Aleister Crowley loved Italy and stayed there for a long time. I think this is the reason why there are several books about Crowley published in Italian, but which unfortunately, perhaps due to the language barrier, are never reviewed on Lashtal.
This is the case of this recent work by Christian Guzzo available on Amazon:
It is an interesting and in-depth reconstruction of Crowley's periods in Naples and Cefalù, in the light of unpublished archival documentation and new interpretations of primary sources.
Trusting in the proverbial British fair play, I hope the current football rivalry doesn't obfuscate this topic.
FORZA ITALIA!!!!!
I'm rooting for Italy as I think they play more wild and interesting football. England last match esp w Denmark very traditional and by the book.
Speaking of books which Italian speaker here is going to translate the work above?
WAR BULLETIN
On Fire Sunday we tragically lose Wimbledon, but we heroically conquered Wembley with a bit of luck!
To christibrany: Really I don't know if that book will be never translated into English!
To William: As soon as I come back from my week vacation at Ischia, I'll give you some other tips.
I'm rooting for Italy
"Consider sport." - Frater O.M.
I'm rooting for Italy
"Consider sport." - Frater O.M.
Yes yes I know...
But it was really riveting.
It does get your heart going.
And in the end it means
Absolutely nothing.
Hence entertainment.
Now it's done.
Period of rest.
Or work.
Sports are both work and rest at the same time.
WAR BULLETIN
On Fire Sunday we tragically lose Wimbledon, but we heroically conquered Wembley with a bit of luck!
To christibrany: Really I don't know if that book will be never translated into English!
To William: As soon as I come back from my week vacation at Ischia, I'll give you some other tips.
You can translate it. I have faith.
Just back from holiday in Ischia, I wonder "is it possible that a great traveler as Crowley has not taken advantage of his stay in Naples to visit this wonderful island?"
[A view from Mount Epomeo; in the background the island of Capri.]
After completing the reading of the book of Christian Guzzo on the beautiful beach of Citara, I learned that Leonardo Sciascia also wrote a short story about Crowley entitled "Apocrifi sul caso Crowley" and included in the collection "Il mare colore del vino". From this story a short film by the director Ferdinando Vicentini Orgnani was made. Both works have no historical accuracy, but very effectively recreate the evocative atmosphere of those days.
(English subtitles available)
Here is another Italian-speaking pearl of my thelemic library: "Aleister Crowley: un mago a Cefalù", edited by Pierluigi Zoccatelli.
The book contains interesting essays by various authors, including a brief memoir by Raoul Loveday and a description by Crowley himself.
In addition, inside, nine beautiful color photos of Crowley's frescoes for the Thelema Abbey.
I would like to end this brief and obviously incomplete overview of the publications in Italian that deal with Crowley with the monumental "Introduzione alla Magia" by the Ur Group.
The Ur Group was an association of eminent esotericists operating in the late 1920s under the direction of Julius Evola, widely criticized for its connivance with the fascist regime and for its ideology closely linked to the pagan-Roman tradition.
The third and last volume closes with the Italian translation of some passages from an unauthorized version of "Liber Aleph, the Book of Wisdom or Folly" accompanied by a flattering judgment on Crowley, considered a contemporary Master of "the Path of the Left Hand" and of that of the "Corrosive Waters".
The third and last volume closes with the Italian translation of some passages from an unauthorized version of "Liber Aleph, the Book of Wisdom or Folly" accompanied by a flattering judgment on Crowley, considered a contemporary Master of "the Path of the Left Hand" and of that of the "Corrosive Waters".
Wasn't this also included in the American translation of Eros and the Mysteries of Love, which also included writing on Maria de Nagloska?
And wasn't someone involved in the Ur Group connected with one of the people at the Abbey at Cefalu? I thought I read that somewhere.
Hi Katrice, sorry for the delay (I was too busy with the Delta variant!!).
I try to answer you as best I can.
I have looked at the Evola's book you are talking about - Eros and the Mysteries of Love: The Metaphysics of Sex -, but, it seems to me that there is no excerpt from the "Liber Aleph". Only the "Agape. Liber C: The Book of the Sangraal" is mentioned, but Evola himself admits that "... which we have been unable to obtain, ..." (page 265). This is strange, because Evola was definitely an O.T.O.'s affiliate!
Evola had certainly a good acquaintance with Maria de Naglowska, but she never was a member of Ur Group.
So, I really don't know who the member of the Ur Group who might be involved in the Abbey of Thelema. Maybe, Domenico Rudatis? He was a great mountaineer; a passion which, moreover, he shared with Evola and Crowley himself.
This is strange, because Evola was definitely an O.T.O.'s affiliate!
What, in this case, does "affiliate" mean? OTO has, or at least had, some sort of non-initiate affiliation, wherein folks paid a small fee to get on their mailing list ... but not into Saladin's tent.
Hi Katrice, sorry for the delay (I was too busy with the Delta variant!!).
Wow, that's a good reason for a delay! I hope you're ok.
-, but, it seems to me that there is no excerpt from the "Liber Aleph". Only the "Agape. Liber C: The Book of the Sangraal" is mentioned,
It's been a long time since I've read either book so I was probably getting them mixed up, but I don't remember anything about Crowley in the American translation of Introduction to Magic. I might be misremembering that too. I've been meaning to reread both books.
This is strange, because Evola was definitely an O.T.O.'s affiliate!
I didn't know that Evola had anything to do with the OTO. Can you tell me more?
Evola had certainly a good acquaintance with Maria de Naglowska, but she never was a member of Ur Group.
I am aware of that. Maria is an obsession of mine.
So, I really don't know who the member of the Ur Group who might be involved in the Abbey of Thelema. Maybe, Domenico Rudatis? He was a great mountaineer; a passion which, moreover, he shared with Evola and Crowley himself.
I really have no idea, I just remember reading that there was some connection, but no name was mentioned. That does sound possible, given the overlap in interests.
No, no, no, Katrice, I'm fine! I meant that the increase in the Delta variant causes an increase in my workload as a doctor.
Sorry you all for my poor English.
Yes, yes, yes! Maria de Naglowska intrigues me a lot too!!!
And now, I try to answer Shiva. Julius Evola probably received an OTO Patent from Theodor Reuss. Generally this type of license had no initiatory value, but was only a kind of courtesy exchange, very common in those days. However, I think it had to be sufficient to allow access to the Rites and confidential documents of the Order. My personal opinion is that Evola could not consult "Liber C" simply because, at the time he wrote his book, Crowley had not yet completed the rewriting of the Rituals of the OTO in a Thelemitic key. Nowadays, anyone can purchase and read "The Secret Rituals of the OTO" by Francis King, but - I totally agree with you - very few are able to understand it without being properly initiated.
Evola probably received an OTO Patent from Theodor Reuss.
Ah, yes. This probability reminds me of another "deal." Reuss died. His widow sold an OTO Charter to Spencer Lewis (I believe), and he took that Charter and spun it a bit to end up with what is possibly the biggest and best-known example of "esoteric" studies for the masses.
anyone can purchase and read "The Secret Rituals of the OTO" by Francis King
It has been made available for free, online, as a pdf download. I have no idea where, anymore, and I couldn't post it here if I did know where, because there's probably a (c)opyright issue.
Trivial sub-notes: Emblems is similarly available. In contrast to the heavily-veiled Liber C, Emblems is written so that any 13-year old can understand it. So there's really no ultimate inner core "secret" anymore, around which any Grand Master can arranged various Orders of Antiquity.
All of these considerations relate to a horizontal group function (with a certain graded vertical ascendancy). In contrast, we have the solo vertical elevator of the A.'.A.'. - this one has a true "secret" at its (primary) core: The concept of the HGA. Making contact is a "secret" for anyone who does it, because there's no "practice" for making the contact itself; there are historical "practices" that are recommended for study. (There is a secondary "secret" at the Abyss).
So this (the contact) is The Path. Yet when I look around, I see most (or all?) of these outer, horizontal, group functions are devoted to sex, Masonic Templarism, military-type grade structure, etc, but not to The Path as it leads to the Angel/Anima scenario. Yet they mostly claim to be an outer expression of the invisible hierarchy.
No, no, no, Katrice, I'm fine! I meant that the increase in the Delta variant causes an increase in my workload as a doctor.
Sorry you all for my poor English.
oh, no, you were pretty clear, that's basically what I had thought you meant, that you were involved in healthcare and were really busy.
Yes, yes, yes! Maria de Naglowska intrigues me a lot too!!!
I'm so happy that more information on her has been becoming available. I've wondered what could have been if the Confrerie de la Flèche d'Or had survived in to modern times.
And now, I try to answer Shiva. Julius Evola probably received an OTO Patent from Theodor Reuss. Generally this type of license had no initiatory value, but was only a kind of courtesy exchange, very common in those days. However, I think it had to be sufficient to allow access to the Rites and confidential documents of the Order. My personal opinion is that Evola could not consult "Liber C" simply because, at the time he wrote his book, Crowley had not yet completed the rewriting of the Rituals of the OTO in a Thelemitic key.
Do you have sources for this? I'm not doubting you, I just want to learn more.
Do you have sources for this? I'm not doubting you, I just want to learn more.
No source, Katrice, it was just my guess. However I see that there is a new post on Evola.
No source, Katrice, it was just my guess. However I see that there is a new post on Evola.
Ok. I agree that it could be possible. I'd love to find more information on it if it did, especially with the Ur Group/Cefalu connection.
Yes, there is a new thread! I was wondering if you were going to join the discussion! Right now I feel like I'm one of the more knowledgeable people on the topic that's participating but I'm not an expert and I've only read translations of his books that are available in America.
And while I find value in his esoteric writings, I'm more critical of many of his sociopolitical views.