The Greater and Lesser Keys of Solomon the King

by Aleister Crowley, S.L. MacGregor Mathers

This trade paperback volume contains both The Key of Solomon the King (The Greater Key) and The Lesser Key of Solomon, including all of the original illustrations, diagrams and annotations to aid the reader in their understanding of the Solomon Key. The Key of Solomon the King was originally researched and translated by S.L. MacGregor Mathers from ancient manuscripts in the British museums. Included by Mathers is the Order of the Pentacles of Solomon, the Ancient Fragment of the Key of Solomon, The Qabalistic Invocation of Solomon, and 15 plates full of figures, seals and charts, as well as the original text giving detailed instruction for spells and invocations. The work is traditionally divided into two books detailing the Key of King Solomon. Book One explains the operation of conjurations, curses, spells and other magical works. Book Two instructs the practitioner on the proper attire, purification rituals and other means of obtaining the goals of the Goetia. Between these two books is the list of plates that contain numerous illustrations and secret seals of Solomon, including the Mystical Seal of Solomon, the Pentacles of Solomon, and the Mystical Alphabet, which impart the mechanisms and requirements for the invocation of spirits and demons. The Lesser Key of Solomon, or the Clavicula Salomonis Regis, or Lemegeton, is a compilation of materials and writings from ancient sources making up a text book of magic or “grimoire.” Portions of this book can be traced back to the mid-16th to 17th centuries, when occult researchers such as Cornelius Agrippa and Johannes Trithemisus assembled what they discovered during their investigations into their own great works. As a modern grimoire, the Lesser Key of Solomon has seen several editions with various authors and editors taking liberty to edit and translate the ancient writings and source material. In 1898, Arthur Edward Waite published his The Book of Black Magic and of Pacts, which contained large portions of the Lemegeton. He was followed by Mathers and Crowley in 1904 who published The The Lesser Key of Solomon. Many others have assembled their own version of this ancient material since, and it is important to realize that it is the contents rather than the book itself that make up the Lesser Key. Traditionally, the source material is divided into five Ars Goetia, Ars Theurgia Goetia, Ars Paulina, Ars Almadel, and Ars Notoria. Mathers and Crowley indicate their edition is a translation of the first. In the preface to this edition, it is explained that a “Secret Chief” of the Rosicrucian Order directed the completion of the book. The original editor was a G. H. Fra. D.D.C.F. who translated ancient texts from French, Hebrew, and Latin, but was unable to complete his labors because of the martial assaults of the Four Great Princes. Crowley was then asked to step in and finish what the previous author had begun. Traditionally, S. L. MacGregor Mathers is credited as the translator of this edition, and Crowley is given the title of editor. Scholars believe these books of Solomon and their many iterations derive from the ancient practices of Jewish Kabbalah and Arab Alchemy. After time, it is thought Greek and Roman influences were added until, finally, the work was used and molded by high Renaissance magicians. This book, as well as other King Solomon books, such as the Magical Treatise of King Solomon and the Testament of Solomon, were brought back to modern times through the labors of occult practitioners such as S. L. MacGregor Mathers, Aleister Crowley and others around the turn of the last century.

Genres: Occult, Spirituality, Magic, Witchcraft, Magick, Religion, Research

266 pages, Paperback

Published December 1, 2016

About the author

Aleister Crowley was an English occultist, ceremonial magician, poet, novelist, mountaineer, and painter. He founded the religion of Thelema, proclaiming himself as the prophet destined to guide humanity into the Æon of Horus in the early 20th century. A prolific writer, Crowley published extensively throughout his life.
Born Edward Alexander Crowley in Royal Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, he was raised in a wealthy family adhering to the fundamentalist Christian Plymouth Brethren faith. Crowley rejected his religious upbringing, developing an interest in Western esotericism. He attended Trinity College, Cambridge, focusing on mountaineering and poetry, and published several works during this period. In 1898, he joined the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, receiving training in ceremonial magic from Samuel Liddell MacGregor Mathers and Allan Bennett. His travels took him to Mexico for mountaineering with Oscar Eckenstein and to India, where he studied Hindu and Buddhist practices.
In 1904, during a honeymoon in Cairo with his wife Rose Edith Kelly, Crowley claimed to have received "The Book of the Law" from a supernatural entity named Aiwass. This text became the foundation of Thelema, announcing the onset of the Æon of Horus and introducing the central tenet: "Do what thou wilt." Crowley emphasized that individuals should align with their True Will through ceremonial magic.
After an unsuccessful expedition to Kanchenjunga in 1905 and further travels in India and China, Crowley returned to Britain. There, he co-founded the esoteric order A∴A∴ with George Cecil Jones in 1907 to promote Thelema. In 1912, he joined the Ordo Templi Orientis (O.T.O.), eventually leading its British branch and reformulating it according to Thelemic principles. Crowley spent World War I in the United States, engaging in painting and writing pro-German propaganda, which biographers later suggested was a cover for British intelligence activities.
In 1920, Crowley established the Abbey of Thelema, a religious commune in Cefalù, Sicily. His libertine lifestyle attracted negative attention from the British press, leading to his expulsion by the Italian government in 1923. He spent subsequent years in France, Germany, and England, continuing to promote Thelema until his death in 1947.
Crowley's notoriety stemmed from his recreational drug use, bisexuality, and criticism of societal norms. Despite controversy, he significantly influenced Western esotericism and the 1960s counterculture, and remains a central figure in Thelema.

Reviews

[Ziba Ghodsifar · Rating 3 out of 5]

یک کتاب بسیار جالب و مسحورکننده!

[Edric Unsane · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good translation of the Greater and Lesser Keys of Solomon. That being said, I was not a fan of the translator's choice to omit certain passages for reasons of their own.
I still believe this edition to be worth owning if you are interested in Goetic and Solomonic Magic.

[Andrew Pixton · Rating 1 out of 5]

The drawings were fascinating but other than that this felt like another of my slogs I complete for their historical value. I get the impression the original authors were only vaguely familiar with ancient Hebrew as many of the names didn't make sense with how they were being used. Most of this is just a list of beings and rites. It felt a lot like a D&D monster manual. In regards to the white magic, that is summoning/controlling demons via the power of God instead of black magic, I actually wish that was more of a thing today if only because it'd be different. But then I'd probably regret the wave of superstitious exorcisms that'd entail.

[Michael S · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty boring for a book about demons

[Ryan · Rating 3 out of 5]

There are three purposes I can see for this classic grimoire. One, it features a dizzying array of arcane symbols, which make for excellent tattoo inspiration for the Metal crowd. Two, it provides ample Demon lore for use in works of fiction that feature necromancy and dark magic (the segment about Paimon inspired Ari Aster as he was writing 'Hereditary').

Third and finally, for those who are hell-bent (no pun intended) on summoning demons in order to harness their powers (as in Jonathan Stroud's Bartimaeus Sequence), The Lesser Key Of Solomon gives a startlingly detailed set of complicated instructions for doing so. (Disclaimer: I have not tested these instructions; your mileage may vary.)

Surprisingly, Crowley's translation choices and, presumably, the original material are marked by a matter-of-fact, nonchalant tone. Far from being a truly compelling and imaginative work to read, The Greater and Lesser Keys presents the material with zero flair, as if it were purely informative.

[Paul G. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Aleister Crowley Vs. Eminems great, great grandad.

[Mitchell Stern · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book, a translation of a pair of history’s most famed grimoires, is a fascinating read. The instructions within it are meticulous and thorough, sure to fascinate anyone with an interest in occult topics whether as a practitioner or merely curious.

[Jennifer Boehmer · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Must-Read

Concise, accurate, and brilliant. Aliester Crowley masters age-old quandaries in the most poetic terms. A great companion to any bookshelf.

[rodrigo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very well put together, gives an interesting demonic lore, explanation how the book become to be (regarding Solomon) and provides the knowledge for the invokation of the demons and the archangels.

[Brainarchy]

This book is so cool even the daemon in my room likes it.

[Ingo · Rating 2 out of 5]

Good to learn all the names of the demons but man the antisemitism...

[Manuel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice

[Kwabena]

Inspires me

[Quiana Pelletier · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exactly what is expected.