Goetia
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Goetia (Middle Latin, anglicized goety (IPA: /ˈgəʊɨti/), from Greek γοητεία goēteia "sorcery") refers to a practice which includes the invocation of angels or the evocation of demons, and usage of the term in English largely derives from the 17th century grimoire The Lesser Key of Solomon, which features an Ars Goetia as its first section. It contains descriptions of the evocation of seventy-two demons, famously edited by Aleister Crowley in 1904 as The Book of the Goetia of Solomon the King.
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[edit] Etymology
Ancient Greek γοητεία (goēteia) means "charm, jugglery"[1] from γόης "sorcerer, wizard"[2]. The meaning of "sorcerer" is attested in a scholion, referring to the Dactyli, stating that according to Pherecydes and Hellanicus, those to the left are goētes, while those to the right are deliverers from sorcery.[3] The word may be ultimately derived from the verb γοάω "groan, bewail". Derived terms are γοήτευμα "a charm" and γοητεύω "to bewitch, beguile".
γοητεία was a term for witchcraft in Hellenistic magic. Latinized goetia via French goétie was adopted into English as goecie, goety in the 16th century.
[edit] Renaissance magic
During the Renaissance goeteia (Latinized goetia, French goétie, English goety) was sometimes contrasted with magia as black (evil) vs. white magic, or with theurgy as "low" vs. "high" magic.
James Sanford in his 1569 translation of Agrippa's Of the vanitie and uncertaintie of artes and sciences has
- The partes of ceremoniall Magicke be Geocie, and Theurgie.
Georg Pictorius in 1562 uses goetie synonymously with "ceremonial magic".
[edit] The Ars Goetia
Ars Goetia is the title of the first section of The Lesser Key of Solomon, containing descriptions of the seventy-two demons that King Solomon is said to have evoked and confined in a bronze vessel sealed by magic symbols, and that he obliged to work for him. The Ars Goetia assigns a rank and a title of nobility to each member of the infernal hierarchy, and gives the demons "signs they have to pay allegiance to", or seals. The lists of entities in the Ars Goetia correspond (to high but varying degree, often according to edition) with those in the Steganographia of Trithemius, circa 1500, and Johann Weyer's Pseudomonarchia Daemonum an appendix appearing in later editions of his De Praestigiis Daemonum, of 1563.
A revised English edition of the Ars Goetia was published in 1904 by Samuel Liddell and Aleister Crowley as The Goetia. based on manuscripts from the British Museum, with additions by Crowley, including a Preliminary Invocation, and the essay The Initiated Interpretation of Ceremonial Magic. It is not a faithful edition of the source manuscripts but rather a "cleaned up" edition for modern use.[citation needed] It includes some evocations in Enochian written by Crowley. In his introduction, Crowley argues that the work of demonic evocation is merely a form of psychological self-exploration. It has since become a relatively well-known book of magic and has even been featured in places like the graphic novel Promethea by Alan Moore or James Blish's novel Black Easter.
[edit] The Sacred Magic of Abramelin the Mage
The Sacred Magic of Abramelin the Mage[4] is considered both a theurgic and goetic book of magic, mostly used in a religious context. Contrary to the other Goetia Grimoires, this book does not denote the evocation of demons to do ones bidding or involuntary handywork, but describes how one might summon these infernal forces, solely for the purpose of excommunicating them from the life of the Magus. This book was considered a system that led the aspirant closer to the goal of henosis, or spiritual reunion with God. Describing how to summon the dukes of hell, even Lucifer, for the purpose of resisting the temptation of their vices, and binding their influence in the aspirants life. This book told a system of holy magic through a 6 month purification, then after the conversation of the Holy Guardian Angel, one would summon the dukes of Hell, the 4 Great Princes of Evil, and make them sign an oath. This Oath (after gaining the power of the supernal realm), would grant the Adept power over the Infernal Realm and aid the Adept in discovering his True Will.
[edit] Notes
[edit] References
- Garstin, E. J. Langford. Theurgy or The Hermetic Practice: A Treatise on Spiritual Alchemy. Berwick: Ibis Press, 2004. (Published posthumously)
- S. L. MacGregor Mathers (ed.), Samuel Liddell (trans.), The Goetia: The Lesser Key of Solomon the King. York Beach, ME : Samuel Weiser (1995) ISBN 0-87728-847-X.
