Seals For The Goetic Presidents? Options

Sorry if this has been asked before, but I didn't see it.

Various copies of the Goetia refer to Mercury as the metal of the Presidents, which is all well and good, until you get to the point with the Spirit when for whatever reason you are supposed to, or want to inscribe its Seal upon the appropriate metal. Copper, Tin, Silver, no problem. But how am I supposed to inscribe on Mercury?

I've been considering brass, as it is also attributed to Mercury, or an alloy with Mercury, but I was wondering if anyone else has another idea/suggestion.

Usually the mercury they're talking about is what's known as 'fixed mercury,' meaning it's mercury alloyed with something else so it stays stable and isn't liquid at room temp like it usually is.

Personally I'd stick to brass if it's attributed to Mercury and you're trying to get that general influence. Mercury the metal is *toxic* and shouldn't be handled without controlled conditions and protective gear. If it's heated, you can get mercury fumes that can damage your lungs and central nervous system. Not good. Bear in mind the ancients weren't really aware of the toxic effects of a lot of heavy metal poisoning as it usually takes a long time to develop and cause damage. If you died by age 25-30 as a lot of them did back then, a lot of effects wouldn't necessarily be evident. Hell, they used lead in women's face powder, ate arsenic wafers to make themselves look pale, and used antimony in eyeliner, so...to this day they still use lead in folk remedies in Mexico and a lot of candy that's shipped here from south of the border is contaminated with it.

So yeah, don't use liquid mercury...

Usually the mercury they're talking about is what's known as 'fixed mercury,' meaning it's mercury alloyed with something else so it stays stable and isn't liquid at room temp like it usually is.

Fixed mercury is bright red, brittle, and takes a high polish. Commonly called cinnabar, its chemical name is Mercury Sulfide, and it occurs naturally in several parts of the world albeit in specimens of poor quality most of the time. At great personal expense and hazard, I have made the Presidential seals from this metal of which I am highly covetous.

Modern cinnabar is actually resinous lacquer made from Benzoin gum and is found in Chinese specialty stores. Small bottles and antique signature seals are also available with real mercury cinnabar, but these are useless for re-making into spirit sigils. Certain red agates also contain the mineral, but I am uncertain whether or not this material has any occult value.

Brass and mixed metals are used for Mercury sometimes. In Goetia, fine brass (copper and silver) are used for the seals of the Earls, related to Mars. In the middle of the bronze age (the supposed time of Solomon), iron was not used for weapons, and we still refer to military officials as Top Brass.

Since I am learning spagyrics, I like this answer the best:

This is a detail of the conventions of terminology used by Alchemists. If something is referred to as “Philosophical Gold”, or “Philosophical Silver”, etc, it does not mean literal Gold or Silver. Instead it refers to a substance which has the “signature” of Gold or Silver upon it. Likewise for Philosophical Lead, Philosophical Tin, etc. By carrying out the Alchemical process in the Spirit in which it is intended, we are able to put this “signature” on to the substance in question.

This potentially unlocks a puzzle of the old grimoires. It was said that to make the seals of various spirits one should use the Metals of the Planets to which those spirits are ascribed. But … how exactly does one make a Seal out of, say, Quicksilver? To the Alchemist, the answer now becomes blindingly obvious. Take a piece of parchment, and soak it in a Tincture that you have made from a herb which is under the presidency of the planet Mercury. Remove the parchment and allow it to dry. You have turned the parchment into a piece of “Philosophical Quicksilver”, and as such you may use it to create the Seal of the Mercurial spirit if you so wish. This is but one application of Alchemy to the problem. It is also possible in the Metallic Work to take actual Quicksilver, and create a safe, non-toxic and even beneficient tincture from it. This too would serve purpose admirably. This is sure the true method of using “fluid condensers” in magic: the version proposed by Franz Bardon is only a pale imitation

Here's the link:
http://www.jwmt.org/v1n9/prima.html

This post has been edited by flyingmojo: Nov 23 2007, 10:21 PM

Thanks everyone for you help.

Darkmage, I never thought about the mortality rate, and the mercury poisoning, that helped clear up why it was less of an issue.

Flyingmojo, thanks, that's a good idea and link.

Glad I could help.

One last thing--the phrase "mad as a hatter" comes from the dementia hat makers suffered in the old days. They got it by processing felt in various mercury solutions, among other very toxic things. After a time of inhaling and handling (mercury's absorbed through the skin, too) that stuff, their mind started to go, and it was permanent. They didn't realise it was from the chemicals they were using.

@Flyingmojo: that's interesting! I'll have to try that one out and see how it works.

Glad I could be of help. It is a very fascinating idea. One of these days I intend to make a spirit book using Nero's instructions, and when I do, I'll soak the pages that will have the seals of the planetary spirits on them, each one in the appropriate tincture.

The method you described opens up a lot of possibilities just for the Greater Key alone. I'm not so sure about the Lesser Key as a lot of the spirit/planet 'rulerships' seem to be arbitrary at best, like the spirits were being forced in to a model that wasn't necessarily correct, just efficient for the time it was compiled. But the alchemical method you describe seems like it would be useful for just about any form of planetary magic. Hmm...

*goes off to ponder*

This post has been edited by Darkmage: Nov 25 2007, 08:54 PM