Picatrix: A Medieval Treatise on Astral Magic (Magic in History)

I was pleased to see the new complete translation of Picatrix by Dan Attrell and David Porreca released in the Magic in History Series of Penn State Press. Picatrix is central to European astrological magic that it deserves an academic treatment. In addition, the willingness of Penn State Press to release a complete translation of Picatrix shows how things have changed in the past decade and the yeoman work done by mages such as Austin Coppock, Alexander Cummins and Cliff Low to delve deeply into astrological magic.As the translators point out at page 2 this version of Picatrix is, "specifically intended for students and scholars of the history of science and magic" In addition to the complete text of the Latin Picatrix in English translation the translators provide useful historical accounts of the pre-history of Picatrix and of the Latin text, Picatrix's exposition of the path of the sage, the use of the terminology nigromancia for astrological magic and the cosmology of Picatrix. Most interesting is a statistical breakdown of the types of magic in Picatrix. Finally, the translators elucidate their view of the importance of psychoactive drugs in ritual, though the translators insist at page 28 that they do not, "wish to suggest that all magic in the Picatrix can be explained away as drug addled delusion…"Coming as it does from an academic perspective, focused on history and social science the Attrell and Porreca translation provides a valuable orientation and background for the contemporary practitioner of astrological magic. No single translation can do justice to a work as complex as Picatrix and anyone who is serious about astrological magic or interested in Picatrix should certainly get a copy of the Attrell and Porreca translation as well as the Greer and Warnock Picatrix and the forthcoming Arabic Picatrix translation.

I've seen a few interviews with the author and now having the book, I can confirm that this is both an important and comprehensive effort at translating the original text into English, revising previous efforts and taking much more of the cultural context into account. If you wish to understand this important text's place in the history of Western esoteric writing, then I highly recommend this translation!

Excellent book, with a complete introduction that covers different points of view of the creation of such work of art, it can be seen that it was translated with a team of high academic preparation and knowledge on the subject. It was translated with a lot of precision, respect, professionalism and with much seriousness to the subject. The book is made with high quality and its pages are quite thick. The only mistake that I could notice and it is difficult for me not to be upset, is that they created the index and left out the chapters of each book. For me it is a gross error in comparison with other versions. It's the reason why I could not give 5 stars.

Two things make this translation of the Picatrix a must have for any fan of the work. First, it has an index, and it's a really nice index that is fairly complete. Second, the paragraphs are numbered, so we can refer to things as being mentioned in Picatrix 3.4.1, and then somebody else can go look it up and say, "Ha ha, good one." The translation seems to be really solid, too. It's a great edition.

Excellent academic translation of an ancient Latin text. If you are a student of occult history, this is the book you want. If you are a practicing magician, maybe not so much. This book made me a fan of Dan Attrell’s no-nonsense approach to magical history. No vague implications of wisdom from before recorded history here, just translation from actual historical text.

Dan and David have created a great translation here. Loved the introduction as well. Not to mention the wonderful cover design and solid construction. Big fan!

Too much fluff

Dan Attrell and David Porreca’s English translation of the Picatrix from Latin sources is a unique presentation of one of the most influential texts on esoteric engagement.Dan and David show incredible fidelity to the Latin manuscripts, and translate both the direct meaning, while putting the magical and esoteric elements in context.The often foggy and dusted-over window into *how* Europe interacted, translated and transmitted esoteric texts is polished crystal clear with Dan and David's translation and presentation of the Picatrix. The fruits of their labor offer both practical insights (for those wishing to practice the operations in the Picatrix), and has excellent, stimulating material for the historian and casual reader. It is professional, lucidly written, and a vital book for anyone interested in esoteric manuscripts and history.

Excelente trabalho.

DOCERE: PRINCEPS ANNO XXVI PC M221-1 IC-DP-H-M-M13 = LCC BF1618.A7 M3513 2019 ][ DDC 133.4/3-dc23 (PICATRIX: A MEDIEVAL TREASTISE ON ASTRAL MAGIC) translation from Latin to English - DEFINITIVE. Prior translations are rendered to SUBSET category of this PRIME. PCB-DOMINVS et DEVS

A fantastic book that sits prominently on my top shelf. There is a lot of really compelling and dark material in here that is perfect for anyone into the occult and similar areas of study. Thanks for your hard work in taking an ancient book I likely never would have read and presenting it in a beautiful hardcover book.

It has a great translation.