The title of this book seems very simple. What can be said about a dictionary? The general concept is that a dictionary is simply a collection of words that is used to look up the meaning of a word if it is not known. In real life, we pick up a dictionary, use it, and then put it aside. What we are speaking about here, however, is a special dictionary. First of all, it is a specialized dictionary dedicated to the meaning of ancient magic words and their spells. Secondly, the author, Claude Lecouteux, Professor Emeritus at the Sorbonne, has been doing research on myths, magic, legends, and popular beliefs for years. For more information, visit the website of the Université Paris-Sorbonne.
This book is divided into several chapters. The praeambulus (“Praeambulus: Words That Possess a Power”) is really a short essay that is full of information. It provides definitions of words and magic phrases contained in charms, and classifies them according to orisons, blessings, medical prescriptions, and conjurations. Lecouteux highlights the common roots of pagan and Christian uses of charms. The common belief was that evil and diseases were caused by demons or by the devil, and according to Christian belief, were also related to sins.
Among all the apotropaic charms (words and/or phrases), some are used in black magic. For example, to protect oneself against a thief, one can recite formulas to blind or to paralyze the potential thief. The formulas may call for divine assistance or the help of the devil. The more that names (real) of supernatural beings are mentioned in the formula, the greater is the help that will be received (xv). To be effective, written formulas must be written on propitious days, which differ from country to country, and must be applied or administered (this medical usage was widespread) according to precise rituals using ingredients of different natures (e.g., blood from bats or black dogs, in black magic).
For various reasons, it is not easy to understand magic phrases. The first pagan models were modified to meet Christian needs, which in the end became a fusion of both models. The words that converge in the formulas have different sources, often Greek, Hebrew, and Latin, and sometimes are derived from Christian liturgy (starting with the Bible). Over time, knowledge of the original languages almost completely disappeared with only a few people keeping them alive; the common people did not know Greek or Latin. Many words became distorted versions of the original. In the northern European countries, English, German, and Celtic words overlap. Many words or names are abbreviated with an initial. Transcriptions may be erroneous or the letters may simply have been confused with other letters, or the pronunciation was misunderstood and therefore the words were written differently (xxi). The texts can be encoded by exchanging the consonants with vowels, or the vowels can be replaced by using periods. For these reasons, not all of the formulas have been deciphered.
In the dictionary, the words and abbreviations are listed in alphabetical order. For each of these, the author describes the meaning, if possible, the use, and the bibliographical source. For some entries, the author provides information about the grimoires which he has personally studied. The author sometimes gathers together data on related themes. In this dictionary you will find such entries as Names of God and HAX PAA IS MAK. I send you to the dictionary so you can read about these and other entries. In fact, this dictionary deserves to be read, not simply consulted, because it is a source of knowledge and stimulation for reflection and further study for those who are interested in these topics.
Regarding the use of letters in magic, the author provides an interesting appendix that gives information on astrological signs, runes, Greek letters, Scandinavian letters, and English letters. Appendix Two on cryptography (381-384) is dedicated to encryption and includes various alphabets. The list of magic words used in various spells can be found in Appendix Three (385-392). The words are conveniently arranged in alphabetical order. The extensive bibliography lists rare manuscripts and where they can be found. The rich iconography is certainly an essential and integral part of the volume.
As the author states, the volume is not exhaustive. Further discoveries are possible if
one continues to investigate the
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[Review length: 767 words • Review posted on September 20, 2016]