On Occult Philosophy

original: "De occulta Philosophia"

of the second order, the Names themselves extracted are of the second order. And if, under those, we extract the name of an evil Spirit, it belongs to the superior order of Governors. The same is true if we enter with the name of an evil Spirit of a superior order. If, however, we enter this Table with the names of Spirits of the third order, or of ministering Spirits—whether good or evil—the names extracted will be of ministering Spirits of a lower order.

Many of the Magi, men of no small authority, have wished to extend such tables using Latin letters: so that through these same tables, even from the name of an Office or of some effect, the name of a Spirit (whether good or evil) may be found by the same method delivered above: by taking the name of the Office or effect in the column of letters, in its own line, under its own star. And indeed, the grave Author of this is Trismegistus Hermes Trismegistus, the legendary Hellenistic figure to whom a vast body of "Hermetic" wisdom on magic and alchemy is attributed: who, although he delivered this calculation in Egyptian letters, it can—not ineptly— manicule pointing right also be applied to the letters of other languages, on account of the reasons assigned to the signs. For of all those who have treated the eliciting of the names of Spirits, he stood forth as the first. Therefore, the power, the secret, and the mastery...