Book One, chapter 4

1Chapter 4

2Then, when the people needed to make the talisman, they could not do without knowledge of the celestial proportions, by which the craft of talismans subsists, and which are what spread abroad their effects. And I shall set before you here, of those celestial proportions, principles on which [the work] is built, which will be as the celestial foundation for the making of talismans; since the maker of the talisman needs to be knowledgeable in the equations and the celestial proportions, and, together with this, to be certain of the soundness of what he makes, with no doubt and no misgiving entering into his work, so that by this the action of the rational soul is strengthened and the will is joined to its world, [that is,] to the soul of the world, for the coming-to-be of what is sought.

3And I shall also acquaint you with an emphatic condition concerning the near one facing our world: that is, that you do not perform any work of the works until the Moon is in the degree suited to that work; for the Moon has manifest effects which are not hidden, and I shall bring you a summary of its effects later. But as for this present time of ours, I am going to mention the effects of the Moon within the terms (ḥudūd) of its mansions, according to what the Indians in particular agreed upon concerning the twenty-eight mansions.

4The first of them is the mansion of al-Sharaṭān (the Two Signs), and it is from the beginning of Aries to 12 degrees, 51 minutes and 26 seconds of it. The people of India said: when the Moon is in this mansion, travel and the drinking of purgative medicine are practised. So make it a foundation for a traveller, for whom you make by it a talisman for his safety on his journey. And in this mansion is made a talisman for corrupting [the bond] between the two spouses and the two companions through severance and enmity; and there is also made in it a talisman for the flight of a slave and his absconding, for whomever one wishes and intends, and for corrupting the partnership between partners, because it is malefic, fiery.

5And I mention to you here a rule: always make the Moon, in works of good, safe and free from the malefics and from combustion, and in evil, combust and possessed of a malefic. So know that.

6(2) The mansion of al-Buṭayn (the Little Belly): it is from twelve degrees, fifty-one minutes and twenty-six seconds of Aries to the completion of twenty-five degrees, forty-two minutes and fifty-two seconds of Aries. In it are made talismans for digging wells and rivers and for extracting things sought and buried treasures, and talismans for the growth of crops; and there is also made in it the corruption of marriage between whomever one wishes before the union, and the arousing talismans, because it is fortunate, fiery; and for making a slave abscond, and for tightening the bonds of the prisoner when one intends harm to him.

7(3) The mansion of al-Thurayyā (the Pleiades): it is from twenty-five degrees, forty-two minutes and fifty-two seconds of Aries to eight degrees, thirty-four minutes and eighteen seconds of Taurus. In it is made a talisman for whoever travels by sea, for he comes through safely; and a talisman that is fit for corrupting partnership; and a talisman for loosing the bonds of prisoners and their fetters. And there is made in it a talisman for success in attempting alchemy and the service of fire; and a talisman for hunting on land; and a talisman for affection between the two spouses; and a talisman for corrupting sheep, cattle and slaves for their owner, so that they do not remain in his hand; because it is fortunate, shared. So know that.

8(4) The mansion of al-Dabarān (the Follower): it is from eight degrees, thirty-four minutes and eighteen seconds of Taurus to twenty-one degrees, twenty-five minutes and forty-four seconds of Taurus. In it is made a talisman for corrupting the state of some city; and a talisman for a building whose endurance is not to be hoped for, nor its good state; and a talisman for corrupting crops; and a talisman for preserving slaves for their owner; and a talisman for corrupting [the bond] between the two spouses and casting severance between them; and talismans that bring what is hateful upon whoever digs wells and extracts buried things sought, and destruction upon whomever you wish; and the binding of snakes and scorpions.

9(5) The mansion of al-Haq'a (the White Spot): it is from twenty-one degrees, twenty-five minutes and forty-four seconds of Taurus to four degrees, seventeen minutes and ten seconds of Gemini. In it is made a talisman for the soundness of the state of boys and the growth of their learning in their Islam, in writing and in the crafts; and a talisman for the safety of the traveller and his good state, and for the swiftness of the duration of a journey by sea; and a talisman for the soundness of buildings; and a talisman for corrupting partnership; and it is mixed;

10and for setting right the state of the two spouses and their concord, when the Moon and the ascendant are in a sign of the forms of the sons of Adam, sound, free from the malefics and from combustion, as we have mentioned. And the signs that are in the forms of the sons of Adam are Gemini, Virgo, Libra, Sagittarius and Aquarius. So know that.

11(6) The mansion of al-Han'a. It is from four degrees, seventeen minutes and ten seconds of Gemini to seventeen degrees, eight minutes and thirty-six seconds of Gemini. In it are made talismans for the corruption of cities and their besieging, and vengeance on kings, and inflicting what is hateful and evil on enemies in every bad manner; and talismans for destroying crops, and trusts and deposits; and improving the affairs of partners, and improving hunting on land; and a talisman for corrupting the ordering of the actions of medicines when they are taken.

12(7) The mansion of al-Dhirā' (the Forearm). It is from seventeen degrees, eight minutes and thirty-six seconds of Gemini to the end of Gemini. In it is made a talisman for the growth of trade and its blessing, and for the growth of crops; and a talisman for the good condition of the traveller on water and his safety, and for setting right what is between close friends and partners. And by it flies are bound so that they do not enter a place. And whatever of the works of the craft is done in it is spoiled and needs to be done over a second time. And in it is made a talisman for attaining one's wish from the ruler or a great man with whom you wish to have contact; and a talisman for the reform of the runaway slave; and a talisman for removing land, or wealth, or a house, and what resembles that, from the hand of a person.

13(8) The mansion of al-Nathra (the Gap). It is from the beginning of Cancer to twelve degrees, fifty-one minutes and twenty-six seconds of it. In it are made talismans of love and friendship between those who hate one another; and a talisman for the good condition of the traveller, and improving the condition of partners. And besides this a talisman is made in it for the long binding of the imprisoned and of captives, and the corruption of the condition of slaves; and a talisman for driving away mice and driving away bugs.

14(9) The mansion of al-Ṭarf (the Glance). It is from twelve degrees, fifty-one minutes and twenty-six seconds of Cancer to twenty-five degrees, forty-two minutes and fifty-two seconds of it. In it are made talismans for the corruption of crops, and tearing away the veils of travellers on land and of whoever else, other than them, one seeks to harm; and the breaking off between partners; and the imprisonment of the adversary who is sued, and harm to him.

15(10) The mansion of al-Jabha (the Forehead). It is from twenty-five degrees, forty-two minutes and fifty-two seconds of Cancer to eight degrees, thirty-four minutes and eighteen seconds of Leo. In it are made talismans for setting right what is between husband and wife; and a talisman for inflicting what is hateful on the enemy and the traveller, and the tightness of the binding of the confined; and a talisman for the stability of what is built; and a talisman for the agreement of partners and the benefit of one of them to another.

16(11) The mansion of al-Zubra (the Mane). It is from eight degrees, thirty-four minutes and eighteen seconds of Leo to twenty-one degrees, twenty-five minutes and forty-four seconds of it. In it are made talismans for the release of the imprisoned and of captives; and talismans for the besieging of cities; and talismans for the growth of trade and improving the condition of the traveller; and talismans for the stability of buildings and improving the affairs of the two partners.

17(12) The mansion of al-Ṣarfa (the Changer). It is from twenty-one degrees, twenty-five minutes and forty-four seconds of Leo to four degrees, seventeen minutes and ten seconds of Virgo. In it is made a talisman for the growth of crops and plantings, and for the destruction of the wealth of a person, harm befalling him thereby; and a talisman for the ruin of ships; and a talisman for setting right the affairs of partners; and in it the attempting of the craft goes well; and a talisman for setting right the affairs of slaves and keeping them as is hoped of them.

18(13) The mansion of al-'Awwā' (the Barker): it is from four degrees, seventeen minutes and ten seconds of Virgo to seventeen degrees, eight minutes and thirty-six seconds of it. In it are made talismans for the growth of trade and the growth of crops, the setting right of the state of the traveller, the completion of marriage between spouses and the release of the prisoner; and talismans for gaining access to kings and the great.

19(14) The mansion of al-Simāk: it is from seventeen degrees, eight minutes and thirty-six seconds of Virgo to the completion of thirty degrees of it. In it is made a talisman for setting right [what is] between spouses, and a talisman for completing recovery through medical treatment; and talismans also for the corruption of sown fields and plantings, the destruction of deposits held in trust, and harm befalling the traveller; and for setting right the state of kings, the soundness of the state of one who travels on ships, and the agreement of the affairs of partners.

20(15) The mansion of al-Ghafr: it is from the beginning of Libra to twelve degrees, fifty-one minutes and twenty-six seconds of it. In it are made talismans for the digging of wells and treasures and obtaining them, hindering the traveller from his journey, separating spouses, corrupting the order of the companionship of companions, scattering partners, banishing enemies and driving them out of their homelands, and the ruin of dwellings and abodes.

21(16) The mansion of al-Zubānā (the Claws): it is from twelve degrees, fifty-one minutes and twenty-six seconds of Libra to twenty-five degrees, forty-two minutes and fifty-two seconds of it. In it are made talismans for the corruption of trade and the corruption of plantings and sown fields, the estrangement of companions and of spouses, and bringing punishment upon a woman if her husband wishes; and talismans for harm befalling a travelling enemy and for discord among partners; and a talisman for the deliverance of the prisoner from his bonds.

22(17) The mansion of al-Iklīl (the Crown): it is from twenty-five degrees, forty-two minutes and fifty-two seconds of Libra to eight degrees, thirty-four minutes and eighteen seconds of Scorpio. In it are made talismans for setting right the affairs of livestock and their growth, and talismans for besieging cities and for the stability of building, and a talisman for the safety of the traveller on the water. And they agreed that whoever befriends a friend while the Moon is in this mansion, his friendship will not be cut off; and for that reason they choose it for talismans of friendship.

23(18) The mansion of al-Qalb (the Heart): it is from eight degrees, thirty-four minutes and eighteen seconds of Scorpio to twenty-one degrees, twenty-five minutes and forty-four seconds of it. In it are made talismans for the binding of banners for kings, for victory over their enemies, and talismans for the stability of buildings. And whoever marries a woman while the Moon is in it with Mars, she will be a thayyib; and likewise in the one before it. And in it is made a talisman for making the slave run away, and a talisman for the growth of plantings and the safety of one who travels on ships, and a talisman for discord among partners.

24(19) The mansion of al-Shawla (the Sting): it is from twenty-one degrees, twenty-five minutes and forty-four seconds of Scorpio to four degrees, seventeen minutes and ten seconds of Sagittarius. In it are made talismans for besieging cities, for victory over enemies and obtaining what is sought from them, for destroying the wealth that is in a person's hands, and for estrangement and separation; and in it are made talismans for the good state of the affairs of the traveller and the growth of crops, a talisman for the running away of a slave and his flight from his master, a talisman for the ruin of ships and their breaking, and for discord in the affairs of partners, and a talisman for the escape of the prisoner and the captive.

25(20) The mansion of al-Na'ā'im (the Ostriches): it is from four degrees, seventeen minutes and ten seconds of Sagittarius to seventeen degrees, eight minutes and thirty-six seconds of it. In it are made talismans for setting right the condition of a beast whose training is difficult, and a talisman for speed of travel and shortening it, and for drawing whomever you want, and for affection, and for tightening [the constraint] on prisoners, and for spoiling the condition of partners in another respect.

26(21) The mansion of al-Balda (the Town): it is from seventeen degrees, eight minutes and thirty-six seconds of Sagittarius to the completion of thirty degrees of it. In it are made talismans for the stability of buildings and the growth of crops, talismans for preserving wealth, livestock and beasts for their owners, talismans for the safety of travellers, and a talisman for a woman, by which she is divorced from her husband and then never marries after him.

27(22) The mansion of Sa'd al-Dhābiḥ (the Luck of the Slaughterer): it is from the beginning of Capricorn to twelve degrees, fifty-one minutes and twenty-six seconds of it. In it are made talismans for treatment and recovery from illnesses, talismans for separation between those who love one another and those who are married, a talisman for bringing about fornication with a woman whom you seek, and a talisman for the running away of a slave and his flight from his home; and in it is also made a talisman for division between partners, and a talisman for the release of prisoners and captives.

28(23) The mansion of Sa'd Bula' (the Luck of the Swallower): it is from twelve degrees, fifty-one minutes and twenty-six seconds of Capricorn to twenty-five degrees, forty-two minutes and fifty-two seconds of it. In it are made talismans of treatment for recovery from illnesses, talismans for destroying wealth, talismans for separation between spouses, and for the rescue of prisoners or their release.

29(24) The mansion of Sa'd al-Su'ūd (the Luckiest of the Lucky): it is from twenty-five degrees, forty-two minutes and fifty-two seconds of Capricorn to eight degrees, thirty-four minutes and eighteen seconds of Aquarius. In it are made talismans for the good state of trade and the good state of the order of the spouses, talismans for the victory of armies and troops, and also for the spoiling of the affairs of partners, and for the release of those who are bound. And whoever attempts craftwork in it, what he attempts is spoiled and is not completed.

30(25) The mansion of Sa'd al-Akhbiya (the Luck of the Tents): it is from eight degrees, thirty-four minutes and eighteen seconds of Aquarius to twenty-one degrees, twenty-five minutes and forty-four seconds of it. In it are made talismans for besieging cities, talismans for harming enemies, victory over them, and inflicting evil and what is hateful on them, and talismans for sending messengers and spies, and their success; and talismans for the estrangement of the two spouses, the ruin of the crops, and the binding of the husband and of all the limbs; and by it the prisoner is bound fast, and by its talismans buildings are founded and made firm.

31(26) The mansion of al-Fargh al-Muqaddam (the Fore Spout): it is from twenty-one degrees, twenty-five minutes and forty-four seconds of Aquarius to four degrees, seventeen minutes and ten seconds of Pisces. In it are made all the talismans of good, and the joining of souls in affection, and the attaining of the wish for one who intends a journey, and the firmness of buildings; and talismans for the safety of travellers in ships, and talismans for corrupting what is between partners, and the binding fast of the prisoner and his fettering.

32(27) The mansion of al-Fargh al-Mu'akhkhar (the Rear Spout): it is from four degrees, seventeen minutes and ten seconds of Pisces to seventeen degrees, eight minutes and thirty-six seconds of it. In it are made talismans for the growth of trade, and blessing in the crops, and the speedy cure of diseases, and the destruction of the wealth of whomever you seek to destroy; and for corrupting what is between the two spouses, and harm to the one who travels by ship, and prolonging the imprisonment of the prisoner, and harm to slaves.

33(28) The mansion of al-Rishā' (the Rope): it is from seventeen degrees, eight minutes and thirty-six seconds of Pisces to the end of Pisces. In it are made talismans for the growth of trade, and the growth of crops, and the treatment of diseases, and the destruction of deposits, and the safety of the traveller, and reconciliation between the two spouses; and talismans for the binding fast of prisoners and their fettering, and harm to the one who travels by ship in some manner. So know that.

34And these twenty-eight images are what the people of India rely upon in their undertakings and their elections; thus have we found in what we have studied of their books on this matter. And the mainstay in what we have set forth is that the Moon, in the works of good that you undertake, be clear of the malefics and of combustion, applying to the benefics; and at the beginnings of works you make it separating from a benefic, applying to a benefic; and in works of evil the reverse of this. So know that.

35As for our saying earlier that the maker of talismans needs to be certain of the soundness of what he does: this is the preparedness on the part of the maker, and it is the readiness to receive the dominating actions whose coming-to-be is sought; and this readiness is found only in the human condition. As for preparedness in the other substances, it is the being-acted-upon of natural substances, like the aptness of wax to receive the form, and the being-acted-upon of the one thrown by the thrower: it is a preparedness to receive the throw through the weakness of his limbs against the grappling; and preparedness is found where there is weakness together with force.

36And this kind of preparedness is needed in the materials from which talismans are made, since not every material is receptive to whatever action happens. This is one of the principles agreed upon in what they have written down. And when the coming-to-be of preparedness and readiness for reception is necessary, the coming-to-be of reception is necessary; and when the coming-to-be of reception is necessary, there is union and the appearance of the intended action, since union is the impression for the reception of the form, so that the matter and the form are one.

37And that is like the adhering of a man's image in water and the mirror, and like the union of the divinity in the humanity according to the Christians, and like the union of the soul with the body. So understand this and make it clear to yourself. And know that what is intended by my composing these writings is nothing but the uncovering of what the people concealed; and God the Exalted does not place them [pronoun ambiguous: these writings] except in the hand of one whom He approves, and such is His way in His acts, glory be to Him and exalted.

38And I return to our purpose and say: know that if your work is by day, you should put the Moon in the ascendant, and let the ascendant be one of the diurnal signs; and likewise, if it is by night, let it be one of the nocturnal signs. When the ascendant is one of the signs of straight ascension, it makes the work easy and carries it through; and if the ascendant is one of the signs of crooked ascension, it makes the work difficult; except that their soundness and their corruption [are] by the aspect of the fortunate and the unfortunate planets to them.

39So if the ascendant is of straight ascension and an unfortunate [planet] aspects it or is in it, it corrupts that work and makes it difficult; and if it is one of the crooked signs and the fortunate [planets] aspect it or are in it, they make it easy. And likewise the nocturnal and diurnal signs when they rise out of their own kind, that is, that the diurnal rise by night and the nocturnal rise by day: if the fortunate [planets] aspect them, they set [them] right, and if the unfortunate [planets] aspect them, they increase in evil.

40So the ⟨maker⟩ of the talisman needs of necessity knowledge of the crooked and the straight signs, the fixed and the movable, those having bodies, the diurnal and the nocturnal; and to come to know the fortunate and the unfortunate planets; and to know the Moon's freedom from the accidents that befall it; and to know for which works of talismans each planet and each sign is suited.

41And his need is pressing also for the eclipse of the Moon. So guard with all your effort against the eclipse of the Moon in good works, and against its being under the rays of the Sun until it is released from the knot; and the release is that it be ahead of or behind its [pronoun ambiguous: the Sun's] point by twelve degrees from the beginning of the entry of the ray to the point of the Sun, and twelve degrees after leaving the point of the Sun.

42And guard also against Mars or Saturn being in one of these twelve degrees; or the Moon descending in the region of the south in latitude; or its being ahead of the Head or the Tail, or the degree of the Sun, or the degree opposite the Sun, by less than twelve degrees, for then it is combust through the meeting of its body with the body of the Sun, and that is the most severe of misfortunes;

43or its being diminished in course, heavy in motion, and that is when it travels less than twelve degrees, for then it resembles the course of Saturn; or its being in the burnt path, and the most severe of it is from eighteen degrees of Libra to three degrees of Scorpio; or its being in the last [degrees] of the signs, because it is in the terms of the unfortunate [planets]; or its being fallen from the midheaven into the ninth.

44And whenever a matter comes upon you suddenly whose working you cannot do without, and you cannot delay it for the setting right of the Moon, then put Jupiter and Venus in the ascendant or the midheaven, for the two of them guard against the evil of that.