapter Forty Seven
Of the Images of the fixed Behenian Stars
But now for the operations of the fixed stars, according
to Hermes opinion, under the head of Algol
, they made an imagewhose Figure was the head of a man with a bloody neck;
they report that it bestoweth good success to Petitions, and makethhim who carrieth it
bold and magnanimous, and preserveth the members of the body sound: also it helpeth
against Witchcraft,and reflecteth evil indeavors and wicked incantations
upon our adversaries.
Under the constellation of Pleiades,they made the image of a little
Virgin, or the Figure of a Lamp; its reported to increase the light of the eyes,
to assemble Spirits,to raise Winds, to reveal secret and hidden things:
Under
Adlebora, they made an image after the likeness of God, or of
a flying man; it giveth riches and honor:
Under the Goat they made an image,
the Figure of which was, as it were, a man willing to make himself merry with musical
instruments; it maketh him who carrieth it acceptable, honored and exaltedbefore Kings
and Princes; and helpeth the pain of the teeth:
Under the greater Dog-star
, they made
the image of an Hound and a little Virgin; it bestoweth honor and good will, and the
favor of men, and Aerial spirits, and giveth power to pacifie and reconcile Kings,
Princes, and other men:
Under the lesser Dog-star they made the image of a Cock,
or of three little maides; it conferreth the favor of the gods, of spirits, and men;
it giveth power against Witchcrafts, and preserveth health:
Under the Heart of Leo,
they made the image of a Lion or Cat, or the Figure of an honorable Person sitting
in a Chair; it rendretb a mantemperate, appeaseth wrath, and giveth favour:
Under
the tail of Vrsa Major they made the image of a pensive Man, or of a
Bull, or the Figure of a Calf; it availeth against incantations, and maketh him
who carrieth it secure in his travels:
Under the wing of Corvus
, they made the
image of a Raven, or Snake, or of a black Man cloathed in black; this maketh a
mancholerick, bold, couragious, full of thoughts, a backbiter, and causeth
naughty dreams; also it giveth the power of driving awayevil spirits, and of
gathering them together; it is profitable against the malice of Men, Devils
and Winds:
Under the Spike they made the image of a Bird, or
of a man laden
with Merchandize; it conferreth riches, and maketh one overcome contentions, it
taketh away scarcity and mischief:
Under Alchameth they made the image of an
Horse or Wolf, or the Figure of a mandancing; it is good against Feavers, it
astringeth and retaineth the bloud:
Under Elphrya, they made the image of an
Hen, or of a man crowned and advanced; it bestoweth the good will and love of men,
and giveth chastity.
Under the Heart of Scorpio they made the image of a man armed,
and with a coat of Male, or the Figure of a Scorpion; it giveth understanding
and memory, it maketh a good colour, and aideth against evil spirits, and driveth
them away, and bindeth them:
Under the Vulture, they made the image of a Vulture or Hen,
or of a traveller; it maketh a man magnanimous and proud, it giveth power over devils
and beasts.
Under the tail of Capricorn they made the image of an Hart,
or Goate, or of an angryman; it bestoweth prosperity, and increaseth wrath.
These are the images of some of the fixed stars which
they command to be ingraven on their stones under them.
