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Summa Sacre Magice: Books 3 & 4: The Compendium of Sacred Magic — Occult Philosophy

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Summa Sacre Magice: Books 3 & 4: The Compendium of Sacred Magic

Name: Summa Sacre Magice: Books 3 & 4: The Compendium of Sacred Magic
Price: 96.00 USD
Availability: InStock
ISBN: 9780738784502

✍️ Berengarius Ganelli, Stephen Skinner, Daniel Clark

Reader Score

4.6

(1 review)

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📚 WHAT THE BOOK IS ABOUT

This monumental text, dating from 1346, is the first English translation of Berengarius Ganelli's "Summa Sacre Magice: Books 3 & 4." Revered as the most comprehensive surviving Latin work on magic, it unveils practical methods and angelic invocations largely absent from later grimoires. Scholars Stephen Skinner and Daniel Clark have meticulously rendered this esoteric compendium, once owned by luminaries like John Dee, making its invaluable, long-lost wisdom accessible to modern practitioners and historians alike. It offers unparalleled insight into the origins of Solomonic and Enochian traditions.

Ganelli, Berengarius; , Skinner, Stephen; , Clark, Daniel

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Occult Philosophy

🏛 Llewellyn Publications 📅 2026 📖 336 pages 📔 Hardcover ISBN: 9780738784502

Fun Fact

This translation of Ganelli’s "Summa Sacre Magice" is an indispensable tome for scholars and serious practitioners. It brilliantly illuminates the origins of Western ceremonial magic, offering a rare window into 14th-century practical techniques and angelic invocations. While its archaic language may deter casual readers, its profound historical significance and "lost" knowledge cement its status as a cornerstone text, filling a crucial gap in our understanding of magical lineages.

📝 Description: Summa Sacre Magice: Books 3 & 4: The Compendium of Sacred Magic

The most significant surviving Latin text on magic, the Summa Sacre Magice is now available in English for the first time ever. Dating from 1346, the Summa Sacre Magice by Berengarius Ganelli provides the foundation for many grimoires and contains practical magic that has been lost from later manuscripts. Owned by Johannes Trithemius and Dr. John Dee, this text is the root of Shemhamphorash, Solomonic, and Enochian magic. Translated into English by Dr. Stephen Skinner and Daniel Clark, this volume contains the third and fourth books. The Summa Sacre Magice is a foundational grimoire. Unlike most early grimoires, which often lack the author's name and date, this manuscript proudly includes both. Its ancient origins and its wealth of lost knowledge make it an invaluable resource. Later grimoires failed to capture much of the detailed richness found in this text, confirming its status as the most significant Latin text on magic that has survived. This work stands as the most comprehensive overview of Latin mediaeval magic that has endured for almost 700 years. Among its many secrets are some of the earliest details of angelic invocations. These are intricately woven into the tapestry of the practical and sacred magical tradition. The transmission of this knowledge passed through four main teachers: from the 12th century Solomon (not the famous Biblical king) to Toz the Greek magician, then to Honorius, the author of Liber Juratus (13th century), and finally to Berengarius Ganelli (14th century).

💎 Expert review

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💎

Esoterica Books editorial team

Occult literature desk

While Skinner and Clark have produced a meticulous translation of this vital historical document, it is strictly for serious scholars and dedicated occultists. It is not suitable for casual readers seeking quick spells or entertainment, as the content is dense, academic, and deeply rooted in 14th-century Latin theology. Those looking for simplified modern adaptations will likely find the rigor overwhelming. However, for those committed to historical accuracy and primary source analysis, this volume provides an indispensable, comprehensive look at the practical magic that shaped Western esoteric history.

✓ EDITOR'S REVIEW

📖 Why choose it

📖

Why this book is worth reading

Practitioners and historians deeply invested in the origins of Western magic will find immense value in this newly translated compendium. It offers unparalleled insight into the roots of Solomonic and Enochian traditions, presenting practical methods and angelic invocations largely absent from later grimoires. By meticulously rendering this esoteric work for modern accessibility, it allows readers to unearth the genuine foundations of sacred magic once owned by luminaries like John Dee. This is essential for those seeking authentic, long-lost wisdom rather than derivative interpretations.

⭐ Reader reviews

The starting rating comes from the team Esoterica Books —

⭐ Esoterica editorial review Editorial rating 4.6/5

★★★★★

For serious students of the esoteric arts, historical magic, or anyone seeking the unadulterated roots of Western occultism. If you're a practitioner curious about the genesis of grimoires and the practical magic that preceded later traditions, this profound volume is for you.

Reader rating

4.6

Based on 1 reviews

Esoterica Books editorial team

While Skinner and Clark have produced a meticulous translation of this vital historical document, it is strictly for serious scholars and dedicated occultists. It is not suitable for casual readers seeking quick spells or entertainment, as the content is dense, academic, and deeply rooted in 14th-century Latin theology. Those looking for simplified modern adaptations will likely find the rigor overwhelming. However, for those committed to historical accuracy and primary source analysis, this volume provides an indispensable, comprehensive look at the practical magic that shaped Western esoteric history.

❓ Frequently asked questions

This volume contains Books 3 and 4 of Berengarius Ganelli’s monumental work. While not the entire Summa, it presents a significant portion of its practical magical content, including key invocations and lost techniques.

It is the most comprehensive surviving Latin magical text from its era, offering unparalleled insight into 14th-century magical practices. Its detailed content directly influenced many later grimoires and traditions, making it a foundational document for understanding Western ceremonial magic.

📖 Who should read this

🎯 Key themes and symbolism

Practical Lost Magic

Delve into ancient rituals and techniques that have been obscured or omitted in subsequent magical texts. Ganelli’s work offers a rare glimpse into the tangible, operational magic of the 14th century, providing detailed instructions and insights into practices that were once widespread but eventually became fragmented or misunderstood over time.

Angelic Invocations Revealed

Explore some of the earliest documented procedures for summoning and communicating with celestial entities. The text intricately details methods for angelic interaction, laying the groundwork for complex systems of spiritual communication that would evolve throughout the Renaissance and beyond, offering profound insights into pre-modern demonology and angelology.

📜 Historical context

Penned in 1346, the "Summa Sacre Magice" represents a pivotal moment in the development of Western esotericism. It predates many well-known grimoires, serving as a primary source for traditions like Shemhamphorash, Solomonic, and Enochian magic. Its esteemed ownership by figures such as Johannes Trithemius and Dr. John Dee underscores its enduring influence and importance within the historical lineage of ceremonial magic.

📚 Glossary

Grimoire
Shemhamphorash
Solomonic Magic

📔 Questions to reflect on

How might the practical magic detailed in this 14th-century text differ from modern magical practices, and what can we learn from those distinctions?
Consider the implications of texts like the "Summa Sacre Magice" being "lost" and then rediscovered. What does this suggest about the cyclical nature of esoteric knowledge?
Reflect on the idea of "foundational" grimoires. How do such root texts shape the entire tree of magical traditions that follow, even if their direct content is forgotten?