This is the first time I have ever featured a
talisman of Saturn in my charts of the week. Saturn
is the Greater Malefic and many of his talismans are for things like
causing discord and enmity. He is also associated with agriculture and longevity.
This week's talisman is an unusual one dealing with longevity and drinking.
The image descriptions for this week's talisman comes
Picatrix, an encyclopedic work of
medieval Arabic astral magic. We are fortunate to have the
new English translation from Arabic of the Picatrix from
Ouroboros Press which we can
compare to the Latin Picatrix edited by David Pingree which is
available from the
Warburg Institute.
Here is talisman description in Book Two, Chapter 10,
from the Latin Picatrix
Ymago Saturni ad multum bibendum. Si ex operibus Saturni feceris hominis formam super
altam cathedram elevati, et in eius capite pannum lineum lutosum et in eius manu falcem
habentis, in hora Saturni, ipso in ascendente existente, in lapide feyrizech,
virtus istius ymaginis est quod qui ipsam secum portaverit multum potabit et nonnisi
in senectute morietur.
Image of Saturn for much drinking. For the operations of Saturn make the form of a man
elevated in a high throne, on his head a yellow linen cloth, having in his hand a sickle,
in the hour of Saturn, when he is in the Ascendant in the stone feyrizech [see note below]
the virtue of this image is that whoever carries it himself will be able to drink heavily
and [only die from old age]
Translation by Christopher Warnock, Esq.
The image from the
Ouroboros translation of Picatrix does not mention drinking. In discussing
the images of Saturn it says,
"Also, if you carve the picture of a standing man in a chair that looks like a mimbar
[or minbar, the pulpit in a mosque] with a semi-twisted turban on his head and
sickle in his hand and if you carve this stone of turquoise in its hour and ascendant
the holder of the stone will live long and have a healthy life, Allah willing.
Book II, Ch. 10, page 138.
Here is the corresponding talisman from Agrippa's
Three Books of Occult Philosophy
"They made also an other Image of Saturn for length of dayes, in a saphire, at
the hour of Saturn, Saturn ascending or fortunately constituted, whose figure
was an old man setting upon an high chayre, having his hands lifted up above his
head, and in them holding a fish or Sickle, and under his feet a bunch of Grapes,
his head covered with a black or dusky coloured cloth, and all his garments
black or dark coloured: They also make this same Image against the
Stone and diseases of the kidnyes, viz. in the hour of Saturn, Saturn
ascending with the third face of Aquarius..."
Book II, Chapter 38.
The election for this talisman, using the Picatrix
directions, is March 16, 2003 at 10:39 am EST (+5) for Cleveland Park,
a neighborhood of Washington, D.C., 38 N 56, 77 W 03.
Saturn, dignified by triplicity and term rises.
It is the
planetary hour of Saturn.
An interesting question arises as to the proper translation
of Feyzerich. In Marsilio Ficino'sThree Books on Life
translated by Kaske and Clarke, they translate lapide feyzerich as sapphire.
Three Books on Life, page 499. Similarly, as we can see above, Agrippa gives
the stone for this talisman as the sapphire. The Ouroboros Picatrix, on the
other hand, gives the stone for this talisman as the turquoise. A Google search
reveals that feerozah and feeroozah are Arabic given names meaning generally a
precious stone and in particular a turquoise. Finally we note that in Vedic
astrology, the blue sapphire is the gem of Saturn.
Here is further information on
Astrological Talismans
and Astrological Magic. If you
wish to delve even deeper into this fascinating area I offer
Mansions of the Moon Mini-Course and
Planetary Magic Mini-Course
a Astrological Magic Full Course
as well as a traditional astrology and astrological magic discussion
group Spiritus Mundi.