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Lucifer: Princeps
Lucifer: Princeps is a seminal study on the origins of the Lucifer mythos by Peter Grey. It is the first in a two volume work; the companion volume, Praxis, being an exposition of ritual actions, is due to be published in 2016.
The fall of Lucifer, and that of the rebel angels who descended upon the daughters of men, comprise the foundation myth of the Western occult tradition. Lucifer: Princeps is a study of origins, a portrait of the first ancestor of witchcraft and magic. In tracing the genealogy of our patron and prince, the principles that underlie the ritual forms that have come down to us, through the grimoires and folk practices, are elucidated. The study draws on the extensive literature of history, religion and archaeology, engaging with the vital discoveries and advances of recent scholarship, which render previous works on Lucifer, however well intentioned, out of date. A concomitant exegesis of the core texts conjures the terrain and koine of the Ancient Near East, the cradle cultures and language of his nascence. Of critical importance are the effaced cultures and cults that lie behind the Old Testament polemics, viz. those of Assyria, Ugarit and Canaan, as well as Sumeria, Egypt and Greece; they provide the context that give meaning to what would otherwise be an isolated brooding figure, one who makes no sense without being encountered in the landscape.
Intended to be the definitive text on Lucifer for the witch, magician and student of the grimoires, Princeps spans wingtip to wingtip from the original flood myth and legends of divine teachers to the Church Fathers, notably Augustine, Origen and Tertullian. The tales of the Garden of Eden, the Nephilim, of the fall of Helel ben Šahar and the Prince of Tyre, the nature of Azazel, and the creation of the Satan are drawn beneath the shadow of these wings into a narrative that binds Genesis and Revelation via the Enochian tradition. The story of the Serpent in the Garden and that of Lucifer are revealed to be a singular myth whose true significance had been lost and can now be restored. It illuminates the path to apotheosis, and the role of the goddess as the transforming initiatrix who bestows the crown.
The fall of Lucifer, and that of the rebel angels who descended upon the daughters of men, comprise the foundation myth of the Western occult tradition. Lucifer: Princeps is a study of origins, a portrait of the first ancestor of witchcraft and magic. In tracing the genealogy of our patron and prince, the principles that underlie the ritual forms that have come down to us, through the grimoires and folk practices, are elucidated. The study draws on the extensive literature of history, religion and archaeology, engaging with the vital discoveries and advances of recent scholarship, which render previous works on Lucifer, however well intentioned, out of date. A concomitant exegesis of the core texts conjures the terrain and koine of the Ancient Near East, the cradle cultures and language of his nascence. Of critical importance are the effaced cultures and cults that lie behind the Old Testament polemics, viz. those of Assyria, Ugarit and Canaan, as well as Sumeria, Egypt and Greece; they provide the context that give meaning to what would otherwise be an isolated brooding figure, one who makes no sense without being encountered in the landscape.
Intended to be the definitive text on Lucifer for the witch, magician and student of the grimoires, Princeps spans wingtip to wingtip from the original flood myth and legends of divine teachers to the Church Fathers, notably Augustine, Origen and Tertullian. The tales of the Garden of Eden, the Nephilim, of the fall of Helel ben Šahar and the Prince of Tyre, the nature of Azazel, and the creation of the Satan are drawn beneath the shadow of these wings into a narrative that binds Genesis and Revelation via the Enochian tradition. The story of the Serpent in the Garden and that of Lucifer are revealed to be a singular myth whose true significance had been lost and can now be restored. It illuminates the path to apotheosis, and the role of the goddess as the transforming initiatrix who bestows the crown.
2015 pages, Hardcover
First published June 15, 2015
76 people are currently reading
456 people want to read
About the author
Peter Grey
55 books108 followersPeter Grey is the co-founder of Scarlet Imprint with Alkistis Dimech. He is a devotee of Babalon and the author of The Red Goddess, which has become the standard work on the Goddess of Revelation. A deliberately provocative telling of her story, this has become essential reading for many.
His controversial Apocalyptic Witchcraft has been called the most important modern book on Witchcraft, placing it in the context of the Sabbat and in a landscape suffering climate and ecological collapse. It stands in the tradition of the work done by Peter Redgrove, Ted Hughes and Robert Graves. His latest work is Lucifer: Princeps, a study of the origins of the figure of Lucifer. Further essays can be found in Howlings, Devoted, At the Crossroads and XVI. His work has also appeared in numerous small journals and collections, such as The Fenris Wolf, as well as online, though most of his work is now published through Scarlet Imprint.
Peter Grey has spoken at public events and conferences in England, Scotland, Norway and the United States as well as closed gatherings. These have included Occulture, the Occult Conference in Glastonbury, Treadwell’s Bookshop, the Esoteric Book Conference in Seattle, Here to Go in Norway, and many Pagan Federation events. A long term supporter of the Museum of Witchcraft in his native Cornwall, his work on the Witches’ Sabbat was first given at the annual Friends of the Museum gathering.
His controversial Apocalyptic Witchcraft has been called the most important modern book on Witchcraft, placing it in the context of the Sabbat and in a landscape suffering climate and ecological collapse. It stands in the tradition of the work done by Peter Redgrove, Ted Hughes and Robert Graves. His latest work is Lucifer: Princeps, a study of the origins of the figure of Lucifer. Further essays can be found in Howlings, Devoted, At the Crossroads and XVI. His work has also appeared in numerous small journals and collections, such as The Fenris Wolf, as well as online, though most of his work is now published through Scarlet Imprint.
Peter Grey has spoken at public events and conferences in England, Scotland, Norway and the United States as well as closed gatherings. These have included Occulture, the Occult Conference in Glastonbury, Treadwell’s Bookshop, the Esoteric Book Conference in Seattle, Here to Go in Norway, and many Pagan Federation events. A long term supporter of the Museum of Witchcraft in his native Cornwall, his work on the Witches’ Sabbat was first given at the annual Friends of the Museum gathering.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
July 1, 2016
So this is an advanced book. I don't mean this in the sense that occultists love to warn people that this book could in some way "harm the uninitiated", but rather it is an academic tome. If you are not comfortable with deep hermeneutics and the minutiae of meaning to be gleaned by tracing word origins to the Aramaic this book is not for you. On the other hand this is a desperately needed scholastic review of the material surrounding the Lucifer myth. The author has plunged deeply into the source material for this prelude to a magical tradition surrounding said tradition.
The very premise of this book, that Lucifer should be seriously studied and admitted into the pantheon of Witchcraft, is highly controversial. This book looks to much older traditions than the newish Wicca tracing compacts with the devil and Gnostic characterizations to the very beginning of Biblical time. Apocrypha features heavily, especially the book of Enoch and the fate of the Watchers and other pre flood characters.
Overall I would highly recommend this book to any serious occult scholar in the Western Tradition. It may also appeal to religious scholars in general who may want a fresh perspective on the source materials.
The very premise of this book, that Lucifer should be seriously studied and admitted into the pantheon of Witchcraft, is highly controversial. This book looks to much older traditions than the newish Wicca tracing compacts with the devil and Gnostic characterizations to the very beginning of Biblical time. Apocrypha features heavily, especially the book of Enoch and the fate of the Watchers and other pre flood characters.
Overall I would highly recommend this book to any serious occult scholar in the Western Tradition. It may also appeal to religious scholars in general who may want a fresh perspective on the source materials.
September 9, 2017
By far better than most material in the general genre of "occult books" regarding Lucifer than are available (that's a dig at Michael Ford, if you didn't notice), both in terms of content, writing, presentation and editing. Looking forward to the second half of this work upon release.
May 5, 2018
Decent book exploring Lucifer in all his aspects in the Bible as well as the outside sources from the ancient Middle East. I feel like the book should of had more to it but I figure that will be what the second book will cover. Hopefully it won't take too long for it to come out.
May 25, 2021
Another surprisingly enjoyable esoteric work. This is more of a historical overview of the occult nature of Lucifer than it is a proper grimoire, but the companion book Lucifer: Praxis will be covering that side of things when it gets released.
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May 1, 2018Sometimes I get lucky and read a book for which I am not even remotely the target audience and wind up really loving it anyways. Lucifer: Princeps is very much one of those rare books, though it may not be so for most. Targeted towards witches and witch-adjacents who draw on the grimoire tradition for their practice, Lucifer: Princeps presents itself as a critical examination of the Lucifer of Isaiah 14:12, for the purposes of better preparing and understanding ritual practice that involves him. So, obviously, this stuff is not at all in my wheelhouse. I can claim interest in and some surface-level knowledge of general 'occult stuff,' but I'm not summoning demons in my basement, and I don't even own a single leather-bound grimoire (the one I do own is a paperback, which hey, maybe I should actually get around to reading now)! So, what do I get out of a book like this? A compelling analysis of revolutionary antagonists in the Judeo-Christian tradition (and its antecedents) and the threads that tie them together, drawing from the Bible, deuterocanonical works, the fields of archaeology and anthropology, medieval religious manuals, biblical studies journals, pseudepigrapha, ancient epics and myths, Greek philosophy, and various gnostic/'heretical' writings. And it does it all in a book that you can get through easily in a day, with a bibliography that could probably last you a lifetime of study. I don't know that it necessarily does anything novel (anything novel scholarly that is, though I appreciated its efforts to situate biblical writings within their proper political contexts), but it makes for a wonderfully succinct synthesis of a particularly convoluted topic, and does so with surprising intellectual rigor. Happily it manages to almost completely avoid (and in many cases goes out of its way to position itself in direct opposition to) the new age woo that blemishes a lot of modern occult writing. In addition to the target audience, fans of Joseph Campbell's work will probably find something to appreciate here, as will would-be revolutionaries, secular Satanists, and open-minded readers with an interest in the origins and evolution of the Judeo-Christian tradition. Not that it's not without its flaws--the language used is unnecessarily heightened, the tone sometimes adolescently haughty, and the occasional witchy interjection distracting; and despite how much I appreciate its brevity I'd love to see deeper explorations of its many tangents, as in its current state it really requires you to look up the cited sources in the endnotes in order to bridge a few would-be gaps, and god help you if you lack a basic familiarity with any of the given topics at hand. Still, this is the sort of book that really opens doors. Anyone who in a moment of idle curiosity has accidentally spent way too long on Wikipedia reading about topics like the Grigori, Asherah, or the flood myth owes themselves a look at this book. It doesn't ask for much, and is very generous in return. (Note: I had tried to read this book once before, but couldn't get through the first chapter, which is where most of the appeals to its target audience crop up. Needless to say I'm glad I gave it another shot.)
April 11, 2017
Mandatory reading for everyone just only remotely and a tiny bit interested when hearing terms like "left hand path", "luciferian tradition", "traditional witchcraft" or "the crooked path". This book long overdue will certainly toss down some of your (as well as mine) cherished assumtions about the Lightbringer. It is a delight to read finally occult works which manage to aspire to the depth of serious and rigorous academic study, especially without succumbing to the temptation to "scientify" magic. The praxis oriented second volume is anticipated with high excitement for 2017.
As this is a Scarlet Imprint Production (written by the man himself), this book is gorgeously produced. I own the standard hardcover edition bound in beautiful deep green-golden cloth, thick paper and black dust jacket. A treasure.
As this is a Scarlet Imprint Production (written by the man himself), this book is gorgeously produced. I own the standard hardcover edition bound in beautiful deep green-golden cloth, thick paper and black dust jacket. A treasure.
October 26, 2018
This is a very informative book. It is extremely well researched and a credit to it's author. It is not however an easy read and is very scholarly in it's approach. This should be expected and valued given the subject material. The author leaves you in no doubt about his conclusions to the source of Lucifer. The implications of this are vast, and is something which the book leaves you to ponder on your own. Will definitely be reading more from this author.
June 19, 2024
I love this book. I guess most people will come to it expecting the horned one, smell of sulphur and obscenities - and I am no exception. What you get instead is, among else, a historical and political analysis of relevant parts of the Bible and other related texts.
Compared to the other Peter's books this one is much more academic, and you better be prepared to do some research as you read, as it is well worth learning more about early Judaism, Christianity and other, almost forgltten religions.
I am definitely preordering the second book, Lucifer: praxis, that should come out in 4q 2024
Compared to the other Peter's books this one is much more academic, and you better be prepared to do some research as you read, as it is well worth learning more about early Judaism, Christianity and other, almost forgltten religions.
I am definitely preordering the second book, Lucifer: praxis, that should come out in 4q 2024
August 15, 2024
A wonderful book to learn in depth about the origins of the Lucifer myth, exploring his role as an angel in a biblical context and his connection to witchcraft and magic.
It's one of the books that maybe takes a while to finish, but really worth it because you end up learning a lot of valuable knowledge.
Absolutely recommended to everyone wanting to know more about Lucifer, as well as witches and practitioners from different paths.
It's one of the books that maybe takes a while to finish, but really worth it because you end up learning a lot of valuable knowledge.
Absolutely recommended to everyone wanting to know more about Lucifer, as well as witches and practitioners from different paths.
December 9, 2025
10/10.
A very much complete study on the topic of Lucifer, which tries to be impartial in its exposition, with sourced (scholarly) claims and indepth analysis.
For it to be just a historical background for practitioners, there's nothing that could top it.
A very much complete study on the topic of Lucifer, which tries to be impartial in its exposition, with sourced (scholarly) claims and indepth analysis.
For it to be just a historical background for practitioners, there's nothing that could top it.
January 29, 2018
Lots of information on everything Lucifer. If this is your jam, I'd recommend giving it a thorough read as I believe you will enjoy it.
September 17, 2018
A must to understand the spirits. leave the ignorance for the uninformed.
March 11, 2020
Riveting when translate
May 11, 2020
Good
Definitely an excellent research on the origins of Lucifer and satan. A bit too scholarly for my taste but excellent nonetheless
Definitely an excellent research on the origins of Lucifer and satan. A bit too scholarly for my taste but excellent nonetheless
August 9, 2022
A very comprehensive explanation on the myth of Lucifer and how he was understood in history and in religion.
September 16, 2025
A reread for me:
This book does a great job at challenging the conceptions of Lucifer that have been built up in Christianity, Neopaganism, and those emo Ayn Rand wannabe pseudo-Nietzschean 'bad boy' 'Luciferians' over the years. Grey demonstrates that Lucifer is a messy composite of many different myth themes from the ancient world, and there is no singular source for the birth of his mythic figure.
It should be noted that Peter Grey's writings consistently employ a rhetorically polemical style, which may prove irritating to some; however, this book is much more restrained in that regard than his previous two books. So if you had problems with, say, The Red Goddess, I would still recommend giving this book a chance if the subject matter interests you.
This is easily the best book on the myths of Lucifer that I have come across, and it has me very excited for Grey's follow-up book, Lucifer Praxis, which is releasing soon, that I believe will deal with how this figure evolved post-ancient world from the Middle Ages to his romantic revival in the 19th century.
This book does a great job at challenging the conceptions of Lucifer that have been built up in Christianity, Neopaganism, and those emo Ayn Rand wannabe pseudo-Nietzschean 'bad boy' 'Luciferians' over the years. Grey demonstrates that Lucifer is a messy composite of many different myth themes from the ancient world, and there is no singular source for the birth of his mythic figure.
It should be noted that Peter Grey's writings consistently employ a rhetorically polemical style, which may prove irritating to some; however, this book is much more restrained in that regard than his previous two books. So if you had problems with, say, The Red Goddess, I would still recommend giving this book a chance if the subject matter interests you.
This is easily the best book on the myths of Lucifer that I have come across, and it has me very excited for Grey's follow-up book, Lucifer Praxis, which is releasing soon, that I believe will deal with how this figure evolved post-ancient world from the Middle Ages to his romantic revival in the 19th century.
March 19, 2020
It is a very interesting take on the development of Lucifer, via Judeo-Christian mythology. It also made me rethink calling myself a witch. If the idea of witch is wholly based in Judeo-Christian mythology, I think I would prefer to bypass the whole mess of Judeo-Christian ideas and just call what I do shaman-like or folkways.
I feel like binding the idea of witch to demonized entities gives Judeo-Christian mythology too much authority. It's a mythos. A mythos that has a great deal of power, through years of belief, but it's a mythos nonetheless. I acknowledge it but, I don't give it any more power than that. If I choose to work with spirits, I bypass their demonized entity and work with the older, more fundamental entity.
It is an interesting and thought provoking read.
I feel like binding the idea of witch to demonized entities gives Judeo-Christian mythology too much authority. It's a mythos. A mythos that has a great deal of power, through years of belief, but it's a mythos nonetheless. I acknowledge it but, I don't give it any more power than that. If I choose to work with spirits, I bypass their demonized entity and work with the older, more fundamental entity.
It is an interesting and thought provoking read.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews