Page:Three Books of Occult Philosophy (De Occulta Philosophia) (1651).djvu/452



Chapter xxvi. Of finding out of the names of spirits, and Genius's from the disposition of Celestiall bodies. The ancient Magicians did teach an art of finding out the name of a spirit to any desired effect, drawing it from the disposition of the heaven; as for example, any Celestiall Harmonie being proposed to thee for the making an image or ring, or any other work to be done under a certain constellation; if thou will finde out the spirit that is the ruler of that work; the figure of the heaven being erected, cast forth letters in their number and order from the degree of the ascendent, according to the succession of signes through each degree by filling the whole circle of the heaven: then those letters which fall into the places of the Stars the aid whereof thou wouldest use, being according to the number, and powers of those Stars, marked without into number, and order, make the name of a good spirit: but if thou shalt do so from the beginning of a degree falling against the progresse of the signes, the resulting spirit shall be evil. By this art some of the Hebrew and Caldean masters teach that the nature, and name of any Genius may be found out; as for example, the degree of the ascendent of any ones, nativity being known, and the other corners of the heaven being Coequated, then let that which had the more dignities of Planets in those four corners which the Arabians call Almutez, be first observed amongst the rest: and according to that in the second place, that which shall be next to it in the number of dignities, and so by order the rest of them, which obtain any dignitie in the foresaid corners: this order being used, thou maist know the true place, & degree of them in the heaven, beginning from the degree of the ascendent through each degree according to the order of the signs to cast 22. of the letters of the Hebrews ; Then what letters shall fall into the places of the aforesaid Stars, being marked, and disposed according to the order found out above in the Stars, & rightly joyned together