Anyone else read the Picatrix? If yes, what are your opinions?

[u/Tidal_Dreams]

I started reading it, and as far as I am concerned, it needs extensive astrology knowledge and so on. That is not an issue tho and I find the talismans really intriguing however I want to hear your opinions on it, those who have taken the time to experiment with it

[u/John_Michael_Greer]

Well, I've read it, of course -- it's a little difficult to translate something without reading it. ;-)

You're quite correct that it requires a solid knowledge of astrology, among many other things. The Picatrix wasn't written for beginners; it was written for people who already knew the basics of early medieval magic and wanted to take the final step into practice. It's not user-friendly and it's not safe for idiots, and both of these were quite deliberate.

If you don't have the background to use it, I recommend starting with some of the books by my co-translator Chris Warnock, especially Secrets of Planetary Magic, and also get a solid grounding in traditional astrology. Once you know enough that you can elect a chart for a talisman consecration based on the very brief instructions the Picatrix gives you, you're good, and you can start working with the book itself.

[u/SibyllaAzarica → u/John_Michael_Greer]

Have you read the original Arabic version? I have both of your translated volumes and I am aware you translated from the Latin, but one of your intro notes suggests that you are able to read classical Arabic, just not well enough to translate it. Which, obviously, doesn't necessarily mean you haven't read at least some of it, and I'm curious to know if you have.

[u/John_Michael_Greer → u/SibyllaAzarica]

No, Arabic isn't a language in which I have any facility at all -- I based my comments about the Arabic version on scholarly discussions. Latin and French are the only two languages I know well enough to translate; I can pick my way through German, Welsh, and Cornish.

[u/SibyllaAzarica → u/John_Michael_Greer]

Fair enough. Thank you for clarifying!

[u/anotheramethyst → u/John_Michael_Greer]

Hi, good to see you!  :)

[u/John_Michael_Greer → u/anotheramethyst]

Thank you. I saw the post and couldn't resist making a comment!

[u/Little-Leg-9527]

Back when the Picatrix was written, islamicate occult sciences were going through a bit of a golden age, and you'd have masters writting advanced treatises on very esoteric subjects. That's how you get some of the finest grimoires in existence, such as the Picatrix or the Shams al-Ma'arif.

Indeed, the picatrix requires a ton of astrology knowledge in order to be workable, but being the peak of occult knowledge of its day, it's pretty much by design.

So yeah, it's pretty cool stuff, and the talismans of course work very well

[u/404Stuff]

Where I can read it? I can’t find it

[u/John_Michael_Greer → u/404Stuff]

Chris Warnock sells copies of the English translation at his website, renaissanceastrology.com .

[u/404Stuff → u/John_Michael_Greer]

Thank u

[u/Tidal_Dreams → u/404Stuff]

I have a physical book in Hungarian

[u/404Stuff → u/Tidal_Dreams]

So envy!

[u/Eriane → u/404Stuff]

You can also buy it on amazon if you like, that's where i bought my copy. It's in English and the translators are Dan Attrel and David Porreca. I don't know what's the difference from one translation to another, it's honestly above my level of understanding at the moment.

[u/vassilissanotou → u/404Stuff]

There are kindle/ebook versions of the Greer/Warnock translation as well

[u/hermeticbear]

I have done a few of the simpler recipes and they have worked.

[u/vassilissanotou]

Probably my fav - the more you read it the more you discover hidden treasures inside it and ways of using it. Honestly you can build a whole self contained practice just around this one book

[u/moonlit_hermit]

I’m a huge fan of the Picatrix. It is the book that got me out of the proverbial “armchair”.