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know from your reading, the forging and quenching (of the sword) is to be done on a Wednesday in
either the first or the eighth of the day hours, or the third or the tenth of the night hours, under a full
Moon. There is again an immediate practical interest being served here - for I assure you that the
planetary hours do indeed affect affairs on Earth - but also a psychological one, the obedience of the
operator in every step. The grimoires and other handbooks are at best so confused and contradictory
that it's never possible to know completely what steps are essential and what aren't, and research into
the subject seldom makes for a long life ...
Well, the horn handle has next to be shaped and fitted, again in a particular way at a particular hour,
and then perfected at still another day and hour. By the way, you mentioned a different steeping bath.
If you use that ritual, the days and the hours are also different, and again the question is, what's
essential and what isn't? Thereafter, there's a conjuration to be recited, plus three salutations and a
warding spell. Then the instrument is sprinkled, wrapped and fumigated ...' (7)
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7] James Blish. Black Easter. Faber and Faber, London, 1968. pp73-74. 180
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These elaborate preparations are gone into in detail in grimoires such as the Goetia or Lesser Key of
Solomon, the Grimoirium Verum, the Greater Key of Solomon (edited by MacGregor Mathers) and
many others. Of these, the last is perhaps the most complete and reliable.
Typical of the style of these books are the following passages from the Goetia.
'I DO invocate and conjure thee, O Spirit, N.; (8) and being with power armed from the SUPREME
MAJESTY, I do strongly command thee, by BERALANENSIS, BALDACHIENSIS, PAUMACHIA,
and APOLOGIAE SEDES; by the most Powerful Princes, Genii, Liachidae, and Ministers of the
Tartarean Abode; and by the Chief Prince of the Seat of Apologia in the Ninth Legion, I do invoke
thee, and by invocating conjure thee. And being armed with power from the SUPREME MAJESTY, I
do strongly command thee, by Him Who spake and it was done, and unto whom all creatures be
obedient. Also I, being made after the image of GOD, endued with power from GOD and created
according unto His will, do exorcise thee by that most mighty and powerful name of GOD, EL, strong
and wonderful; O thou Spirit N. And I command thee and Him who spake the Word and His fiat was
accomplished, and by all the names of God.
Also by the names ADONAI, EL, ELOHIM, ELOHI, EHYEH, ASHER EHYEH, ZABAOTH,
ELION, IAH, TETRAGRAMMATON, SHADDAI, LORD GOD MOST HIGH, I do exorcise thee
and do powerfully command thee, O thou Spirit N., that thou dost forthwith appear unto me here
before this Circle in a fair human shape, without any deformity or tortuosity. And by this ineffable
name, TETRAGRAMMATON IEHOVAH, do I command thee, at the which being heard the
elements are overthrown, the air is shaken, the sea runneth back, the fire is quenched, the earth
trembleth, and all the hosts of the celestials, terrestrials, and infernals do tremble together, and are
troubled and confounded.
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