---
product_id: 15052866
title: "Arbatel: Concerning the Magic of the Ancients"
price: "€ 66.90"
currency: EUR
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reviews_count: 8
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region: Slovakia
---

# Arbatel: Concerning the Magic of the Ancients

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## Description

desertcart.com: Arbatel: Concerning the Magic of the Ancients: 9780892541522: Peterson, Joseph H.: Books

Review: An Influential Text of Angel Magic in a Definitive Translation - Like other texts of magic he has translated, Joseph Peterson has given us the definitive English translation of the Arbatel, superceding Robert Turner's dominant 1655 translation, and also taking it out of the shadows of the title of Pseudo-Agrippa's Fourth Book of Occult Philosophy under which Turner published it. A nice jacketed hardcover of this Turner translation and collection of magic texts is available from IBIS PRESS (the same publisher), introduced with commentary by Stephen Skinner. Although Peterson gives due respect to Turner's translation, saying it "has a wonderfully archaic feel," he corrects the few mistakes within it and restores the text's interesting use of capitalized words. He also provides the Latin text out of which the book was translated and maintains the capitalization and diacritics used in the 1575 Latin edition. Additionally, there are numerous informative footnotes throughout the introduction and translation. The Arbatel is not to be confused with the magic texts Ars Almadel from The Lesser Key of Solomon (the Lemegeton) and The Grimoire of Armadel, although as Peterson points out, the latter was one of numerous magic texts directly influenced by the Arbatel (Intro., pages xxx - xxxi). In his over 20-page introduction, he covers not only the title and origins of the text, including the date, provenance, publisher, and probable author, but also the themes, editions, and influence of the book. Among the influences on the text, including those from the ancient esoteric currents of hermetism and Neoplatonism, the Bible and Paracelsus are prominent. Although the text has received opposition from certain Christian authorities, it is definitely cast in a Christian mold and is thought to have influenced not only certain Christian "proto-theosophers" such as Weigel, Khunrath, and Arndt but also the Christian theosophical current following Jacob Boehme. The biblical archangels Raphael, Michael, and Gabriel are recognized in the text, but so also are the seven "Olympic" spirits who correspond with the seven traditional astrological planets. These spirits and their seals have influenced other magical texts or grimoires, several of which Peterson lists (including The Magical Calendar, The Sixth and Seventh Books of Moses, and the Secret Grimoire of Turiel). Peterson also summarizes the magical method of the Arbatel in the intro, noting its simplicity compared to other grimoires. He also notes that unlike many other grimoires which focus on seclusion, the Arbatel defines the true magus as being involved with helping the community. Peterson also includes after aphorism 27 (which describes it) a circular diagram called "the Seal of Secrets" which is found in another collection of magic texts that include an English translation of the Arbatel independent of Turner's (Sloane manuscript 3851, dated 1696). This seal is not shown in any other version that Peterson has seen. Overall, this is a "wonderful" version of the text to own, reference, and compare with other works of a similar magical nature.
Review: 16th century grimoire in Latin and English. - Bilingual Latin and English side by side, which makes it great for Latin language students.

## Technical Specifications

| Specification | Value |
|---------------|-------|
| Best Sellers Rank | #108,274 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #274 in Occultism #386 in Magic Studies (Books) #395 in New Thought |
| Customer Reviews | 4.7 out of 5 stars 273 Reviews |

## Images

![Arbatel: Concerning the Magic of the Ancients - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71XgxUGNwxL.jpg)

## Customer Reviews

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ An Influential Text of Angel Magic in a Definitive Translation
*by T***T on August 3, 2009*

Like other texts of magic he has translated, Joseph Peterson has given us the definitive English translation of the Arbatel, superceding Robert Turner's dominant 1655 translation, and also taking it out of the shadows of the title of Pseudo-Agrippa's Fourth Book of Occult Philosophy under which Turner published it. A nice jacketed hardcover of this Turner translation and collection of magic texts is available from IBIS PRESS (the same publisher), introduced with commentary by Stephen Skinner. Although Peterson gives due respect to Turner's translation, saying it "has a wonderfully archaic feel," he corrects the few mistakes within it and restores the text's interesting use of capitalized words. He also provides the Latin text out of which the book was translated and maintains the capitalization and diacritics used in the 1575 Latin edition. Additionally, there are numerous informative footnotes throughout the introduction and translation. The Arbatel is not to be confused with the magic texts Ars Almadel from The Lesser Key of Solomon (the Lemegeton) and The Grimoire of Armadel, although as Peterson points out, the latter was one of numerous magic texts directly influenced by the Arbatel (Intro., pages xxx - xxxi). In his over 20-page introduction, he covers not only the title and origins of the text, including the date, provenance, publisher, and probable author, but also the themes, editions, and influence of the book. Among the influences on the text, including those from the ancient esoteric currents of hermetism and Neoplatonism, the Bible and Paracelsus are prominent. Although the text has received opposition from certain Christian authorities, it is definitely cast in a Christian mold and is thought to have influenced not only certain Christian "proto-theosophers" such as Weigel, Khunrath, and Arndt but also the Christian theosophical current following Jacob Boehme. The biblical archangels Raphael, Michael, and Gabriel are recognized in the text, but so also are the seven "Olympic" spirits who correspond with the seven traditional astrological planets. These spirits and their seals have influenced other magical texts or grimoires, several of which Peterson lists (including The Magical Calendar, The Sixth and Seventh Books of Moses, and the Secret Grimoire of Turiel). Peterson also summarizes the magical method of the Arbatel in the intro, noting its simplicity compared to other grimoires. He also notes that unlike many other grimoires which focus on seclusion, the Arbatel defines the true magus as being involved with helping the community. Peterson also includes after aphorism 27 (which describes it) a circular diagram called "the Seal of Secrets" which is found in another collection of magic texts that include an English translation of the Arbatel independent of Turner's (Sloane manuscript 3851, dated 1696). This seal is not shown in any other version that Peterson has seen. Overall, this is a "wonderful" version of the text to own, reference, and compare with other works of a similar magical nature.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 16th century grimoire in Latin and English.
*by J***R on August 16, 2025*

Bilingual Latin and English side by side, which makes it great for Latin language students.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Excellent bilingual edition
*by R***O on January 24, 2026*

Great book and the fact that it is a bilingual edition makes it more valuable, especially if your speak Latin (or if you are learning the language). It is such a shame that only the Isagoge survived (or was written). The binding and the overall quality of the book is good. It arrived in perfect condition.

## Frequently Bought Together

- Arbatel: Concerning the Magic of the Ancients
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*Product available on Desertcart Slovakia*
*Store origin: SK*
*Last updated: 2026-03-03*