Power and Dignity Talisman from Book One, Chapter Five of
Picatrix
This week's talisman continues a series of comparisons
of the new English translation from Arabic of the Picatrix from
Ouroboros Press and the Latin Picatrix
edited by David Pingree which is
available from the
Warburg Institute.
The Picatrix
is an encyclopedic work of medieval Arabic
astrological magic. It had great influence on
Renaissance mages like Cornelius Agrippa and
Marsilio Ficino and was unpublished, in any language, until
modern times. We are therefore fortunate to have the Ouroboros translation of the
first two books of Picatrix. Comparison between the Latin and Ouroboros
Picatrix, however, makes the Ouroboros translation clearer.
We turn to the second talisman on page 33 of the
Ouroboros translation of Book One, Chapter Five of Picatrix.
A talisman for assuming a distinguished position
Make a picture, after bringing good luck to the
Ascendant and to Al-Ashir and its master. Keep infortunes away from the
Ascendant and its master. Make the master of Al-Hadi-Ashar a planet of
good luck looking over the Ascendant and its master. Let the master
of Al-Ashir be affectionately connected to the master of the Ascendant.
When the person, who has this in mind and insists on meeting whom he seeks
to assume leadership from, holds this picture, no one will be able to
overrule him or challenge his opinion.
Here is the corresponding talisman from the Latin
Picatrix
An image to gain dignity from a lord or king. Fashion images, and make
fortunate the Ascendant and Tenth and the Lord of the Ascendant. And likewise,
remove the infortunes from the Ascendant and its lord, and place a fortune in
the Eleventh house aspecting the Ascendant and its lord with a good and
praiseworthy aspect; and with the lord of the Tenth aspecting the Lord of
the Ascendant by a favorable aspect with reception. And when these images
have thus been perfected, bear them with you in secret, allowing no-one to
see them; and by them you will be aided and have the heart of the king and
you shall receive whatever dignities or offices you may request of him,
his officers or dignitaries.
Translation by Robert Thomas
Based on the Latin Picatrix we would alter the
Ouroboros translation as follows,
Make a picture, after bringing good luck to the
Ascendant and [the the 10th house and its lord]. Keep infortunes away from the
Ascendant and its master. Make the [lord of the 11th] a [Fortune beholding]
the Ascendant and its master. Let the [lord of the 10th make a favorable aspect to
the lord] of the Ascendant.
When the person, who has this in mind and insists on meeting whom he seeks
to assume leadership from, holds this picture, no one will be able to
overrule him or challenge his opinion.
In this election for
April 14, 2002 at 11:37 am EDT (+4) for Washington, D.C.
38 N 56, 77 W 03.
The Moon is the ruler of the
Ascendant and dignified by exaltation and face in the 11th.
Venus is the ruler of the 11th
and in the 11th. The Moon applies to a conjunction of Venus.
Venus applies to a sextile of the Ascendant.
The Sun is the Almuten of the 10th and dignified by exaltation
and triplicity in the 10th. We don't have the ruler of the
10th aspecting the ruler of the Ascendant, but otherwise
a very nice chart!
Here is further information on
Astrological Talismans
and Astrological Magic. If you
wish to delve even deeper into this fascinating area I offer an
Mansions of the Moon Mini-Course and
a Astrological Magic Full Course
as well as a traditional astrology and astrological magic discussion
group Spiritus Mundi.