metals with some astral tincture added), serves to call celestial
reserve-forces of all kinds, if needed. Further, we require these
breast-plates and these rings of electrum, which do not bear the name of
any planet, but the glorious and blessed name of God himself, as a
protection for the conjurers against the conjured spirit. Who he is we
shall soon find. Observe here, further, a terrible arsenal which is also
necessary for our purpose. Mars is the star of war, murder and passion.
The demons of Mars have a corresponding nature, and there exists between
them and the tools by which their work on earth is accomplished, a power
of attraction. Therefore we have here this heavy sword with which the
magic circle is to be drawn; we therefore place in rows these skulls and
bones which have been collected in places of execution, these nails,
extracted from gallows, these daggers, knives and axes rusty with stains
of blood. We must not forget the incense which was kindled on the altar
shortly before the first citation. There is a different kind of incense
for every planet and its demons. That appropriate for Mars is composed of
euphorbia, bdellium, ammoniac, magnet, sulphur, brains of a raven, human
blood and the blood of a _black_ cat.[35] It is highly important that the
quality of this incense should be genuine. I might quote what Porphyrius
says upon this point; but confine myself to pointing out that it has an
influence on the conjurer as well as upon surrounding objects. It
saturates both the air and the breast of the conjurer with substances that
are connected with the planet and its demons. It draws down the conjured
being and intoxicates him, as it were, with divine influences, which act
on his mind and imagination. As a matter of course we must prepare
besides, such implements as are needed in every incantation without
bearing any relation to any certain planet. To them belong amulets
inscribed with the names of seraphs, cherubs and thrones, and with
sentences from the Bible and the sacred books of Zoroaster. To them belong
further the magical candlestick of electrum with seven branches, every
branch bearing the sign of a planet; and above all the pentagrams, those
figures with fine points which no demon can overstep. We shall place the
latter as a line of fortification around the magic circle, and we must be
sure that no one of the points is broken. Inside the circle between the
table, the seven-armed candlestick and the incense-altar there is room for
the tripod with the bowl of holy water and the sprinkler.
"Having thus made the necessary preparations for our feast, let us think
of the guest who is to be invited.
"The air of the evening is cool. I close the window, move my study lamp to
this table, and ask you to be seated around it. We must consult concerning
the invitation, in which we must follow the directions given in this
cabalistic manuscript.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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