azimech

It has been a popular criticism by Astrologers who are mostly focused on English Renaissance texts and Medieval to Renaissance era Latin texts translated into English that those into Hellenistic and Medieval Arabic & Persian Astrology just want “purity”. A recent interview though with Benjamin Dykes on a certain Astrology podcast made it very clear-to me at least- that “purity” wasn’t the point, the fact is is that a few too many Western Europeans simply didn’t have the same academic translation standards that we do today, and much of the rich vocabulary from the Medieval Arabic texts has been mistranslated and misunderstood over the centuries.

So I’m not just looking forward to eventually ordering Ben Dykes’s book Sahl ibn Bishr, Volume 1: Principles, Elections, Questions, Nativities, but also the upcoming published translation by Liana Saif of the Ghayat Al-Hakim. It’s not so much the “purity” aspects I care about, but of recovering what was lost even with the best translators or intentions of the time.

http://www.psupress.org/books/titles/978-0-271-08213-4.html

There’s some things I will nitpick about the Introduction later, but the Penn State University Press edition is a better quality translation than Greer/Warnock.
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I’m also going to say that Llewelyn publishing has improved enough in its Grimoire revival game that if they had Daniel Harms and co make a new translation of Three Books of Occult Philosophy it can only be an improvement, The Book of Oberon is a fantastic anthology no Magician should be without. Why not take a whack at Agrippa in the near future?

While I am not particularly interested in going into details about it, I do believe that the practice of Magick isn’t a public dickwaving contest, everyone should have the right to privately practice their Magick and Religion without their commitment to the disciplines being questioned. Just because people don’t post pics of their altars or stream their ceremonies doesn’t mean they aren’t real practicing Occultists-far from it. Indeed, not publicizing your work means it is more likely to succeed, not to mention its very common for people to have contractual obligations with spirits to not discuss or broadcast personal details of your interactions to the public.

1. I like big cats and I cannot lie.

2. Goth with preferences towards Ethereal and Darkwave.

3. That Occult thing-I don’t bother with demons, at least yet, but I’m more obsessed with the Astrological side of Western Astrological traditions, particularly like what is in the Picatrix. And the occasional Folk Magick stuff. I still have yet to get around trying Chaos Magick but my takes will probably be mostly private, unless I want to start a Religion I guess.

4. If I ever get back into Academia I want to major in Biology so I can study the cute, fluffy animals.

5. While I believe FanFic is a legit form of expression, I’m not obligated to read your work much less care about Fandoms in general.

6. I’m one of those bitter disabled people who thinks Liberals and Leftists need to focus less on accomadating Vegans and more time making it easier for people with medical conditions like allergies, Celiac, metabolic disorders in etc to live. Food Justice should serve people, not dietary ideologies.

7. Speaking of Magick, I don’t identify with the term Witch and believe it’s way overused.

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Entries tagged with occult

Lost In Translation

I received the new translation of the Latin Picatrix in the mail yesterday

Vague Occult Melodrama Post

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