City Improvement 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Marsilio Ficino and was unpublished, in any language, until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.
If we were following the Ourobororos Picatrix
in order we would be presenting two talismans for the destruction of cities.
Despite my dislike of censorship, I think that explaining how to create talismans
of this type is simply going too far.
We turn to the second talisman on page 32 of the
Ouroboros translation of Book One, Chapter Five of Picatrix.
A talisman to improve a city or location
It is made with the Ascendant of a Sa'ad, bring good
luck to Al-Ashir, to the Master of Al-Thani and to Al-Thamin. It also brings good
luck to the Moon and to the Master of the House of the Moon. Bury it in the middle
of the city and you will see miracles, Allah willing.
Here is the corresponding talisman from the Latin
Picatrix
An image for the augmentation of cities and that they may continue well.
Fashion an image, and make fortunate the Ascendant and the Tenth and their lords,
and let them be aspected by the fortunes, and make fortunate the lord of the
Second house and the lord of the Eighth house, and place the Lord of the Ascendant
well, and with the fortunes aspecting it, and make fortunate also the lord of the
house of the lord of the Ascendant and the Moon and the lord of the house of the
Moon. And in truth when this image is completed as has been said, bury it in
the center of the city, and it shall be as you have desired.
Translation by Robert Thomas
Based on the Latin Picatrix we would alter the
Ouroboros translation as follows,
It is made with [a Fortune Rising], [Make fortunate]
the [the 10th house], and the [lords of the 10th and the 8th houses].
[Make fortunate] the Moon and the [lord] of the House of the Moon.
Bury it in the middle
of the city and you will see miracles, Allah willing.
In this election for May 3, 2002
at 2:14 pm EDT (+4) for Washington, D.C.
38 N 56, 77 W 03.
Four degrees of Virgo rises.
Mercury is the ruler of the
1st, 2nd and 10th and is dignified by sign and term.
Mercury is conjunct the Midheaven as is the Part of Fortune.
The ruler of the 8th is
Jupiter, dignified by exaltation in the 11th. The Moon trines
Venus and the ruler of the house of the Moon is Saturn, dignified
by triplicity in the 10th. It would be nice to have the Moon
more dignified and not cadent, buy hey! this is a tough election!
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.