The Gnostics represented [Azoth, the Universal Agent, Universal Medicine, Philosopher's Stone, etc.] as the fiery body of the Holy Spirit; it was the object of adoration in the Secret Rites of the Sabbath of the Temple, under the hieroglyphic figure of Baphomet or the Androgyne of Mendes. --------------------------------------------------------------------- _Transcendental Magic: its Doctrine and Ritual_, by Eliphas Levi, transl. by A.E. Waite, Braken Books, 1995; p. 16. __________________________________________________________________ At the beginning of the French translation of a book by the Sieur de Nuisement on the Philosophic Salt, {ED NOTE: The Sieur de Nuisement is described as Receiver-General of the Comte de Ligny-en-Barrois. He belongs to the seventeenth century and derived his alchemical inspiration from the Cosmopolite, otherwise Sendivogius or Alexander Seton. He appears to have written in Latin, and the work to which Levi refers was rendered into French and appeared originally in 1621 was _Traitez du Vray Sel, *Secret des Philosophes et des l'Esprit general du Monde*, etc._. Later editions are those of 1639 & 1639. According to Lenglet Du Fresnoy, it formed part of a work entitled _Elements Chimiques et Spagiriques_ which has not otherwise been printed.} the spirit of the earth is represented standing on a cube over which tongues of flame are passing; the phallus is replaced by a caduceus; the sun and moon figure on the right and left breast; the figure is bearded, crowned and holds a sceptre in his hand. This is the AZOTH of the sages on its pedestal of Salt and Sulphur. The symbolic head of the goat of Mendes is occasionally given to this figure, and it is then the Baphomet of the Templars and the Word of the Gnostics -- bizarre images which became scarecrows for the vulgar after affording food for reflection to sages -- innocent hieroglyphs of thought and faith which have been a pretext for the rage of persecutions. --------------------------------------------------- Ibid., p. 207 +n. _________________ The letter [shin, Hebrew] is commonly traced upon kabalistic pantacles which have the fulfilment of a desire for their object. It is also the sign of the scapegoat in mystic Kabalah {NOTE: That is to say, in Eliphas Levi's imagined or manufactured version, for neither in true or original Kabalism, nor in the commentaries of late successors of Isaac de Loria, is there any trace or notion of the so-called Templar Baphomet. See _Sepher Ha Zohar_, Part II, fol. 33a, for the sacrifice of the goat as a sop thrown to Satan....}.... ----------------------------------------- Ibid., p. 273 +n. _________________ CHAPTER XV The Sabbath of the Sorcerers We recur once more to that terrible number fifteen symbolised in the Tarot by a monster throned upon an altar, mitred and horned, having a woman's breasts and the generative organs of a man -- a chimera, a malformed sphinx, a synthesis of deformities. Below this figure we read a frank and simple inscription -- The Devil. Yes, we confront here that phantom of all terrors, the dragon of all theogonies, the Ahriman of the Persians, the Typhon of the Egyptians, the Python of the Greeks, the old serpent of the Hebrews, the fantastic monster, the nightmare, the Croquemitaine, the gargoyle, the great beast of the middle ages, and -- worse than all these -- the Baphomet of the Templars, the bearded idol of the alchemists, the obscene deity of Mendes, the goat of the Sabbath. The frontispiece to this Ritual [the Levi Baphomet] reproduces the exact figure of the terrible emperor of night, with all his attributes and all his characters. ...all inferior initiates of the occult sciences and profaners of the Great Arcanum, not only did in the past but do now, and will ever, adore what is signified by this alarming symbol. ...the Grand Masters of the Order of the Templars worshipped Baphomet, and caused it to be worshipped by their initiates; ...there existed in the past, and there may be still in the present, assemblies which are presided over by this figure, seated on a throne and having a flaming torch between the horns. But the adorers of this sign do not consider, as do we, that it is a representation of the devil: on the contrary, for them it is that of the god Pan, the god of our modern schools of philosophy, the god of the Alexandrian theurgic school and of our own mystical Neo- platonists, the god of Lamartine and Victor Cousin, the god of Spinoza and Plato, the god of the primitive Gnostic schools; the Christ also of the dissident priesthood. This last qualification, ascribed to the goat of Black Magic, will not astonish students of religious antiquities who are acquainted with the phases of symbolism and doctrine in their various transformations, whether in India, Egypt, or Judea. ...the goat [being one of "the three symbolical animals of Hermetic Magic" with the bull and dog] represents fire and is at the same time the symbol of generation. Two goats, one pure and one impure, were consecrated in Judea; the first was sacrificed in expiation for sins; the other, loaded with those sins by imprecature, was set at liberty in the desert -- a strange ordinance, but one of deep symbolism, signifying reconciliation by sacrifice and expiation by liberty! ... All the Kabalah and all Magic, as a fact, are divided between the cultus of the immolated and that of the emmisary goat. We must recognise therefore a Magic of a Sactuary and that of the wilderness, the White and Black Church, the priesthood of public assemblies and the Sanhedrim of the Sabbath. The goat which is represented in our frontispiece bears upon its forehead the Sign of the Pentagram with one point in the ascendant, which is sufficient to distinguish it as a symbol of the light. Moreover, the sign of occultism is made with both hands, pointing upward to the white moon of Chesed, and downward to the black moon of Geburah. This sign expresses the perfect concord between mercy and justice. One of the arms is feminine and other masculine, as in the Androgyne of Khunrath, whose attributes we have combined with those of our goat, since they are one and the same symbol. The torch of intelligence burning between the horns is the magical light of universal equilibrium; it is also the type of soul exalted above matter, as the flame cleaves to the torch. The monstrous head of the animal expresses horror of sin, for which the mateial agent, alone responsible, must alone and for ever bear the penalty, because the soul is impassible in its nature and can suffer only by materialising. The caduceus, which replaces the generative organ, represents eternal life; the scale-covered belly tyifies water; the circle above it is the atmosphere; the feathers still higher up signify the volatile; lastly, humanity is depicted by the two breasts and the androgyne arms of this sphinx of the occult sciences. Behold the shadows of the infernal sanctuary dissipated! Behold the sphinx of mediaeval terrors and unveiled and cast from his thron! *Quomodo cecidisti, Lucifer!* {NOTE: It is said otherwise in _La Clef des Grands Mysteres_ that initiates like the Templars were less guilty for having worshipped Baphomet than for having made it possible that this image should be remarked by the prophane (*loc. cit.* p. 219). Levi goes on to affirm that the monster in question was a pantheistic figure of the Univeral Agent and also the bearded demon of alchemists. There is, however, no such demon in the pictorial emblems of Hermetic Philosophy, nor is it true, as he adds, that ancient Hermetic Masonry in its highest Grades referred the achievement of the Great Work to a bearded demon, the reason in this case being that no Hermetic Masonry is older than the second half of the eighteenth century.} The dread Baphomet henceforth, like all monstrous idols, enigmas of antique science and its dreams, is only an innocent and even pious hieroglyph. How should man adore the beast, since he exercises a sovereign power over it? ... On the sacred stones of Gnostic Christians of the Basilidean sect there are representations of Christ under the diverse figures of kabalistic animals...; ...in all cases He bears invariably the same attributes of light, even as our goat, which cannot be confounded with fabulous images of Satan, owing to the Sign of the Pentagram. Let us affirm categorically, to combat the remnants of Manichaeanism which are appearing sporadically among Christians, that as a superior personality and power Satan does not exist. He is the personification of all errors, perversities and consequently of all weaknesses. If God may be defined as He Who exists of necessity, may we not define His antagonist and enemy as necessarily he who does not exist at all? ...The misconstrued doctrine of Zoroaster and the magical law of two forces constituting universal equilibrium, have caused some illogical minds to imagine a negative divinity, subordinate but hostile to the active Deity. An impure duad comes thus into being. Men were mad enough to halve God; the Star of Solomon was separated into two triangles, and the Manichaeans imaged a trinity of night. This evil God, product of sectarian fancies, inspired all manias and all crimes. Sanguinary sacrifices were offered to him; monstrous idolatry replaced the true religion; .... From human sacrifices to cannibalism there is only one step. ------------------------------------------ Ibid., pp. 375-80 +n. _____________________ The Rites of the Gnostic Sabbath were imported into Germany by an association which took the name of Mopses. It replaced the kabalistic goat by the Hermetic dog, and the candidates, male or female -- for the order initiated women -- were brought in with eyes bandaged. ...they were asked whether they were afraid of the devil, and were required abruptly to choose between kissing the posterior of the Grand Master and that of a small silk-covered figure of a dog, which was substituted for the old grand idol of the Goat of Mendes. {NOTE: It is idle nonsense to say that the Mopses revived the Rites of the Gnostic or any Sabbath and also to suggest a connection between the legendary Baphomet and the ridiculous china dog. The Order of Mopses was either a mock-Masonry or a silly substitution under the veil of which German Masons at Cologne or Viennese Masons continued their meetings when a Papal Bull was in force against the Order. As it received both sexes, the first alternative is perhaps more probable....} The name of the Templar Baphomet, which should be spelt kabalistically backwards, is composed of three abbreviations: Tem. ohp. ab., *Templi omnium hominum pacis abbas*, "the father of the temple of peace of all men." {NOTE: There are three things to be said on this fantastic explanation: I) that there is no reason assigned or assignable for reading Baphomet backwards; 2) that the Latin produced from the alleged abbreviations is incredibly bad; and 3) that its import has no application to Templars, either as a chivalry or as an occult sect. From neither point of view can they be regarded as apostles of peace.} According to some, the Baphomet was a monstrous head, but according to others, a demon in the form of a goat. A sculpted coffer was disinterred recently in the ruins of an old Commandery of the Temple, and antiquaries observed upon it a baphometic figure, corresponding by its attributes to the goat of Mendes and the androgyne of Khunrath. It was a bearded figure with a female body, holding the sun in one hand and the moon in the other, attached to chains. Now, this virile head is a beautiful allegory which attributes to thought alone the initiative and creative principle. Here the head represents spirit and the body matter. The orbs enchained to the human form and directed by that Nature of which intelligence is the head, are also magnificently allegorical. ------------------------------------------------------------- Ibid., pp. 385-7 +n. ____________________ To make light visible God had only to postulate shadow. To manifest the truth He permitted the possibility of doubt. The shadow bodies forth the light, and the possibility of error is essential for the temporal manifestation of truth. If the buckler of Satan did not intercept the spear of Michael, the might of the angel would be lost in the void or manifested by infinite destruction launched below from above. Did not the heel of Michael restrain Satan in his ascent, Satan would dethrone God, or rather he would lose himself in the abysses of the altitude. Hence Satan is needful to Michael as the pedastel to the statue, and Michael is necessary to Satan as the brake to the locomotive. In analogical and univeral dynamics one leans only on that which resists. ------------------------------------- Ibid., pp. 49-50. _________________ The Astral Light, depicted in ancient symbols by the serpent devouring its tail, represents alternately malice and prudence, time and eternity, tempter and Redeemer; for this light, being the vehicle of life, is an auxiliary alike of good and evil, and may be taken not only for the fiery form of Satan but for the body of the Holy Ghost. It is the instrument of warfare in angelic battles, and feeds indifferently both the flames of hell and the lightnings of St. Michael. ... The Great Initiator of Christianity, seeing that the Astral Light was overcharged with the impure reflections of Roman debauchery, sought to separate His disciples from the circumambient sphere of reflections and to concentrate them only on the interior light, so that, through the medium of a common faith and enthusiasm, they might communicate together by new magnetic chains, which He termed grace, and thus overcome the dissolute currents, to which He gave the names of the devil and Satan, signifying their putrefaction. To oppose current to current is to renew the power of fluidic life. ---------------------------------------------- Ibid., pp. 106-7. _________________ EOF