Its attribution to the four elements, joined together with aither, was popularized in the middle ages and is its best-known meaning in modern occult sciences. Christians later appropriated it as a partition of their own concept of eternal punishment, a division of hell which constrained no less than the fallen angels.Īn equally enigmatic Pythagorean cipher is the symbol of the Pentagram, or five-fold star, whose form has been revered in western magic for some three millennia, but whose origins and original attributes are shrouded in mystery.

In later eras, it passed into myth as a vast and voidful underworld a place of binding for condemned souls and the enemies of gods, sealed fast with barriers of bronze and iron. This vast and incomprehensible dominion held at its center a great fire, an Axis Mundi about which the universe was arranged. As the abyss of primeval darkness and chaos, Tartaros was, in its most ancient conception, the birthplace of the human soul and the cosmos itself. In an original interpretation and synthesis apt for today’s student of ancient mysticism and the occult, August Alm advances a new conception of these ancient mystery-cults and their sublime doctrines of Chaos, Darkness and Light.Ī foundational part of these ancient Greek mystery-cults was the concept of Tartaros. What remains today are the fragments of its lost books, together with the words of those who, for good or ill, wrote about them. The enigma of the cult’s teachings was further shrouded by centuries of suppression, and, in some cases, appropriation or misrepresentation, by the growing forces of Christianity. Well-known for speaking in riddles and complex ciphers, its adepts were bound by strict taboo and silence, the breaking of which was punishable by death. The magical doctrines of the ancient Orphics and Pythagoreans are poorly understood by modern scholars, in part because they were secretive in their own time. Click on the image tab above for more pictures of this beautiful edition.

Feel free to contact us On the Orphic and Pythagorean Underworld, and the Pythagorean Pentagram by Johan August Alm (Special Deluxe Edition Bound in Leather Signed and Numbered by the Author)įull antique gray goatskin, with hand-marbled endpapers, signed by the Author, limited to only 25 copies. We are always interested in buying Esoteric, Occult, Freemasonry, Alchemy, Witchcraft, Religious, Philosophy and Lovecraftian fiction. Many of the books we carry are rare and we have a very limited quantity. All books are sold on a first come first serve basis. To get ordering information on any title just click on the picture.

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