The name "Grimoire" is derived from the word
"Grammar". A grammar is a description of a set of
symbols and how to combine them to create
well-formed sentences. A Grimoire is, appropriately
enough, a description of a set of magical symbols
and how to combine them properly. Most of the texts
linked below are descriptions of traditional
European ritual magic, which is based on
Judeo-Christianity.
A grimoire is a textbook of magic. Such books
typically include instructions on how to create
magical objects like talismans and amulets, how to
perform magical spells, charms and divination and
also how to summon or invoke supernatural entities
such as angels, spirits, and demons. In many cases
the books themselves are also believed to be imbued
with magical powers, though in many cultures other
sacred texts that are not grimoires, such as the
Bible and Qur'an, have also been believed to
intrinsically have magical properties; in this
manner while all books on magic could be thought of
as grimoires, not all magical books could.
Classical Grimoires
Abramelin, Book of the Sacred Magic
Albertus Magnus (Pseudo-), Egyptian Secrets for Man
and Beast
Agrippa,
Of Occult Philosophy I: Natural Magic
Of Occult Philosophy II: Celestial Magic
Of Occult Philosophy III: Ceremonial Magic
Fourth Book of Occult Philosophy
Arbatel of Magic (1575) (English+Latin) (Deutsch)
Ars Notoria This medieval Grimoire is closely
related to Liber Juratus. It centers around orations
which can impart instant knowledge of divine and
human arts and sciences.
Book of Protection, Hermann Gollancz (1912)
Armand Delatte: Anecdota Atheniensia: Containing the
text of a large number of magical manuscripts,
including the Magical Treatise of Solomon (in GREEK)
Honorius of Thebes: Liber Juratus, or the Sworn Book
of Honorius. This thirteenth century Grimoire is one
of the foundation works of European magical
practice. It was one of Dr. Dee's sources for the
Sigillum Dei Aemeth.
Key of Solomon This is the most famous and
influential handbook of magic. Mathers' edition.
The Key of Knowledge. A Sixteenth-Century English
translation of the Key of Solomon.
The Clavicle of Solomon, revealed by Ptolomy the
Grecian. (Sloane 3847)
Clavicules du Roi Salomon, Par Armadel. Livre
Quatrieme. Des Esprits qui gouvernent sous les
Ordres du Souverain Createur. (The Key of King
Solomon, Book 4: The Spirits which govern under the
Orders of the sovereign Creator.) (Excepts, French)
The Veritable Clavicles of Solomon, Translated from
Hebrew into the Latin Language by Rabbi Abognazar
(Lansdowne MS. 1203).
Lemegeton: This famous 16-17th century grimoire was
compiled from earlier texts. It was considered
important by Crowley, Mathers, Waite, and others.
The scrying methods correspond closely with Dee's.
The Magical Calendar (Calendarium Naturale Magicum
Perpetuum) by Johann Baptista Großchedel. (excerpts)
Paracelsus: Archidoxis of Magic (excerpts, English)
Petrus de Abano, Heptameron, or Magical Elements
(Latin with English translation)
Picatrix (The Goal of the Wise) pseudo-Majriti.
(Summary)
Reginald Scot's collection of magical texts A fine
example of Elizabethan English
Romanus-Büchlein Little Charm-book of the Roma
(Gypsies). One of the main sourceworks for Hoodoo
and American Folk magic. (German and English)
A. W. Greenup: Sefer ha-Levanah -- The Book of the
Moon (Hebrew)
Ebenezer Sibly, A New and Complete Illustration of
the Occult Sciences, Book 4. (1795?) Methods used
for raising up and consulting Spirits are laid open,
including a general Display of the Mysteries of
Witchcraft, Divination, Charms, and Necromancy. Also
includes an alchemical process for raising the form
of plants from their essences (ala Borelli).
Mafteah Shelomoh / Clavicula Salomonis, A Hebrew
Manuscript Newly discovered and now described, by
Hermann Gollancz (1903)
Sepher Maphteah Shelomoh (Book of the Key of
Solomon) An exact facsimile of an original book of
magic in Hebrew, ed. by Hermann Gollancz, (1914)
Sixth and Seventh Books of Moses. This has already
become one of the most requested documents at this
site. If you are interested in discussing this text,
I have set up a forum on Yahoo Groups. Click to
join.
Sword of Moses Tenth century Hebrew handbook of
magic
Testament of Solomon One of the oldest magical texts
attributed to King Solomon, dating First to Third
Century A.D. Includes a catalog of demons summoned
by King Solomon, and how they can be countered by
invoking angels and other magical techniques.
Theosophia Pneumatica.
Black Magic
Clavicules du Roi Salomon, Par Armadel. Livre
Troisieme. Concernant les Esprits & leurs pouvoirs.
("Concerning the Spirits and their Capabilities")
Douze Anneaux (Lansdowne MS 1202)
Le Grand Grimoire One of the most famous and
outrageous Grimoires of black magic. (French and
English)
L'art de commander les esprits ... du Grand Grimoire
(1750?) Another edition. (French)
Il Grand Grimoire (Italian) [pdf]
Le Grimoire du Pape Honorius "Perhaps the most
frankly diabolical of the Rituals connected with
Black Magic." (French, 1670)
Gremoire du Pape Honorius Another edition, with
quite different text and drawings. (French, 1800)
Grimoire du Pape Honorius (French, 1760)
Grimorium Verum: Called "par excellence the magical
book of Europe."
(Parallel Italian, French, and English edition)
(French 1817 edition with English translation)
(Italian, 1868)
(Italian, 1880)
Le Petit Albert Secrets merveilleux de la magie
naturelle et cabalistique du petit Albert
Johann Weyer: Pseudomonarchia daemonum (Latin with
English translation) This catalog of demons was
perhaps the prototype for the Goetia.
Verus Jesuitarum Libellus.
Sigillum Dei Aemeth
Athanasius Kircher Oedipus Aegyptiacus (1652)
Kircher's discussion of Sigillum Dei Aemeth (Latin)
My reconstruction based on Sl. 313
Sworn Book (Sl. 313)
Sworn Book2 (Sl. 3853)
From an Italian manuscript of the Key of Solomon in
the Bodleian Library, MS. Mich. 276.
Redrawn but based on Mich. 276.
From a Latin manuscript of the Key of Solomon in the
Bodleian Library, MS. Aubrey 24, fol. 60r
Kircher
John Dee
From Will Erich Peuckert, Pansophie (Berlin, 1956)
La Véritable Magie Noire ("Rome", "1750")
Miscellaneous
Occult symbols and esoteric GIF's
Angel Registry: Index of Angel names, magical words,
and names of God
Theodore Besterman, Crystal-Gazing
Chaldaean Oracles of Zoroaster.
Johannes Trithemius (1462-1516)
Master cryptographer and magician, Trithemius was
the mentor of Henrich Cornelius Agrippa.
The Seven Secondary Intelligences (De septem
secundeis)
Steganographia (Secret Writing) Book 1 Book 2 Book 3
The art of drawing spirits into crystals
Liber octo quaestionum (excerpts, LATIN)
Heinrich Agrippa
The most influential writer of renaissance esoterica.
Athanasius Kircher
The Goddess: her names and symbols
Zoroaster's Egg
Sigillum Dei Aemeth
Mithra
Cabala Hebraeorum
Dr. John Dee (1527-1608)
Another influential Renaissance figure, Dee was
Queen Elizabeth's scientific advisor. In later life,
he became disillusioned with pure science and
started experimenting with occult techniques of the
day. Many of his esoteric writing were kept secret
and only discovered by accident long after his
death.
Five Books of Mystery (Mysteriorum Libri Quinque)
Mysteriorum Liber Sextus et Sanctus (Liber Loagaeth)
Index Verborum of the "Angelic Language" from Liber
Loagaeth
Compendium Heptarchiae Mysticae
De Heptarchia Mystica
Monas Hieroglyphica (The Hieroglyphic Monad) English
French
Tuba Veneris ('The Trumpet of Venus')
Tabula bonorum angelorum invocationes
The Holy Table engraving from Casaubon's True and
Faithful Relation
An excerpt form Josten's translation of the
Hieroglyphic Monad
A Letter Containing a most briefe Discourse
Apologeticall
Meric Casaubon: A True and Faithful Relation
(excerpts)
Giordano Bruno (1548-1600)
Bruno was one of the most original and colorful
thinkers of the Renaissance. The Inquisition
considered him a dangerous heretic, and had him
burned at the stake in 1600.
De Umbris Idearum ('The Shadow of Ideas') (1582)
(Latin)
Ars Memoriae ('The Art of Memory') (1582) (Latin)
Cantus Circaeus ("Incantations of Circe") (1582)
(Latin)
Ars Reminiscendi -- Triginta Sigilli (1583) (Latin)
Explicatio triginti sigillorum (1583) (Latin)
The Heroic Frenzies (English)
De Magia (Latin)
Theses De Magia (Latin)
Magia Mathematica (Latin)
De vinculis in genere (Latin)
De Imaginum Compositione (Book I, Latin)
Chaldaean Oracles (Stanley, 1661)
Images from Bartholomeus Cocles, Chyromantie ac
phisionomie anastasis (Bononie 1504)
Dionysius the Areopagite: Mystical Theology
Dionysius the Areopagite: The Celestial Hierarchies
E.S. Drower: Peacock Angel (1941)
Magical Psalter
Magic wand lore
Pseudo-Psellos, On the Operation of Daemons.
Solomon and the Ars Notoria: From Lynn Thorndike,
Magic and Experimental Science, 1923-58, Chapter
XLIX.
Iamblichus: Theurgia, or the Mysteries of Egypt
Giovanni Pico della Mirandola: Of Being and Unity
Pico: Conclusiones sive Theses DCCCC (Latin)
Proclus: Metaphysical Elements
The Sphere of Sacrobosco
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