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Hermes Trismegistus
Christopher Warnock, Esq.
Hermes on the Fifteen Fixed Stars
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HERMES

ON THE

15 Fixed Stars

AND THEIR

15 Herbs, Stones & Figures






Introduction
Hermes on the 15 Fixed Stars


Introduction

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The Renaissance mage Cornelius Agrippa in his Three Books of Occult Philosophy, available in English translation on the Renaissance Astrology CD Library, relies heavily on the Picatrix, an encyclopedic book of Arabic astrological magic, as the source for many of his astrological talismans.
However, when it comes to the fixed stars, Agrippa uses fixed star images and information that does not appear in Picatrix, but comes from sources traditional attributed to Hermes Trismegistus. One of these sources is The Book of Hermes on the 15 Fixed Stars.
The "practical" Hermetica of astrology, magic and alchemy, are inextricably linked with the philosophical Hermetica and provide preparatory studies for Hermeticism as Practical Path to Gnosis.
Agrippa explains how to use the fixed star listings to make rings or talismans,

Now the manner of making these kinds of Rings, is this, viz. when any Star ascends fortunately, with the fortunate aspect, or conjunction of the Moon, we must take a stone, and Hearb that is under that Star, and make a Ring of the Metall that is suitable] to this Star, and in it fasten the stone, putting the Hearb , or root under it; not omitting the inscriptions of images, names, and Characters, as also the proper suffumigations,

Three Books of Occult Philosophy Book I, chapter 47.





Hermes on the 15 Fixed Stars

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Incipit liber Hermetis de 15 stellis tractans et 15 herbis et 15 lapidibus et 15 figuris

Here Begins the Book of Hermes on the 15 fixed stars and 15 herbs and 15 stones and 15 figures

Translated and annotated by B. Thomas from BM Bodleian MS. 52, ff. 44-47,

as given in Appendix G of Joan Evans’ Magical Jewels of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance,
(New York, Dover 1976)


Star Name & Location

Stone

Herb

Character

Usage

Aldebaran

(9 Gemini 44)

 

Ruby or Garnet

Milky thistle

A seed of arnabulla placed beneath a garnet with the character shown increases discords and destroys great honors

Pleiades

(29 Taurus 55)

 

Rock Crystal

Fennel

Fennel seed with frankincense and quicksilver placed under a crystal with the character shown protects the light of the eyes, gathers daimons and spirits of the dead to come and speak and makes [the wearer] to know of secret and hidden things.

Algol

(26 Taurus 07)

 

Diamond

Black Hellebore

One part hellebore with as much artemisia placed beneath a diamond gives animosity and audacity, guards the members [of the wearer] and makes victorious over what you wish.

Capella

(21 Gemini 48)

 

Sapphire

Thyme

Seed of thyme placed with an equal amount of mint, artemisia and mandrake placed as aforesaid raises men in honor and restores them to grace in the heart of the king and his nobles; it is a great medicine.

Sirius

(14 Cancer 03)

 

Beryl

Juniper

One part juniper with artemisia, dragonwort(?) and a small adder's tongue beneath the beryl in a ring of gold. It gives the favor of the spirits of the Air and the genii of the Earth, places peace and concord between kings and other rulers and between man and wife.

6 Procyon

(25 Cancer 45)

 

Agate

Water Buttercup

A flower of water buttercup placed with the flowers of pennyroyal as aforesaid gives grace before God and man, renders a man pleasing to the spirits of the Air, gives great power against magic and preserves health.

Regulus

(29 Leo 47)

 

Granite

Mugwort

1 part mugwort with artemisia and mastic, placed as aforesaid bears away anger and melancholy, restores the temperament and gives great honors.

Gienah / Algorab

(13 Libra 24)

Onyx

Burdock

A seed, root and and leaf of burdock with the tongue of a frog (?) placed as aforesaid makes men angry, hostile, audacious and full of evil thoughts and speech; it makes those sleep who cannot sleep, drives away demons and is strong against men, demons and evil winds(?)

Spica

(23 Libra 47)

Emerald

Sage

One part sage with clover, periwinkle, artemisia and mandrake placed as aforesaid causes accumulation of gold and its increase, resolves arguments and preserves its wearer from danger and from dangerous places.

Arcturus

(24 u 11)

Jasper

Plantain

One part plantain leaves with seeds or roots, especially when green, placed as aforesaid averts fevers and stops bleeding.

Polaris

(28 Gemini 31)

Magnet

Succory

One part succory with artemisia and periwinkle flowers placed as aforesaid is strong against incantations and against assassins and gives security from them, and if with this is placed the tooth of a wolf it protects also from robbers and thieves.

Alphecca

(12 Scorpio 14)

Topaz

Rosemary

One part of the herb called rosemary with a like amount of clover placed as aforesaid restores purity to the wearer and gives loves and honor between God and men.

Antares

(9 Sagittarius 43)

Sardonyx

Birthwort

One part birthwort with a small portion of poison(?) placed as aforesaid restores good color to men, perfects memory and intelligence, makes the wearer to appear wise and drives away demons.

Wega

(15 Capricorn 16)

Chrysolite

Winter Savory

One part of winter savory with as much of the herb which is called "smoking earth" and with a small stone of that which is called "turonsa" placed as aforesaid gives grace over wild beasts, preserves from scabies and [is strong] against demons, nightmares and fears.

Deneb Algedi

(23 Aquarius33)

Chalcedony

Marjoram

One part marjoram placed beneath a chalcedony as said gives grace in causes, brings peace to houses in which it is, preserves its bearer always from harm and removes discords.







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Specializing in Horary Astrology, Electional Astrology Astrological Magic and Astrological Talismans.

Copyright 2004, Christopher Warnock, All Rights Reserved.