The Key of Solomon the King by S.L. MacGregor Mathers Summary

The Key of Solomon the King is a medieval grimoire attributed to King Solomon that details ceremonial magic rituals for summoning and working with angels and spirits. The book provides comprehensive instructions for magical operations performed through the power of God, including the construction of magical tools, creation of pentacles and sigils, and proper timing using planetary hours. Unlike later grimoires, it emphasizes purification, confession of sins, and divine protection before conducting any magical experiments.

S.L. MacGregor Mathers, a prominent figure in the late 19th-century Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, translated The Key of Solomon the King. His translation represents an important contribution to modern Western esoteric traditions and added depth and authenticity to this ancient text. Mathers' scholarly work made this historically significant grimoire accessible to English-speaking audiences interested in ceremonial magic and occult studies.

The Key of Solomon the King is best suited for serious students of Western esotericism, occult history, and ceremonial magic traditions. Readers with genuine curiosity about historical magical practices, Renaissance-era grimoires, or the roots of modern Hermetic traditions will find it valuable. Writers researching possession themes, ritualistic practices, or occult symbolism may also benefit from its detailed content. However, casual readers may find the repetitive prayers and technical instructions dry and challenging.

The Key of Solomon the King is worth reading primarily for its historical and academic value rather than entertainment. The book offers fascinating insights into Renaissance-era magical thinking and serves as an important reference text for understanding Western occult traditions. However, readers should expect dense, repetitive content with elaborate ritual instructions that can be tiresome. Its value lies in cross-referencing, historical research, and understanding the ancestry of modern ceremonial magic rather than as an engaging narrative.

The Key of Solomon the King focuses on working with angels through divine power, while the Lesser Key (Goetia) deals specifically with summoning and commanding demons. The Greater Key does not mention the 72 spirits constrained by Solomon in a bronze vessel, which is central to the Lesser Key. The Key of Solomon the King provides more in-depth coverage of ritual preparations, planetary timing, and consecration of magical tools. All operations in the Greater Key are performed ostensibly through God's power, emphasizing purification and divine protection.

Planetary hours in The Key of Solomon the King are specific times governed by celestial bodies that determine when particular magical operations should be performed. Each planet's influence creates appropriate conditions for different types of rituals—for example, during Saturn's hours, one can summon souls from Hades who died natural deaths. The book opens with detailed charts showing these planetary hours, which practitioners must consult before beginning any magical work. This astrological timing system ensures rituals align with cosmic forces for maximum effectiveness.

The Key of Solomon the King requires elaborate materials constructed from specific substances obtained in prescribed ways at astrologically appropriate times. Each item—including paper, cloth, ink, magical instruments, and ritual tools—must be marked with specific magical symbols and blessed with particular words. The book details how to purify and prepare all substances needed for magic drawings, pentacles, and amulets. Many symbols incorporate the Transitus Fluvii occult alphabet, adding another layer of complexity to the preparation process.

The Key of Solomon the King is divided into two books that describe necessary drawings and preparations for each magical experiment. The text begins with a mythical introduction where Solomon writes the book for his son Rehoboam, commanding it be hidden in his tomb. After discovery by Babylonian philosophers and angelic interpretation, the grimoire proper opens with planetary hour charts, followed by detailed instructions for rituals, consecrations, and magical operations. The second section extensively covers material preparation methods that some readers find repetitive and tiresome.

The Key of Solomon the King is one of the most famous magical textbooks in Western occult tradition, dating back to the 14th or 15th century Italian Renaissance. Despite being attributed to biblical King Solomon, it's actually a pseudepigraphical work that influenced generations of ceremonial magicians and esoteric practitioners. S.L. MacGregor Mathers' translation played a crucial role in the development of modern Western esoteric traditions through the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. The text represents a significant bridge between medieval grimoire traditions and contemporary magical practice.

Critics note that The Key of Solomon the King contains extremely repetitive prayers and tedious ritual instructions that make it difficult to read cover-to-cover. The elaborate, time-consuming preparations described seem impractical, leading some readers to question the historical effectiveness of these complex rituals. Historical authenticity is doubted due to references to Christian saints and Roman mythology that wouldn't exist in Solomon's biblical era. Some editions suffer from poor image quality, making it difficult to read the specific letters, numbers, and symbols required for the rituals.

The Key of Solomon the King teaches comprehensive ceremonial magic practices including spirit evocation, creation of talismans, and consecration of magical instruments. The grimoire provides instructions for rendering angels familiar while cautioning practitioners not to demand things contrary to their nature. It includes detailed information about constructing pentacles—especially the grand pentacle of Solomon referenced in Arabian Nights. The text emphasizes that all magical operations must be performed through God's power after proper purification, confession, and invocation of divine protection.

The Key of Solomon the King remains relevant as a foundational text for understanding Western ceremonial magic and esoteric traditions that continue to influence modern occult practice. Its systematic approach to ritual preparation, planetary timing, and symbolic correspondence provides a framework still used by contemporary magicians and scholars of esotericism. The book serves as an essential historical reference for tracing the development of magical thought from medieval grimoires to modern Hermetic traditions like the Golden Dawn. Its influence extends into popular culture, literature, and academic studies of Renaissance-era occultism and religious practice.