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Saturday 31 July 2010

Orphic Hymn to the Nereids



Daughters of Nereus, resident in caves
Merged deep in ocean, sporting through the waves;
Fanatic fifty nymphs, who through the main
Delight to follow in the Triton's train,
Rejoicing close behind their cars to keep;
Whose forms half wild, are nourished by the deep,
With other nymphs of different degree
Leaping and wandering through the liquid sea:
Bright, watery dolphins, sonorous and gay,
Well pleased to sport with bachanalian play;
Nymphs beauteous-eyed, whom sacrifice delights,
Send rich abundance on our mystic rites;
For you at first disclosed the rites divine,
Of holy Bakkhos and of Proserpine,
Of fair Kalliope from whom I spring,
And of Apollo bright, the Muse's king.

Tuesday 13 July 2010

To conjure the Olympic Spirits...



Recite,

Hail, entire system of aerial spirit, ΦΟΓΩΛΩΑ! Hail, spirit who extends from heaven to earth, ΕΡΔΗΝΕΥ, and who extends from the earth – which is in the middle chamber of the cosmos – unto the very borders of the abyss, ΜΕΡΕΜΩΓΓΑ! Hail all spirits aerial images, ΡΩΜΙΔΟΥΗ ΑΓΑΝΑΣΟΥ ΩΘΑΥΑ! For in heaven, ΠΕΛΗΘΕΥ; O one shining with heavenly light, ΑΔΑΜΑΛΩΡ; O luminous one, ΑΛΑΠΙΕ; O dark-looking one, ΙΕΠΣΕΡΙΑ; and of aither, ΙΩΓΑΡΑΑ; and in the aither, ΘΩΠΥΛΕΟ ΔΑΡΔΥ. I glorify you, god of gods, the one who brought order to the universe, ΑΡΕΩ ΠΙΕΥΑ; the one who gathered together the abyss at the invisible foundation of its position, ΠΕΡΩ ΜΥΣΗΛ Ο ΠΕΝΤΩΝΑΞ; the one who separated heaven and earth and covered the heaven with eternal, golden wings, ΡΩΔΗΡΥ ΟΥΩΑ; the one who fixed the earth on eternal foundations, ΑΛΗΙΟΩΑ; the one who hung up the aither high above the earth, ΑΙΕ ΩΗ ΙΟΥΑ!

[1]O you almighty, immaculate, immortal and incomprehensible god of hosts, creator of all, who has spread the heavens above the height of the clouds, and established the waters upon the earth, and appointed the sea its bounds, which it may not pass or exceed, and has placed the sun, moon and stars above the air, in the firmament of the heavens, and who by your most excellent, sacred and divine wisdom, has placed all creatures, both celestial, aerial, terrestrial and infernal, to honour, obey and glorify you in their several and respective orders, offices and vocations; and made humans according to your own similitude; and has ordained the whole creation for your praise and glory, fortify me with your strength, protect me with your shield and shadow me under the cover of your celestial wings, that the envy, malice and severity of no person living, or any wicked spirit, may have power to assault, hurt, or do me any injury or prejudice, but that I may vanquish and overcome all my enemies, both private and public, visible and invisible, bodily and ghostly.

And I beseech you, O god of the aions, for you are great, lord, god, ruler of all,  ΑΡΧΙΖΩ ΝΥΟΝ ΘΗΝΑΡ ΜΕΘΩΡ ΠΑΡΥ ΦΗΖΩΡ ΘΑΠΣΑΜΥΔΩ ΜΑΡΩΜΙ ΧΗΛΩΠΣΑ, that you would by your divine permission, cause to appear that most celestial, glorious and powerful spirit[2] who is the principal governor and bearing imperial rule, power and dominion over the order of angels of[3], who shall inform, instruct, show forth and teach me those things as I shall ask and desire of him/her, and to be friendly to me, and do for me wherein its office is manifest, both now and at all times, whensoever my necessity shall require its aid and assistance. Which inestimable boon I beseech you, O god of the aions, for you are great, lord, god, ruler of all,  for you are I, and I are you and whatever I say must happen, for I have your name as a unique phylactery in my heart.

O you most celestial, glorious and powerful spirit[4] who is the principal governor and bearing imperial rule, power and dominion over the order of angels of[5],I call upon you, and most earnestly urge and entreat you in and through the divine, efficacious and incomprehensible name of the eternal and immense god, the creator of all, ΙΑΩΩΑΙ. Hereby I urgently desire you to appear and manifest yourself in this[6] and direct your energeia into this[7] and give it such power as required to fulfil[8]. Resolve for me what I shall ask of you, and to fulfil my request in whatsoever I desire, according to your office, or else to find, or to raise to come, an angel or spirit from your order, authorised to fulfil my desires and petitions, as aforesaid. Move therefore, and manifest in power and presence, open the mysteries of your creation, be friendly unto me, for your great, lord, god, ruler of all is my great, lord, god, ruler of all.  


[1] Extracted from David Rankine's and Sorita d’Este’s Practical Planetary Magick, 2007, with adaptations of my own.
[2] You are to state the name of the Olympic spirit you desire to conjure.
[3] You are to state the name of the corresponding planet.
[4] You are to state the name of the Olympic spirit you desire to conjure.
[5] You are to state the name of the corresponding planet.
[6] You are to state the nature of the magical tool.
[7] You are to state the nature of the magical tool.
[8] You are to state the nature and purpose of the rite intended.