Cornelius Agrippa's Wing of Corvus Rising Talisman
for Protection from Spirits, Men, Devils and Winds
Raven from the dim dominions
On the Night’s Plutonian shore,
Oft I hear thy dusky pinions
Wave and flutter round my door
See the shadow of thy pinions
Float along the moonlit floor.
The Raven Sarah Helen Whitman
This week we again turn to
Cornelius Agrippa'sThree Books of Occult Philosophy
for our example of
Astrological Magic and
Astrological Talismans.
This week's talisman is another example of the use of fixed stars in astrological magic
utilizing the star Gienah, the Wing of Corvus, the Raven.
The name Gienah comes from the Arabic Al-Janah meaning the
wing. Gienah is also known as Gamma Corvus and is found, not surprisingly, on the
wing of the constellation of Corvus, the Raven. The raven was known as Phoebo sacer
ales, the bird sacred to Apollo, because of his prophetic functions. Richard Hinckley,
Star Names and Their Meanings (Dover 1963) page 179.
Ptolemy says that the stars in the constellation Corvus
are of the nature of Mars and Saturn.
Tetrabiblos Bk I, Chapter 9 (Loeb ed.) page
57. We can see the effects of the Lesser and Greater Malefics in the effects attributed
to the star Gienah by Agrippa who says that, "Under the Wing of Corvus, they made
the image of a raven, or snake
or of a black man clothed in black; this maketh a man choleric, bold, courageous,
full of thoughts, a backbiter and causeth naughty dreams; it also giveth the
power of driving away evil spirits and of gathering them together; it
is profitable against the malice of men, devils and winds."
Three Books of Occult Philosophy Bk. II, Chapter 47,
(Tyson ed.) page 395.
The 17th century English astrologer
William Lilly says Saturn rules the color black
as well as the crow, the smaller cousin of the Raven. Christian Astrology
page 59-60. Mars is choleric (the hot and dry humor) as well as bold and
courageous. Christian Astrology page 66. Since a backbiter is someone who
slanders people behind their back this seems to fit both Mars and Saturn.
We find further connections between Saturn
and the star Gienah when we note that Agrippa says that the Wing of Corvus
rules over black onyx,
the burr [Tyson says this probably refers to the flowerhead of burdock],
quadraginus [Tyson says this may refer to the yellow daffodil] henbane,
comfrey and among animals the tongue of a frog.
Three Books of Occult Philosophy Bk. I, Chapter 32, (Tyson ed.) page 99.
We have already seen an
Election for Black Onyx from the Lapidary
of King Alphonso the Wise. There black onyx was described as being cold and dry
like the melancholic humor and Saturn itself. Agrippa lists onyx as being
under the rulership of Saturn. Three Books of Occult Philosophy
Bk. I, Chapter 25 (Tyson ed.) page 83. Similary, Lilly notes that burdock, henbane
and toads are ruled by Saturn. Christian Astrology page 59.
Yet despite its associations with Mars and Saturn the
Wing of Corvus is described as having positive effects when used properly. This
highlights a ancient rejoinder to the modern charge that traditional astrology takes
a narrow and inevitably pessimistic view of the Mars and Saturn; that they are
invariably bad and should always be avoided.
The Liber Fructus or Centiloqium
traditionally attributed to Ptolemy says, "In the Election of days and hour, the
two Infortunes are very useful, and thou must use them as the Physician doth
poison, skillfully, for the cure of man." Aphorism 10, collected in the
Mikropanastron of John Partridge (London, 1679) page 306. This talisman
takes what might be considered negative characteristics and directs them outward
providing spiritual protection.
So onto our talisman.
Agrippa discusses the construction of rings using
astrological magic and his instructions are applicable to talismans as well,
"...when any star ascends fortunately, with the fortunate aspect or conjunction
of the Moon,
We must take a stone, and herb that is under
that star, and make
a ring of that metal that is suitable to this star and fasten the stone, putting
the herb, or root under it; not omitting the inscriptions of images, names and
characters, also the proper suffumigations..."
Three Books of Occult Philosophy Bk. I, Chapter 47, (Tyson ed.) page 140.
On October 15, 2001 at 6:25 am EDT (+4)
in Washington, D.C. 38 N 55, 77 W 03, the Wing of Corvus rises. We note that
the Moon is
applying to a conjunction of the Wing of Corvus on the Ascendant.
C
omfrey,
Symphytum Officinale, is said
to be one of the most useful healing herbs. It is available from the
Lucky Mojo Curio Co.
the largest on-line purveyor of supplies for hoodoo and rootwork, the folk magic
of the American South. Once again, you're on your own as far as acquiring frog tongues!
Agrippa also gives the characters for some of the
most important fixed stars, including the Wing of Corvus, whose character is shown to right.
Three Books of Occult Philosophy Bk. II, Chapter 52, (Tyson ed.) page 410.
Here is further information on
Astrological Talismans
and Astrological Magic. If you
wish to delve even deeper into this fascinating area I offer an
Astrological Magic Web Course.