Further to a post prandial perusal of ‘The Complete Magician’s Tables’ (Skinner – Golden Hoard 2006), I came across an intriguing passage. It appears in the commentary section and relates to columns M42-M47; Olympic spirits (p. 375/6).
“They are in fact Greek planetary spirits. Several writers have attempted to put their names into Hebrew with little success, as cursory inspection will show that they are in fact Greek names. I have accordingly restored their Greek names. Their numeration is as follows:
Hagith = 31 = 1x 31
Bethor = 186 = 6x 31
Och = 130 = 10x 31
Araithron 341 = 11x 31
Phaleg = 558 = 18x 31
Ophiel = 620 = 20x 31
Phul = 930 = 30x 31
Immediately a pattern becomes obvious, confirming the accuracy of the orthography. All the names are based on 31 or ‘AL’ in Greek, and are therefore a carefully constructed formula, not just random mediaeval names, as most people previously assumed. They form a key to Crowley’s Liber AL vel Legis, a key that I do not believe has been published by anyone else to date. This key does in fact unlock Liber AL in a rather shocking way, but I intend to postpone the explanation of this material to a later date. Suffice it to say, that the Greek names of the Olympic spirits are a significant key to Liber AL vel Legis although one which Crowley was perhaps not aware of.”
Just as a reminder the spirits correspond to the planets in the following way:
Hagith Venus
Bethor Jupiter
Och Sun
Araithron Saturn
Phaleg Mars
Ophiel Mercury
Phul Moon
What could this key be, I wondered? My first thought was maybe the numbers which are multiples of 31 refer to the verses of the three chapters of Liber AL. So the first thing was to tabulate them accordingly:
Hagith (1) Venus
(1/1) Had! The manifestation of Nuit
(2/1) Nu! the hiding of Hadit.
(3/1) Abrahadabra; the reward of Ra Hoor Khut.
Bethor (6) Jupiter
(1/6) Be thou Hadit, my secret centre, my heart & my tongue!
(2/6) I am the flame that burns in every heart of man, and in the core of every star. I am Life, and the giver of Life, yet therefore is the knowledge of me the knowledge of death.
(3/6) Dung it about with enginery of war!
Och (10) Sun
(1/10) Let my servants be few & secret: they shall rule the many & the known.
(2/10) O prophet! thou has ill will to learn this writing.
(3/10) Get the stele of revealing itself; set it in thy secret temple – and that temple is already aright disposed - & it shall be your Kiblah for ever. It shall not fade, but miraculous colour shall come back to it day after day. Close it in locked glass for a proof to the world.
Araithron (11) Saturn
(1/11) These are fools that men adore; both their Gods & their men are fools.
(2/11) I see thee hate the hand & the pen; but I am stronger.
(3/11) This shall be your only proof. I forbid argument. Conquer! That is enough. I will make easy to you the absruction from the ill-ordered house in the Victorious City. Thou shalt thyself convey it with worship, o prophet, though thou likest it not. Thou shalt have danger & trouble. Ra-Hoor-Khu is with thee. Worship me with fire & blood; worship me with swords & with spears. Let the woman be girt with a sword before me: let blood flow to my name. Trample down the Heathen; be upon them, o warrior, I will give you of their flesh to eat.
Phaleg (18) Mars
(1/18) Burn upon their brows, o splendrous serpent!
(2/18) These are dead, these fellows; they feel not. We are not for the poor and sad: the lords of the earth are our kinsfolk.
(3/18) Mercy let be off: damn them who pity! Kill and torture; spare not; be upon them!
Ophiel (20) Mercury
(1/20) The key of the rituals is in the secret word which I have given unto him.
(2/20) Beauty and strength, leaping laughter and delicious languor, force and fire, are of us.
(3/20) Why? Because of the fall of Because, that he is not there again.
Phul (30) Moon
(1/30) This is the creation of the world, that the pain of division is as nothing, and the joy of dissolution all.
(2/30) If Will stops and cries why, invoking Because, then Will stops & does nought.
(3/30) My altar is of open brass work: burn thereon in silver of gold.
Well a few things cross-match with planetary references but is there any significance here? If not, then what could Stephen Skinner’s intriguing ‘key’ be?
I’d be interested in others thoughts and comments on this…
I think you are definately onto something. Crowley obviously had a fetish with ancient Greek i.e. agape, thelema, to mega therion, xaipe sotiri kosmou (picture in Magick in Theory and Practice)...
It was not by accident. Exoterically, the Greek language (when spoken and understood) has a 'pathos' and 'emphasis' which is closer to the 'experience' of 'what' mystical experience he was 'trying' to convey in his teachings.
For example, reading Homer's 'The Odyssey' in ancient Greek generates a far more profound experience, than reading it's Penguin classic translation.
Hagith = 31 = 1x 31
Bethor = 186 = 6x 31
Och = 130 = 10x 31
Araithron 341 = 11x 31
Phaleg = 558 = 18x 31
Ophiel = 620 = 20x 31
Phul = 930 = 30x 31
Immediately a pattern becomes obvious, confirming the accuracy of the orthography. All the names are based on 31 or ‘AL’ in Greek, and are therefore a carefully constructed formula, not just random mediaeval names, as most people previously assumed. "
I’d be interested in others thoughts and comments on this…
Dwtw
Some work, how are the others spelled?
I get:
Hagith = 31 = 1x 31
Bethor = 186 = 6x 31
Araithron 341 = 11x 31
Phul = 930 = 30x 31
Och = 130 = 10x 31?
Should it be 130, which is not a multiple of 31, or 310?
With Omicron-Xi, it can equal 130.
How can Och be spelled to equal 310?
(Sorry, I don't have his book in front of me).
Phaleg = 539
Ophiel = 615
Neither of these seem to work either.
An extra epsilon will make Ophiel work, but what about Phaleg,
are we adding an extra epsilon as well as an eta?
Litlluw
RLGT
Threefold 31
Thank you for explaining that 31 = 1x31. I shall adjust my spiritual practice accordingly.
93 93/93
LOL (which is 3x31)
Steve W
Should it be 130, which is not a multiple of 31, or 310?
Skinner corrects himself in a later edition (Llewellyn, 2nd ed):
Och = 465 = 15x31
(epsilon upsilon xi)
The table itself also has a footnote providing another variation:
Och = 930 = 30x31
(omega omicron xi)
Ophiel = 615
He shows Phaleg as (phi alpha lambda epsilon kappa gamma), but I believe this gives 559, not 558. He doesn't "show his work".
Ophiel as (omicron phi iota iota lambda) for 620.
He does not elaborate on his supposed key-to-AL, and his sloppiness makes me skeptical, but perhaps he will publish something interesting on the subject some day.
93.
Och = 465 = 15x31
(epsilon upsilon xi)
The table itself also has a footnote providing another variation:
Och = 930 = 30x31
(omega omicron xi)
He shows Phaleg as (phi alpha lambda epsilon kappa gamma), but I believe this gives 559, not 558. He doesn't "show his work".
Ophiel as (omicron phi iota iota lambda) for 620.
He does not elaborate on his supposed key-to-AL, and his sloppiness makes me skeptical, but perhaps he will publish something interesting on the subject some day.
93.
Dwtw
Thanks for the info. I had a feeling that the English spelling was not a true transliteration. Why spell it OCH instead of EUCH? It's a bit misleading.
The premise is intriguing, since it ties in with 31 being a key number of AL. What deserves an explanation is why the magicians would use 31 as a basis for these names in the first place, regardless of what it might have to do with Liber AL.
Litlluw
RLG
93s --
Thought I'd go dreaming...
Looking at AL/LA, I felt it reminded me of something --
One would have to project typography awfully far back...
... but perhaps it captures something.