Arbatel
A magical ritual published at Basle in 1575. The text is in Latin, and it appears to have been influenced by Paracelsus. It is of Christian, not Jewish origin, and although the authorship is unknown it is probably the work of an Italian. Only one of its nine volumes has come down to us. It deals with the institutions of magic, and is entitled Isagoge, which means essential or necessary instruction. In it we are introduced to the ritual of the Olympic spirits dwelling in the air and among the stars, who govern the world. There are, we are told, one hundred and ninety-six Olympic provinces in the universe: thus Aratron has forty-nine, Bethor forty-two, Phaleg thirtyfive, Och twenty-eight, Hagith twenty-one, Ophiel fourteen, and Phul seven. Each of the Olympic spirits rule alternately for four hundred and ninety years. They have natural sway over certain departments of the material world, but outside these departments they perform the same operations magically. Thus Och, the ruler of solar affairs, presides over the preparation of gold naturally in the soil. At the same time, he presides magically over the preparation of that metal by means of alchemy. The Arbatel proceeds to say that the sources of occult wisdom are to be found in God, spiritual essences and corporeal creatures, as well as in nature, but also in the apostate spirits and in the ministers of punishment in Hell and the elementary spirits. The secrets of all magic reside in these, but magicians are born, not made, although they are assisted by contemplation and the love of God. It will be sufficient to describe the powers and offices of one of these spirits. Aratron governs those things which are ascribed, astrologically to Saturn. He can convert any living thing into stone, can change coals into treasure, gives familiar spirits to men, teaches alchemy, magic and medicine, the secret of invisibility, and long life. He should be invoked on a Saturday in the first hour of the day. The Arbatel is one of the best authorities extant on spiritual essences, their powers and degrees.
Arcanum, Great: The great secret which was supposed to lie behind all alchemical and magical striving. God Aristœus and Nature," says Eliphas Levi (q.v.), " alike, have closed the Sanctuary of Transcendent Science. so that the revelation of the great magical secret is happily impossible." Elsewhere he states that it makes the magician "master of gold and light."