STEGANOGRAPHY

...and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Then, however, let him write in it Referring to the parchment or letter. whatever narrative he wishes, simple and open, which all readers may understand, in Latin, in his mother tongue, or in any other language. When he has sat down to write facing the East, let him compel the spirit thus:

Pamersiel oshurmy delmuson Thafloyn peano charustca melany, lyaminto colchan, paroys, madyn, moeilay, bultre † atloor don melcoue peloin, ibutsyl meon mysbreath alinidriaco person. Crisolnay, lemon afosle mydar, icoriel pean thalmo, afophiel il notreon banyel ocrimos esteuor naelma befrona thulaomor fronian beldodrayn bon otalmefgo mero fas elnathyn bosramoth. While these appear to be "barbarous names" or magical incantations, in the context of Trithemius's work, these strings of words often function as the cryptographic keys or the hidden message itself, disguised as an occult ritual.

When he has said these things, and it seems to him that the spirits are present to obey, let him continue the work begun. But if they have not yet appeared, let him repeat what was said as many times as necessary until they appear; or let him cease entirely, lest they, being too greatly compelled, harm the operator. Trithemius frequently uses the threat of "harm" by spirits as a metaphor for the errors and "corruption" of data that occur when a cipher is used incorrectly. When you have completed the letters, send them with intent by a messenger to a friend proven in the art; when he has received them, let him say this conjuration original: "coniurationem" — here, the decryption key or protocol required to read the hidden text.:

Lamarton anoyr bulon madriel traschion ebrasothea panthenon nabrulges Camery itrasbier rubanthy nadres Calmosi ormenulan, ytules demy rabion hamorphyn.

Once these things are said, he will soon understand your mind perfectly, as the spirits now offer themselves of their own accord with force and shouting, so much so that often others present may also perceive the sender's secret. But observe that in all letters you send written by this art, you should fix a proper sign original: "proprium signum" — likely a specific character or symbol indicating which cipher key (or "spirit") was used to encode the message., so that the one to whom you write may know through which spirits you have operated. For if he were to operate through some spirits to understand, and you through others to send, they would never obey him, but because of the improper operation, they would both harm him and fail to reveal your secret. For all the spirits In Trithemius's system, "spirits" represent specific cryptographic methods or tables. we use in this art guard only the orders and duties committed to them, and do not interfere with others at all. Consider diligently all that we have said in this chapter, and you will more easily be able to understand what we are going to say in the following ones.