These “Seven Olympick Spirits” are seven magickal beings, which are also referred to as “the Seven Alchemists”.
Information about them can be found in Arbatel de Magia Veterum (English title: Arbatel: Of the Magic of the Ancient). Indeed, the book which I randomly may have read—contained the illustrations of Seven Olympick Spirits seals—and/or just mentioned the phrase “Olympian Spirits”. It could be either The Secret Grimoire of Turiel or The Complete Book of Magic Science.
An older source of the Arbatel de Magia Veterum is a 16th-century Swiss grimoire: a book of magick. It purports to be the revelations of an angel named Arbatel “concerning the greatest secrets which are lawful for man to know, and to use them without offense unto God”. This book may contain the earliest descriptions of so-called ‘Olympic spirits’: natural spirits of the heavens which, like Daimons/demons, can be summoned and commanded. Nevertheless, there was a caveat that the Olympick Spirits may be dangerous if these magickal interactions are not handled correctly.
These Olympick spirits supposedly dwell in the firmament and in the stars.
In any case, it seems that Godly magicians may summon and command these spirits without fear.
The Olympick spirits only pretend to obey the wicked magicians, who come to rely upon their assistance. Then, the spirits will expose the wicked magicians “to the deceits of the devils, and cast them into diverse dangers”. What’s interesting about this is that elsewhere in the Arbatel grimoire, the author cautions magicians to beware of spirits’ lies and to rely upon their faith in God to warn them which words to not put trust into--as well as which they can trust. Seven Olympick Spirits (or Olympic spirits) refers to seven spirits which are found in several Renaissance and post-Renaissance books of ritual magic/ceremonial magic. These include:
Arbatel de magia veterum
The Secret Grimoire of Turiel
The Complete Book of Magic Science
So it may be that the Olympick spirits actually lie to everyone, but only pious and Godly summoners can tell when they are lying and when they are actually sharing the unvarnished and unaltered truth.
The author also warns the reader that devils can and do attempt to appear to the magician in the form of that Olympick Spirit—and that magician must be able to discern the difference.
To summon an Olympick spirit, a magician must pray to the Judeo-Christian God that he send an Olympick Spirit. Specify which Olympick Spirit by name, explaining what you intend to ask it to do. When you’re done with that Olympick spirit, thank it politely and give it leave to return whence it came. The Arbatel author cautions the reader not to keep the spirit for longer than an hour though he does not share what sort of bad thing could happen if a magician failed to release an Olympick Spirit after 60 minuets.
The Olympick spirits have a hierarchical organization. They’re divided into 186 provinces, which are themselves grouped into seven governments. Each government is composed of a variety of kings, princes, presidents, dukes, ministers, familiars, and messengers. At the head of each government, above all these ethereal potentates, is a governor that is a visible star (planet). A single governor is chief among the seven. Which governor is chief ruler rotates every 490 years. Despite all this falderal, the Arbatel author seems to think that summoners will only interact with the seven governors. "They are called Olympick Spirits, which do inhabit in the firmament, and in the stars of the firmament: and the office of these spirits is to declare Destinies, and to administer fatal Charms, so far forth as God pleaseth to permit them."
The Arbatel of Magick stated that the ability to allot fatal destinies to pious Christians is “limited”. Perhaps that rather cryptic statement means the Olympick Spirits are not permitted to act as assassins for hire?? Mind you, that is just a wild speculation I have.
I also found a link to: Anonymous (Author) The Secret Grimoire of Turiel: Being a System of Ceremonial Magic (Kabbalistic Grimoires Series No 1) January 1, 2006
Frederick Hockley (1809-1885) supposedly put together The Complete Book of Magic Science from "an ancient Latin manuscript" which included information from The Secret Grimoire of Turiel.
Governors
In the Arbatel, the seven governors and their offices, powers, functions, and characters (see SEALS) are:
Aratron. Aratron rules 49 Olympic Provinces and governs things that are influenced by Saturn. He teaches Alchemy, Magic, medicine, and the secrets of INVISIBILITY. He confers familiars, fertility, and longevity. Aratron can transmute coal into treasure and treasure into coal and can change any living thing into stone. He reconciles subterranean spirits with humans (see Elements). He should be invoked on Saturday in the first hour of the day, using his character given and confirmed by himself.
Bethor. Bethor rules 42 provinces and all affairs influenced by Jupiter. He comes quickly when evoked. He confers familiars and can extend life to 700 years, providing it is in accordance with the WILL of God. Bethor assists in finding large treasures. He reconciles the spirits of the air to humans so that they will give true answers in divination, transport precious stones, and concoct miraculous medicines.
Phaleg. Phaleg rules 35 provinces and things governed by Mars. He is especially helpful in military matters and can help a soldier or an officer advance in his career.
Och. Och rules 28 provinces and is a spirit of perfection. He extends life to 600 years with perfect health, confers excellent familiars, and concocts perfect medicines. He is the ultimate alchemist and is able to transmute any substance into the purest metals or precious jewels. He bestows GOLD and a purse “springing with gold.” Whoever posesses his character will be worshiped as a god by the kings of the world.
Hagith. Hagith rules 21 provinces and venereal matters. He confers faithful serving spirits. He converts copper into gold and gold into copper. Whoever possesses his character will be adorned with beauty.
Ophiel. Ophiel rules 14 provinces and all things influenced by Mercury. He teaches all arts, including the ability to change quicksilver (mercury) instantly into the Philosopher’s Stone. He confers familiars.
Phul. Phul rules seven provinces and all things governed by the Moon. He transmutes all metals into SILVER, heals dropsy, and confers spirits of water to serve humans in a visible form. He prolongs life to 300 years.
The governors are served by kings, princes, presidents, dukes, and ministers, all of whom have legions of inferior Olympic Spirits working for them.
Evocation and Dismissal
The Arbatel gives instructions for evoking the governors. The EVOCATION should be done on the day and in the hour of the planet associated with the governor and with the following Christianized PRAYER:
O Eternal and Omnipotent God, who hast ordained the whole creation for Thy praise and Thy glory, as also for the salvation of man, I beseech Thee to send Thy Spirit N., of the Solar Race [or appropriate designation] that he may instruct me concerning those things about which I design to ask him [or that he may bring me medicine, etc.]. Nevertheless, not my will, but Thine be done, through Jesus Christ, Thine only-begotten Son, who is our Lord. Amen.
The spirit should be engaged for no more than an hour. It is discharged with the following:
Forasmuch as thou camest in peace and quietness, having also answered unto my petitions, I give thanks unto God, in whose Name thou camest. Now mayest thou depart in peace unto thine own order, but return unto me again, when I shall call thee by thy name, or by thine order, or by thine office, which is granted from the Creator. Amen. [Then add:] Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter anything before God: for God is in heaven, and thou art upon earth; therefore let thy words be few. For a dream cometh through a multitude of business, and a fool’s voice is known by multitude of words.—Eccles. v. 3, 4.
Tristan Zimmerman’s Molten Sulfur Blog, December 21, 2021. Yes, he’s a D&D enthusiast. That means if you are interested in these spirits you have do some research on your own.
S. Rob wrote: “It is they whose power you will learn to tap into through the magick that is here. This magick will change your life, and even let you be transformed into a more powerful you. This is the most powerful magick there is and at the end of the book you will learn to use all Seven entities together, all summoned with the assistance of the Roman God Janus.” Magick Seven Olympian Spirits
Someone commented to me that I only write about Wicca. I write about Wicca because I am Wiccan. Yet, I make no pretense that Wicca is the beginning and end of matickal systems. Therefore, I decided to add to my website some information on a I system I have never practiced--and probably never will. It does, however, seem to be a workable system.
Sources:
Tristan Zimmerman, The Olympic Spirits of Arbatel’s GrimoireDecember 21, 2021 Arbatel de Magia Veterum (Arbatel: Of the Magic of the Ancients)
S. Rob (aka Rob Invictus), Magick of the Seven Olympian Spirits Paperback, January 13, 2018.
The Arbatel De Magia Veterum (English: Arbatel: On the Magic of the Ancients)
www.srob.co.uk
www.spellcaster-psychic.co.uk
Aradia home page