Invocation to Saturn in Darmstadt MS Hs-1410

Mihai Vârtejaru has a fascinating blog about magical seals / sigils. I mentioned it when discussing the magical rings in Leipzig Cod.Mag.33. I recently noticed a post about the Darmstadt Magic Manuscript Hs-1410. In particular, I was attracted by a collection of invocations to the planetary gods (Liber Orationum Planetarum Septem — a book about invocations to the seven planets), beginning at p.136 i.e. f66v.

This treaty was commented and transcribed by Vittoria Perrone Compagni in Bruniana e Campanelliana 2001 / I. Compagni points out that the ‘Liber’ survives in two manuscripts: Munchen, Staatsbibliothek, ms. O.86 (XV Century) and Darmstadt ms 1410. She dates the Darmstadt manuscript to the first half of the XVI Century and points out that the paper has watermarks similar to those found in a Florentine manuscript: I guess this means that the Darmstadt ms was created in Florence as well. A Spanish translation of one of the seven invocations (Mercury) appears in BAV Reg. 1283, the famous “Astromagical” compendium of Alfonso X of Castile: so the text was already circulating in Europe in 1250 ca. There is little doubt that the European manuscripts derive from an Arabic text.

The later story of the Liber Orationum Planetarum is also interesting. It was the main source of Chapter 59 in the Second Book of Agrippa’s De Occulta Philosophia, in the case of Saturn, Agrippa’s invocation appears to just be a shortened version of the invocation in the ‘Liber’. In his turn, Giordano Bruno based the planetary invocations in the first part of Cantus Circaeus (the song of Circe) on that chapter of Agrippa’s work. Bruno modified Agrippa’s short invocation and added much to it, so that the remaining overlap with the original in the ‘Liber’ is minimal.

Here is my translation of the first part of the ‘Liber’, the invocation to Saturn. The reference to Toledo seems to confirm that the text arrived in Europe through Spain. This could also be the case for “uegada Sancti Martini” meaning “the time of Saint Martin” (something like the Indian summer).

“In the name of God. Oh you, lord Saturn, revolving along a high and long orbit, helper, in all your works, of all those who pray to you. Oh you, who defends all thoughts of life and who complies with all those who invoke you and ask you questions. Oh you who intervenes to overturn the injurers of those who invoke you. Oh great lord. Oh wise and understanding. Oh you who excellently and generously repays those who pray to you. Oh you who wonderfully preserves and helps those who entrust themselves to your protection. Oh Saturn, cold and dry, who impresses and implants great thoughts into the hearts of men. Oh you who makes people ill with grave illnesses. Oh you who causes the loss of treasures. Oh you who destroys and overturns strength and power. By your names and your miracles, by your path and your sphere, by your light and your fixed kingdom, by him who placed you in the seventh sky, next to him, I ask you to help me, with all your influence and virtue, in this deed for which I call your name and that I beg of you. Oh Matil, great lord, by your names I ask you to give me the power of your high and noble spirit, so that this thing can be done, and to help me in this work. N. [name of the officiant?] I ask you by Dyymechoc, Haroc, Tahoc, Darioc, Talmoc. Oh noble Saturn, high lord, ingenious, malevolent, devious, deceiver, you who soils the white and the black. Oh lord of inventions and deceptions. Oh old man [f67r] of great depth. I pray to you by all your names, which I mentioned, to help me in this thing that I ask of you.”

Know that what you ask will be done.

For the fumigation of Saturn: the blood of a black cat, the brain of a raven and a bulb of ‘remal’ i.e. ‘armaga’ (which is a plant which grows in Toledo at the time of Saint Martin). Grind what must be ground, crush with the blood and the brain and make pills. Keep them in a secret place. When needed, take one of them and place it upon embers. They make wonders.

The dye of Saturn is black; it is made with burnt he-goat hair; it must be ground into a thin powder, so that one can write with it.