Chapter 44

Recipes for fumigations matched to each planet.
Compositio quorundam suffituum planetis accommodatorum.
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Latin — 1533, repaired

Sic conficimus pro Sole suffumigationem, ex croco, ambra, musco, ligno aloes, ligno balsami, et ex fructibus lauri, cum garyophyllis, et myrrha, et thure; quae omnia contusa et certa proportione commixta, ea videlicet quae suaviorem reddant odorem, incorporantur cum cerebro aquilae, vel sanguine galli albi, in modum pilularum vel trochiscorum. Lunarem vero suffumigationem conficimus ex capite ranae arefacto, et oculis tauri, et semine papaveris albi, cum thure et camphora, quae incorporantur cum sanguine menstruo, vel sanguine anseris. Pro Saturno capitur semen papaveris nigri, semen hyoscyami, radix mandragorae, lapis magnes et myrrha, et conficiuntur cum cerebro cati, vel sanguine vespertilionis. Pro Iove accipitur semen fraxini, lignum aloes, storax, gummi benzoes, lapis lazuli, et de summitate pennarum pavonis, et incorporantur cum sanguine ciconiae, vel hirundinis, vel cerebro cervino. Pro Marte capimus euphorbium, bdellium, armoniacum, radices utriusque ellebori, lapidem magnetis et parum sulphuris, et incorporantur omnia cum cerebro corvi, sanguine humano, et sanguine cati nigri. Pro Venere conficimus suffumigium ex musco, ambra, ligno aloes, rosis rubeis, et corallo rubeo, et conficiuntur cum cerebellis passeris et sanguine columbarum. Pro Mercurio fit suffumigium, ex mastyche, thure, garyophyllis, et herba pentaphyllo, ac lapide achate, et incorporantur omnia cum cerebro vulpis vel mustelae, et cum sanguine picae. Sunt praeterea suffitus Saturni, omnes odoriferae radices, ut costi et herbae thuris. Iovis suffitus, odoriferi quique fructus, ut nux muscata, ut garyophylli. Martis, omne odoriferum lignum, sandalorum, cupressi, balsami, et ligni aloes. Solis omne gummi, thus, mastyche, benzoe, storax, ladanum, atque ambra et muscus. Veneris sunt flores, rosae, violae, crocus, et consimiles. Mercurii omnes cortices lignorum et fructuum, ut cinnamomum, cassia lignea, macis, cortices citri et lauri grana, et quaeque etiam odorifera semina. Luna habet pro suffitu vegetabilium omnium folia, ut folium Indum, et folia myrti, et lauri. Scias praeterea iuxta magorum sententias, quod in omni opere bono, ut sunt amor, benevolentia et similia, suffumigium debet esse bonum, redolens, et pretiosum. In malo autem opere, ut sunt odium, ira, calamitas et similia, suffumigium debet esse foetidum et vile. Habet etiam duodecim signa Zodiaci suos suffitus, ut Aries myrrham, Taurus costum, Gemini mastychen, Cancer camphoram, Leo thus, Virgo sandalos, Libra galbanum, Scorpius opoponaca, Sagittarius lignum aloes, Capricornus asam, Aquarius euphorbium, Pisces thymiama. Potentissimum autem suffituum describit Hermes, ex septem aromatibus, iuxta septem planetarum vires conflatum: recipit namque a Saturno costum, a Iove nucem muscatam, a Marte lignum aloes, a Sole mastychen, a Venere crocum, a Mercurio cinnamomum, a Luna myrtum.

Close translation

Thus we compound for the Sun a suffumigation from saffron, amber(gris), musk, aloes-wood, balsam-wood, and from bay berries, with cloves and myrrh and frankincense; all of which, pounded and mixed in a certain proportion — namely such as renders a sweeter odor — are incorporated with eagle's brain, or the blood of a white cock, in the manner of pills or troches. A lunar suffumigation, however, we compound from a dried frog's head, and bull's eyes, and white poppy seed, with frankincense and camphor, which are incorporated with menstrual blood, or goose blood. For Saturn is taken black poppy seed, henbane seed, mandrake root, magnet-stone, and myrrh, and they are compounded with cat's brain, or bat's blood. For Jupiter is taken ash-tree seed, aloes-wood, storax, gum benzoin, lapis lazuli, and from the topmost part of peacock feathers, and they are incorporated with stork's blood, or swallow's, or stag's brain. For Mars we take euphorbium, bdellium, ammoniacum, the roots of both hellebores, magnet-stone and a little sulphur, and all are incorporated with raven's brain, human blood, and black cat's blood. For Venus we compound a fumigation from musk, amber(gris), aloes-wood, red roses, and red coral, and they are compounded with sparrow's brains and dove's blood. For Mercury a fumigation is made from mastic, frankincense, cloves, and cinquefoil herb, and agate stone, and all are incorporated with fox's or weasel's brain, and with magpie's blood. There are, besides, the fumigations of Saturn: all odoriferous roots, such as costus and the herb of frankincense. The fumigation of Jupiter: all odoriferous fruits, such as nutmeg, such as cloves. Of Mars: every odoriferous wood — sandalwoods, cypress, balsam, and aloes-wood. Of the Sun: every gum, frankincense, mastic, benzoin, storax, ladanum, and amber(gris) and musk. Of Venus are the flowers: roses, violets, saffron-crocus, and the like. Of Mercury: all barks of woods and fruits, such as cinnamon, cassia-wood, mace, the peels of citron and bay-berries, and also all odoriferous seeds. The Moon has, for its fumigation, the leaves of all plants, such as Indian leaf, and the leaves of myrtle and bay. Know besides, according to the opinions of the magi, that in every good working — such as love, benevolence, and the like — the fumigation ought to be good, fragrant, and precious. But in an evil working — such as hatred, wrath, calamity, and the like — the fumigation ought to be foetid and base. The twelve signs of the Zodiac, too, have their fumigations: Aries myrrh, Taurus costus, Gemini mastic, Cancer camphor, Leo frankincense, Virgo sandalwoods, Libra galbanum, Scorpio opopanax, Sagittarius aloes-wood, Capricorn asafoetida, Aquarius euphorbium, Pisces incense. The most potent of fumigations, however, Hermes describes, compounded from seven aromatics according to the powers of the seven planets: for it takes from Saturn costus, from Jupiter nutmeg, from Mars aloes-wood, from the Sun mastic, from Venus saffron, from Mercury cinnamon, from the Moon myrtle.

Modern rendering

For the Sun we make a fumigation from saffron, ambergris, musk, aloes-wood, balsam-wood, bay berries, cloves, myrrh, and frankincense: all pounded and mixed in a proportion chosen for the sweetest scent, then bound with eagle's brain or white rooster's blood into pills or lozenges. For the Moon: a dried frog's head, bull's eyes, and white poppy seed with frankincense and camphor, bound with menstrual blood or goose blood. For Saturn: black poppy seed, henbane seed, mandrake root, lodestone, and myrrh, compounded with cat's brain or bat's blood. For Jupiter: ash-tree seed, aloes-wood, storax, gum benzoin, lapis lazuli, and the tips of peacock feathers, bound with stork's or swallow's blood, or stag's brain. For Mars: spurge, bdellium gum, ammoniac gum, the roots of both kinds of hellebore, lodestone, and a little sulphur, all bound with raven's brain, human blood, and black cat's blood. For Venus: musk, ambergris, aloes-wood, red roses, and red coral, compounded with sparrow brains and pigeon's blood. For Mercury: mastic, frankincense, cloves, cinquefoil, and agate, bound with fox's or weasel's brain and magpie's blood. Beyond these, Saturn's incenses are all fragrant roots, like costus root and frankincense-tree bark. Jupiter's are fragrant fruits, like nutmeg and cloves. Mars's are all fragrant woods — sandalwoods, cypress, balsam, aloes-wood. The Sun's are every resin: frankincense, mastic, benzoin, storax, labdanum, ambergris, musk. Venus's are flowers: roses, violets, saffron-crocus, and similar blooms. Mercury's are the barks of woods and fruits — cinnamon, cassia bark, mace, citron peel, bay berries, and any fragrant seed. The Moon's incense is the leaves of every plant — Indian leaf, myrtle leaves, bay leaves. Know too, on the authority of the magicians, that in any working done for a good end — love, goodwill, and the like — the incense should be pleasant, fragrant, and costly. In a working done for an evil end — hatred, anger, harm, and the like — the incense should be foul-smelling and cheap. The twelve zodiac signs also have their own incenses: myrrh for Aries, costus for Taurus, mastic for Gemini, camphor for Cancer, frankincense for Leo, sandalwood for Virgo, galbanum for Libra, opopanax for Scorpio, aloes-wood for Sagittarius, asafoetida for Capricorn, spurge for Aquarius, and incense for Pisces. The strongest fumigation of all, Hermes describes, blended from seven aromatics matched to the seven planetary powers: costus from Saturn, nutmeg from Jupiter, aloes-wood from Mars, mastic from the Sun, saffron from Venus, cinnamon from Mercury, myrtle from the Moon.

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