Among the magical texts of the Renaissance, the Arbatel de magia veterum stands out for its tone. It is neither a collection of obscure formulas nor a catalogue of demons: it is a book of aphorisms, serene and almost devotional, that presents magic as a form of Christian wisdom. For this reason it has been read with interest even by authors who distrusted the traditional grimoires.
Publication and author
The Arbatel was published in Latin in Basel in 1575, anonymously. The author remains unknown. Scholars have noted in the text ideas close to the thought of Paracelsus and to currents of sixteenth-century Protestant spirituality, but no proposed attribution has gained certainty.
The meaning of the name Arbatel is uncertain. The subtitle, De magia veterum, "On the magic of the ancients", recalls the idea of an original wisdom handed down by the sages of past times.
An unfinished project
In the introduction the author announces a work in nine tomes, each devoted to a different aspect of magic. Of the nine announced tomes, however, only the first has come down to us: the Isagoge, the general introduction. We do not know whether the others were ever written. The Isagoge is nevertheless enough to outline a coherent vision.
The aphoristic structure
The text consists of forty-nine aphorisms, grouped into seven series of seven, called septenaries. The number seven, linked to the traditional planets and the days of creation, structures the entire book.
The aphorisms deal with themes such as:
- the fear of God as the foundation of all knowledge;
- the need to live honestly and charitably;
- silence and discretion about what one receives;
- the relationship between man and spirits, good and evil;
- the difference between lawful magic and superstition.
The first aphorism urges the reader to ask for everything in the name of God and to undertake nothing without His guidance. It is an approach far removed from the image of the magician commanding spirits by force.
The seven Olympic spirits
The most famous part of the Arbatel is the one devoted to the Olympic spirits, which the text presents as governors of the world, each associated with a planet:
| Spirit | Planet |
|---|---|
| Aratron | Saturn |
| Bethor | Jupiter |
| Phaleg | Mars |
| Och | Sun |
| Hagith | Venus |
| Ophiel | Mercury |
| Phul | Moon |
According to the text, each of these spirits governs a certain number of provinces of the universe and takes turns with the others in ruling the world for long periods of time. For each one the Arbatel gives a seal, a day and an hour, and describes the gifts it brings, such as knowledge of plants, metals or the arts.
These names do not appear in any known earlier text and seem to be the author's invention or a tradition whose sources we do not know. They nonetheless became very well known and were taken up by later ceremonial magic, especially in the English-speaking world.
A Christian magic
The most interesting aspect of the Arbatel is its conception of magic as an art grounded in moral life and faith. The magician is not someone who possesses powerful formulas, but someone who lives according to the divine will and who, for that reason, receives from good spirits what is useful to him. Charity towards one's neighbour, humility and prayer are presented as indispensable conditions.
The text also distinguishes between different kinds of wisdom, divine and human, and urges the reader to cultivate those that lead to God rather than those that serve only power or gain.
Circulation and influence
The Arbatel circulated well in the Protestant world and was included in collections of magical texts. In 1655 Robert Turner translated it into English together with the pseudo-Agrippan Fourth Book and the Heptameron. Through this translation the Olympic spirits entered the repertoire of English occultists.
The text was also read in spiritual circles close to mysticism and early Pietism, precisely because of its devout tone.
How to read it today
The Arbatel is a short text that can be read in a few hours but calls for longer reflection. Its aphorisms work almost like a rule of life: they invite us to see knowledge as a gift that carries responsibility.
Anyone studying it can dwell on a few questions:
- what, according to the text, distinguishes true wisdom from superstition;
- why moral life is considered the basis of every operation;
- how the number seven organises the book's thought.
In short
- The Arbatel de magia veterum was published anonymously in Basel in 1575.
- Of the nine announced tomes only the first, the Isagoge, has come down to us.
- It consists of forty-nine aphorisms arranged in seven septenaries.
- It presents the seven Olympic spirits, each associated with a planet.
- It conceives of magic as Christian wisdom grounded in faith, humility and charity.
