The Three Magical Books of Solomon: The Greater and Lesser Keys & The Testament of Solomon

by Aleister Crowley, S.L. MacGregor Mathers, F.C. Conybear

For the first time, the three great magical works of King Solomon are together in one volume. The Greater and Lesser Keys give a practical guide to the operation of his magic. The testament gives a historical account of its use by Solomon himself. The Key of Solomon the King was originally researched and translated by S.L. MacGregor Mathers from ancient manuscripts in the British museums. Included by Mathers is the Order of the Pentacles of Solomon, the Ancient Fragment of the Key of Solomon, The Qabalistic Invocation of Solomon, and 15 plates full of figures, seals and charts, as well as the original text giving detailed instruction for spells and invocations. The work is traditionally divided into two books detailing the Key of King Solomon. Book One explains the operation of conjurations, curses, spells and other magical works. Book Two instructs the practitioner on the proper attire, purification rituals and other means of obtaining the goals of the Goetia. Between these two books is the list of plates that contain numerous illustrations and secret seals of Solomon, including the Mystical Seal of Solomon, the Pentacles of Solomon, and the Mystical Alphabet, which impart the mechanisms and requirements for the invocation of spirits and demons. The Lesser Key of Solomon, or the Clavicula Salomonis Regis, or Lemegeton, is a compilation of materials and writings from ancient sources making up a text book of magic or “grimoire.” Portions of this book can be traced back to the mid-16th to 17th centuries, when occult researchers such as Cornelius Agrippa and Johannes Trithemisus assembled what they discovered during their investigations into their own great works. As a modern grimoire, the Lesser Key of Solomon has seen several editions with various authors and editors taking liberty to edit and translate the ancient writings and source material. In 1898, Arthur Edward Waite published his The Book of Black Magic and of Pacts, which contained large portions of the Lemegeton. He was followed by Mathers and Crowley in 1904 who published The The Lesser Key of Solomon. In the preface to this edition, it is explained that a “Secret Chief” of the Rosicrucian Order directed the completion of the book. The original editor was a G. H. Fra. D.D.C.F. who translated ancient texts from French, Hebrew, and Latin, but was unable to complete his labors because of the martial assaults of the Four Great Princes. Crowley was then asked to step in and finish what the previous author had begun. The Testament of Solomon is a pseudepigraphical work attributed to King Solomon the Wise of the Old Testament. Written in the first-person narrative, the book tells the story of the creation of the magical ring of King Solomon and how Solomon’s ring was used to bind and control demons, including Beelzebub. In this book of King Solomon, the discourses between the King and the various spirits are told, and the story shows how Solomon uses his wisdom to withstand the demons’ tricks and guile and enlist their aid in the building of his temple. The manuscripts from which this work was discovered date from the 15th, 16th, and 17th centuries. All were written in Greek. This dating makes most experts believe that the work is medieval. But some scholars, including D.C. Duling, argue that it is likely that the work comes from the 5th or 6th centuries.

Genres: Occult, Magick, Nonfiction, Esoterica, Witchcraft, Religion, Reference

282 pages, Hardcover

First published August 2, 2017

About the author

Aleister Crowley was an English occultist, ceremonial magician, poet, novelist, mountaineer, and painter. He founded the religion of Thelema, proclaiming himself as the prophet destined to guide humanity into the Æon of Horus in the early 20th century. A prolific writer, Crowley published extensively throughout his life.
Born Edward Alexander Crowley in Royal Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, he was raised in a wealthy family adhering to the fundamentalist Christian Plymouth Brethren faith. Crowley rejected his religious upbringing, developing an interest in Western esotericism. He attended Trinity College, Cambridge, focusing on mountaineering and poetry, and published several works during this period. In 1898, he joined the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, receiving training in ceremonial magic from Samuel Liddell MacGregor Mathers and Allan Bennett. His travels took him to Mexico for mountaineering with Oscar Eckenstein and to India, where he studied Hindu and Buddhist practices.
In 1904, during a honeymoon in Cairo with his wife Rose Edith Kelly, Crowley claimed to have received "The Book of the Law" from a supernatural entity named Aiwass. This text became the foundation of Thelema, announcing the onset of the Æon of Horus and introducing the central tenet: "Do what thou wilt." Crowley emphasized that individuals should align with their True Will through ceremonial magic.
After an unsuccessful expedition to Kanchenjunga in 1905 and further travels in India and China, Crowley returned to Britain. There, he co-founded the esoteric order A∴A∴ with George Cecil Jones in 1907 to promote Thelema. In 1912, he joined the Ordo Templi Orientis (O.T.O.), eventually leading its British branch and reformulating it according to Thelemic principles. Crowley spent World War I in the United States, engaging in painting and writing pro-German propaganda, which biographers later suggested was a cover for British intelligence activities.
In 1920, Crowley established the Abbey of Thelema, a religious commune in Cefalù, Sicily. His libertine lifestyle attracted negative attention from the British press, leading to his expulsion by the Italian government in 1923. He spent subsequent years in France, Germany, and England, continuing to promote Thelema until his death in 1947.
Crowley's notoriety stemmed from his recreational drug use, bisexuality, and criticism of societal norms. Despite controversy, he significantly influenced Western esotericism and the 1960s counterculture, and remains a central figure in Thelema.

Reviews

[A.S. Ember · Rating 1 out of 5]

That it’s mumbo-jumbo is no revelation, but it’s also repetitive and unclear. The Lesser Key reads like Tolkien’s Unfinished Tales, but for a far less interesting world and compiled by a worse editor. A chore to get through.

[Anne Lydolf · Rating 2 out of 5]

While I enjoyed the sigils and historical drawings of this book, it was a mess to read. Everything seems to be organised in a jumbled up order, and is incredibly repetitive, thereby making it extremely easy for the reader to lose interest, or simply get lost.

[Nick · Rating 2 out of 5]

The physical quality of this book is great but I think the only real value this book has is for scholars that are into the occult or for fantasy writers to use as source material. It can also make a great Halloween decoration and dust collector.

When utility prices get too high and I'm forced to use my books for heat, this will be the first one I'll use.

[JASON FRANKLIN · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read it and take what you need of it

Very interesting in parts. Some chapters are wonderful and others you want to skip.
Very interesting seals and directions although some may be a tad difficult in todays life

[Wendy Matta · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyed

Looking for more knowledge, found it... Been getting numerous Sumerian Books... I never knew that part of the world... I got interested in Sumerian by watching the show ‘Lucifer’... they get a book in Sumerian Script and one Angel can Translate... Got Dictionary...

[Jordan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good

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[Dustin333 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cool intro to Goetia for me. There are many sources for this sort of fascinating information. This book just piqued my interest and now look to other sources.

[Zumana Khan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Could it be possible that some of these prayers may be a chapter of the Injeel? Hmm.

[Tamunotonye John]

Nothing to rate. What I read here is about the book and not the book. The book can not be rated just by the info about the book sorry

[MarcellusFairleyIII · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great 👍

It's just review for me I read this thing when I was younger I'm so done with this stuff I could cry....

[Robin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book

[John · Rating 2 out of 5]

Horseshit, but at least it's mildly entertaining horseshit.

[Naveen kumar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great

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www.goodreads.com

[Bhuvaneswaran]

Good Book

[Cameron Mantel · Rating 2 out of 5]

Can it, Crowley.

[Matthew Grossman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mindblown

Very interesting read. Truly makes you wonder what is possible with God. Also, a strong cautionary tell of how even the wisest among us can be led astray.

[Michael Crichlow · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jesus Is Lord.

[Gabrielle Howie · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 ⭐️ my coworker brought this to me… i didn’t hate it?? it was kind of a vibe reading this and katabasis at the same time coincidentally. i felt a bit like a grad student at cambridge.

[Bazingo Bro · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very interesting read about the occult. It covers the origin of the Goetia, the traditions, circumstances and tools needed for occult ceremonies.

In my opinion a must read for anyone interested in occult / mysticism.

[Alex Jung · Rating 2 out of 5]

Pretty interesting and a quick read, dragged at the end