Grimoire

[[Image:Talis02.png|thumb|right|165px|This design for a talisman comes from the ''Black Pullet'' grimoire. Embroider it upon black satin, and say "Nades, Suradis, Maniner", and a [[djinn]] is supposed to appear; tell the djinn "Sader, Prostas, Solaster", and the djinn will bring you your true love. Say "Mammes, Laher" when you tire of her.]]
{{magic}}
[[File:Bael.jpg|thumb|right|250px|[[Putin|Look]] [[Dubya|familiar]]?]]
{{cquote|[[Baal|BAAL]], a king ruling in the East, who imparts invisibility and wisdom. He appears with a human head, or with that of a toad or [[cat]], but sometimes with all at once. He speaks with a hoarse voice.|||{{wpl|Lesser Key of Solomon|''Lesser Key of Solomon''}}}}
A '''grimoire''' (IPA {{IPA|[gr&#618;&#712;mw&#593;r]}}) is a book of [[magic]]al knowledge written between the late-[[medieval]] period and the 18<sup>th</sup> century. Such books contain [[astrology|astrological]] correspondences, lists of [[angel]]s and [[demon]]s, directions on casting charms and spells, on mixing medicines, summoning [[Supernatural|unearthly entities]], and making [[Amulet|talisman]]s. No home should be without one.

==Origins==
The word ''grimoire'' is from the Old French ''gramaire'', and is from the same root as the words ''grammar'' and ''glamour''. This is partly because, in the mid-late Middle Ages, [[Latin]] "grammars" (books on Latin syntax and diction) were foundational to school and university education, as controlled by the [[Roman Catholicism|Church]] &mdash; while to the illiterate majority, non-ecclesiastical books were suspect as magic. But "grammar" also denoted, to literate and illiterate alike, a book of basic instruction.

Notable historical grimoires include:
*The ''Book of the Sacred Magic of Abra-Melin the Mage''
*''The Sixth and Seventh Books of [[Moses]]''
*''Liber Juratis'', or, the ''Sworn Book of Honorius''
*The ''Black Pullet''
*The ''Greater Key of [[Solomon]]''
*The ''Lemegeton'', or, the ''Lesser Key of Solomon''
*''Le Grand Grimoire'', The Grand Grimoire

==Typical contents==
Most of these texts assume [[Roman Catholic Church|Roman Catholicism]], and a highly peculiar [[theology]] of mechanical [[sacrament]]alism. The idea generally is that the wizard-to-be must fortify himself with elaborate regimens of [[fasting]], chastity, [[prayers]], and religious observance. By these austerities, our magus becomes so awesomely [[holy]] that when he commands [[devil]]s to appear in the name of Almighty [[God]], invoked by a garble of Greek and [[Hebrew]] holy names, these demons will have no choice than to come at the summons of the holy man and carry out his will, which usually has to do with ''surprisingly'' worldly goals such as [[rape|"seducing" women]] or getting [[money]]. For instance:

{{cquote|The Fifty-sixth Spirit is Gremory, or Gamori. He is a Duke Strong and Powerful, and appeareth in the Form of a Beautiful Woman, with a Duchess’s Crown tied about her waist, and riding on a Great Camel. His Office is to tell of all Things Past, Present, and to Come; and of Treasures Hid, and what they lie in; and to procure the Love of Women both Young and Old. He governeth 26 Legions of Spirits, and his Seal is this, etc.|||{{wp||Ars Goetia|“Ars Goetia”}}}}

{{cquote|I exorcise and command thee, O Spirit N., by Him Who spake and it was done, by the Most Holy and glorious Names ADONAI, EL, ELOHIM, ELOHE, ZEBAOTH, ELION, ESCHERCE, JAH, TETRAGRAMMATON, SADAI:{{efn|''Adonai'' is the Hebrew for 'My Lord'; ''El'', ''Elohim'', and ''Elohe'' similarly mean 'God' or 'My God', ''Elyon'' is 'the most high', ''Jah'' is short for [[Jehovah]], ''Sadai'' is ''Shaddai'', usually translated as 'almighty'; ''Zebaoth'' is ''Sabaoth'', part of the phrase ''Adonai Sabaoth'', 'Lord of Hosts'; ''Escherce'' probably represents Greek ''ἰσχυρὸς'', ''ischyros'', 'mighty'; and ''[[Tetragrammaton]]'' is simply Greek (''τετραγράμματον'') for "four letter word", in this context usually referring to Hebrew '''יהוה''', the traditional spelling of the name of God.}} do thou forthwith appear and shew thyself unto me, here before this circle, in a fair and [[human]] shape, without any deformity or horror; do thou come forthwith, from whateverpart of the world, and make [[rational]] answers to my questions; come presently, come visibly, come affably, manifest that which I desire, being conjured by the Name of the Eternal, Living and True God, HELIOREM;{{efn|The "97<sup>th</sup> name of God".<ref>[http://www.esotericarchives.com/solomon/heptamer.htm Peter de Abano: ''Heptameron, or Magical Elements'']</ref>}} I conjure thee also by the particular and true Name of thy God to whom thou owest thine obedience; by the name of the King who rules over thee, do thou come without tarrying; come, fulfil my desires; persist unto the end, according, to mine intentions.|||The ''Lesser Key of Solomon''}} 

The ritual magic of these grimoires is the religious equivalent of impersonating a police officer.  Within the safety of his magic circle, traced on the ground with his consecrated sword, armed by pomp and circumstance, the wizard can order around the demons summoned outside. He consorts with demons, but his soul remains safe for the moment. 

Most grimoires contain elaborate lists of members of the demonic and angelic hierarchy; demons can be dukes, presidents, viscounts, janitors, marquesses, and all things between, and some are better at certain jobs than others.  If you mean to boss them around, you need to know this stuff.  There are often specific incantations and magical symbols used to make sure you get the right guy on the line.

==Subsequent history==
In the late 19<sup>th</sup> century, several of these texts (including the Abra-Melin text and the Keys of Solomon) were reclaimed by pseudo-[[Freemasonry|Masonic]] magical organizations such as the [[Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn]] and the Ordo Templi Orientis. [[Aleister Crowley]], a prime mover of both groups, then served as a vector for a number of modern movements, including [[Wicca]], [[Satanism]], and Chaos Magic.

A cottage industry has existed since the 19<sup>th</sup> century in selling false or carelessly-translated grimoires (many original texts are in French or Latin, and are quite rare), although faithful editions are available for most of the above titles. 

A modern grimoire is the ''[[Necronomicon]]'', named after a fictional book of magic in the stories of author [[H.P. Lovecraft]], and inspired by [[Sumeria]]n [[mythology]] and the ''Ars Goetia'', a section in the ''Lesser Key of Solomon'' which concerns the summoning of demons.  The ''Book of Shadows'' is a name given to a Wiccan grimoire and liturgical book.       

The [[Voynich Manuscript]] may also be a grimoire, although its text has never been deciphered, and it may be a centuries-old [[hoax]].

Books of spells ('magical papyri') are also known from ancient times and are sometimes called grimoires by modern scholars. Most were rescued from the sands of [[Egypt]] and are written in Ancient Greek and Demotic Egyptian. 

==External links==
*[http://www.sacred-texts.com/grim/ Collection of grimoires] at the Internet Sacred Text Archive
*[http://www.hermetics.org/library/Library_Grimoires.html Collection of grimoires] at hermetics.org
*''[http://sacred-texts.com/grim/bcm/index.htm The Book of Ceremonial Magic]'' (original title: ''The Book of Black Magic and of Pacts'') by [[Arthur Edward Waite]].  A synopsis of the major early modern grimoires.

==Notes==
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==References==
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[[Category:Magic]]
[[Category:New Age]]

Categories: Magic, New Age