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[[File:Solomon-Demon.jpg|250px|left]]
[[File:John Dee.jpg|250px|left]]
The '''''[[Testament of Solomon]]''''' is a pseudepigraphical composite text ascribed to [[King Solomon]] but not regarded as canonical scripture by [[Judaism|Jewish]] or [[Christianity|Christian]] groups.
'''[[John Dee]]''' was an English mathematician, astronomer, [[astrology|astrologer]], teacher, [[occultist]], and [[alchemy|alchemist]]. He was the court astronomer for, and advisor to, Elizabeth I, and spent much of his time on alchemy, [[divination]] and Hermetic philosophy. As an antiquarian, he had one of the largest libraries in England at the time.


The book was written in the Greek language, based on precedents dating back to the early 1000AD, but was likely not completed in any meaningful textual sense until sometime in the medieval period. In its most noteworthy recensions, the text describes how Solomon was enabled to build his temple by commanding demons by means of a magical ring that was entrusted to him by [[Archangel Michael]].
By the early 1580s, Dee was discontented with his progress in learning the secrets of nature and his diminishing influence and recognition in court circles. Failure of his ideas concerning a proposed calendar revision, colonial establishment and ambivalent results for voyages of exploration in North America had nearly brought his hopes of political patronage to an end. He subsequently began to turn energetically towards the supernatural as a means to acquire knowledge. He sought to contact spirits through the use of a "[[scrying|scryer]]" or crystal-gazer, which he thought would act as an intermediary between himself and the [[angel]]s.


The key narrative of the testament is a story about a [[demon]] named [[Ornias]] harassing a young man by stealing half of his pay and sucking out his vitality through the thumb on his right hand. In response, Solomon prays in the temple and receives from Archangel Michael a ring with the seal of [[Yahweh|God]] (in the shape of a Pentagram) on it which will enable him to command the demons. Solomon lends the ring to the lad who, by throwing the ring at the demon Ornias, stamps him with the seal and brings him under control.
'''([[John Dee|Full Article...]])'''
 
'''([[Testament of Solomon|Full Article...]])'''

Revision as of 03:12, 7 March 2023

John Dee.jpg

John Dee was an English mathematician, astronomer, astrologer, teacher, occultist, and alchemist. He was the court astronomer for, and advisor to, Elizabeth I, and spent much of his time on alchemy, divination and Hermetic philosophy. As an antiquarian, he had one of the largest libraries in England at the time.

By the early 1580s, Dee was discontented with his progress in learning the secrets of nature and his diminishing influence and recognition in court circles. Failure of his ideas concerning a proposed calendar revision, colonial establishment and ambivalent results for voyages of exploration in North America had nearly brought his hopes of political patronage to an end. He subsequently began to turn energetically towards the supernatural as a means to acquire knowledge. He sought to contact spirits through the use of a "scryer" or crystal-gazer, which he thought would act as an intermediary between himself and the angels.

(Full Article...)