Ars Notoria: The Notory Art of Solomon

Book excerpt: A new translation of the classic magical text from the original Latin • Learn how medieval magicians conducted the rituals of angelic magic for quickly learning scholastic knowledge by means of prayers and figures • Provides a complete translation of Ars Notoria, both the short and long versions based on Julien Veronese’s critical Latin edition • Includes the first translation of The Work of Works (Opus Operum), The Short Art (Ars Brevis), the abridged version attributed to Thomas of Toledo, and The Pauline Art (Ars Paulina) • Presents all of the original figures (notae), essential for inspection during ritual The magical treatise Ars Notoria offers a secret account of how King Solomon gained his famed wisdom and learning through sacred magic, revealed to him by the angel Pamphilius, thereby expanding upon the biblical narrative of Solomon’s vision from God. Solomon’s magical writings were transmitted to the first-century philosopher Apollonius of Tyana, who provided a commentary titled Flores Aurei (Golden Flowers) that is contained within Ars Notoria. Ars Notoria first appeared in the 13th century, when its prayers and techniques for rapidly acquiring the seven liberal arts—grammar, logic, rhetoric, arithmetic, music, geometry, and astronomy— made it the earliest representation of European angel magic. The text presents a complete system of magic consisting of prayers addressed to angels, using figures called notae, for the purpose of gaining scholastic and heavenly knowledge. Due to its rising popularity among university students, the magical ritual was reworked time and again, producing five treatises dating from the 13th to 15th centuries—Opus Operum (Work of Works), Liber Florum Celestis Doctrine (Book of Flowers of Heavenly Teaching) composed by John of Morigny, Ars Brevis (Short Art), Ars Abbreviata (an abridged version attributed to Thomas of Toledo), and Ars Paulina (Pauline Art [of the Seven Figures])—thereby establishing an entire notorial art tradition. In this new and complete translation of Ars Notoria, based on Julien Véronèse’s critical Latin edition, translator Matthias Castle presents—for the first time in English—the complete classic magical text, both short and long versions, including four of the later treatises. Castle explains how these theurgic ritual practices were performed, giving special attention to all the original pictorial figures (notae), and how the art of memory relates to angelic magic. Providing practical instruction, extensive commentary, and in-depth background research and annotations, Ars Notoria: The Notory Art of Solomon is an essential sourcebook on angelic magic for scholars and magicians alike.