The best edition in EnglishApril 25, 2008 A definitive edition of this work would require separate critical editions of its 5 parts, based upon a thorough examination of all extant manuscripts in many languages. That such a Herculean task might ever be accomplished seems set to remain a rather improbable eventuality, and until such a time we are lucky to have Peterson's slightly less ambitious volume. Peterson has produced a reliable English version based on Sloane 3825 in the British Library, giving some variant readings from other manuscripts in the same collection, and testimonia from such authorities as Trithemius. The result is an edition superior to any previously published. The Ars Notoria section, however, is just a reprint of Turner's widely available translation. At the back, the index omits the many Angelic names which comprise the essence of the text. You can get a preview of this edition at his website esotericarchives.com. Aside from the question of scholarship, the physical book is quite a nice production. One might wish that the many sigils had been professionally redrawn for this publication; or, failing that, at least some regularity might have been brought to their size. The text might have benefitted from wider outer margins also, but these are minor quibbles. At the time of writing, April 2008, this edition has just gone out of print. Second hand prices have skyrocketed. Perhaps this will give incentive to the publisher to bring out a second edition.
The lesser keyApril 22, 2008 I rate this book three stars almost four because like all authors on this subject attend to still leave stuff out or ebreveate words like in one of the calls it says Y @ U it leaves out the spelling of Y and U and makes the beginner lack knowledge of this phrase and can cause this call to not work as good we experianced magicians know that Y @ U reffer to the tetragrammaton word YHVH or YHWH but I like YHVH better its much older also known as yahveh and I suggest anyone studying this lesser key do so before attempting to use this book.Another famous word is AGLA around the pentacle of solomon AGLA is also a phrase known as ATAH GIBOR LEOLAM ADONAI it means You, O Lord, are mighty forever.And the book is not worth $180 you can find it cheaper so look around but this book is accurate you just need to study the words that are bolded some are hebrew and some are greek so in each calling study the words and you will know.But overall I like this book its worth getting.Any questions ask me.I will be out with my own version soon of the grimoires worth studying and accurate nothing left so beginners can have something to go by.SWAtudy well and you will gain results.
The new standard for the LemegetonAugust 23, 2007 5 out of 5 found this review helpful
For many years the occult community had to make due with the smattering of titles and partial titles brought out of obscurity by Mathers and Crowley. Today we are literally witnessing a Hermetic Renaissance as more complete titles come forth to replace their partial or unedited folio predecessors.
Here we have not just the Goetia, but the entire Lemegeton, put together in a uniquely scholarly fashion. Compiled from original manuscripts and fragments from the British Museum Library, this is the most complete and accurate Lemegeton ever offered to the public.
Peterson has done a wonderful job at compiling and editing this work. His continued commentary on derivative works, and analytical comparisons of the variations in the historical manuscripts, is an unprecedented boon to the student. Nearly every page is 20% footnotes and editorial comment, making it particularly valuable for anyone exploring the Solomon cycle.
The copious footnotes go to heroic lengths to contrast different readings or additional materials from other editions. Unlike previous editions of the Lesser Key, you really feel like you have the benefit of the British Museum Library at your fingertips. If the footnotes weren't curriculum enough for the aspiring Goetic Magician, then the 55 pages of appendices should fill the bill. Appendix I is a list of addenda from Sloane 2731 and Sloane 3648. Appendix II - Pseudomonarchia Daemonum - Translated to English. Appendix III Comparison of Goetia spirits with Weyer's list. Appendix IV is made up of alternate drawings from other editions of the Lemegeton.
There is only one section that I am not fond of. Peterson gives a breakdown of previous editions of the Lemegeton/Goetia (missing a couple along the way) and it seems to me the judgments he hands out here may not be even handed. His primary beef with earlier editions is that none of them were critical, and most rely on a single manuscript, rather that trying to piece together the original tradition from a survey of all fragments at hand. While that is a true observation, I am not sure that any of these earlier works claimed to be anything other than exactly what they were. The incomplete Mathers/Crowley edition which simply contains the first book of the Lemegeton, "The Goetia" is easy enough to attack. After all, it was pretty sloppy with some unexplained material that doesn't even belong to the Goetia. However his treatment of Mitch Henson's edition is a little on the harsh side. He complains that Henson doesn't include the 5th book, "The Notary Art of Solomon". Henson explains his logical omission of this work very well in his edition. In fact Peterson goes on to explain that there is "no one work" by that name.
I have to say that last gripe would pass right past most readers, and even the ones that agree with me would find it only the most minor of annoyances. It doesn't take a single star from my review of this monumental and over-due work.
The only down side to having so many alternate readings, seals, sigils, and spellings, would be that you are never quite sure again, who you are summoning, and just what he can do once he gets here. Something else that anyone who uses the Mathers/Crowley version of the Goetia will notice, is that these seals are rough, and not inside of a double circle. If you want to augment this book with cleaned up artwork (which means recently altered for production value.) then you might want to also pick up a copy of Mitch Henson's Lemegeton. The seals are all redrawn beautifully.
This is truely the new standard edition of the Lemegeton. King Solomon is dead. Long live the king!
Grimoire of Original SigilsNovember 21, 2006 2 out of 4 found this review helpful
There are many subtle aspects of a magickal book that makes it a useful and powerful grimoire. One of the subtle aspects is to be able to work with Sigils and Seals that have been drawn by a master occultist and infused with his power. This great edition by Peterson includes such hand drawn sigils, which I have also seen from the original reproduction of one of the editions of the Lemegeton in the British Museum. If you work closely with these Sigils and tap into the power of the master that originally drew them, you will achieve excellant results in contacting the spirits within this grimoire.
Re-review: Second thoughts on this titleJanuary 6, 2006 4 out of 5 found this review helpful
Please disregard my previous rating of this text. This edition of The Lesser Key Of Solomon is a concise, easy-to-read work with crisp illustrations. The price seems quite fair for what is delivered. Recommended for the serious researcher.
