More on the Dodecad, and a Hellenic Magical System

Tue, 05 Sep 2023 13:21:22 GMT

Sallustius discussed the Dodecad in a form much simplified from that of Proclus in his treatise On the Gods and the World.

VI. On Gods Cosmic and Hypercosmic.

Of the Gods some are of the world, cosmic, and some above the world, hypercosmic. By the cosmic I mean those who make the cosmos. Of the hypercosmic Gods some create essence, some mind, and some soul. Thus they have three orders; all of which may be found in treatises on the subject.

Of the cosmic Gods some make the world be, others animate it, others harmonize it, consisting as it does of different elements; the fourth class keep it when harmonized.

These are four actions, each of which has a beginning, middle, and end, consequently there must be twelve Gods governing the world.

Those who make the world are Zeus, Poseidon, and Hephaistos; those who animate it are Demeter, Hera, and Artemis; those who harmonize it are Apollo, Aphrodite, and Hermes; those who watch over it are Hestia, Athena, and Ares.

One can see secret suggestions of this in their images. Apollo tunes a lyre; Athena is armed; Aphrodite is naked (because harmony creates beauty, and beauty in things seen is not covered).

While these twelve in the primary sense possess the world, we should consider that the other Gods are contained in these. Dionysus in Zeus, for instance, Asklepios in Apollo, the Charites in Aphrodite.

We can also discern their various spheres: to Hestia belongs the earth, to Poseidon water, to Hera air, to Hephaistos fire. And the six superior spheres to the Gods to whom they are usually attributed. For Apollo and Artemis are to be taken for the Sun and Moon, the sphere of Kronos should be attributed to Demeter, the ether to Athena, while the heaven is common to all. Thus the orders, powers, and spheres of the twelve Gods have been explained and celebrated in hymns.

Sallust links the twelve gods direclty to the planets and the four (or five) elements. The applications to magic are obvious, but as far as I know this is, to a great extent, unexplored territory.

The Hellenic Golden Dawn: A Speculation

A Hellenic initiatory system, modeled on the Golden Dawn or the Dolmen Arch, or both, would invoke Hera as the power governing Air, Hephaistos for Fire, Poseidon for Water, and Vesta for Earth. An invocation of Hermes as guide and guardian of the operator would probably precede the elements, in order to make use of the Hermetic material and keeping in mind that Iamblichus tells us that all priests have Hermes in common. The work would proceed into astrological magic with the deities as given governing the planets. Between the elemental and astrological work would come the encounter with Athena as the lady of the ether or fifth element.

One approach might be to begin with Hermes, and the Hermetic philosophy. After this, work with the four elements, under the appropriately named deities. Then an encounter with Athena, and an introduction to higher philosophy via Plato and (perhaps) Plotinus. Then astrological magic. Then an invocation of Apollo, then another round of philosophy covering Plato's more difficult work (i.e., Parmenides), and a final degree of magic covering what Sallust here is calling the hypercosmic deities.

Dodecad and the Zodiac

The twelve gods of the Dodecad must also correspond to the twelve signs of the Zodiac. Others have pointed this out. In my own astrological work, I usually assign the gods to the Zodiac as follows:

Aries--Ares
Taurus--Ceres
Gemini--Hermes
Cancer--Artemis
Leo--Apollo
Virgo--Vesta
Libra--Aphrodite
Scorpio--Hera
Sagittarius--Jupiter
Capricorn--Hephaistos
Aquarius--Athena
Pisces--Poseidon

It's interesting, however, to consider how the triads of Proclus and Sallustius could be assigned to the Zodiac. We have two ways of grouping the signs by three, either by the elements or the seasons. If we go with the elements, the arrangement looks like this:

Fire

Aries
Leo
Sagittarius

Air

Libra
Aquarius
Gemini

Water

Cancer
Scorpio
Pisces

Earth

Capricorn
Taurus
Virgo

If by the season:

Spring

Aries
Taurus
Gemini

Summer

Cancer
Leo
Virgo

Autumn

Libra
Scorpio
Sagittarius

Winter

Capricorn
Aquarius
Pisces

It's very hard to see how the Procline triads could be assigned to either set of Zodiacal triads. To take just the Demiurgic triad for example, Zeus doesn't fit the symbolism of any of the "firsts" in either series; his symbolism fits either Sagittarius or Leo. I assign him to Sagittarius, as this sign is ruled by Jupiter, his planet; is associated with the life of the higher mind, which elevates us above matter; and points toward Capricorn, which is ruled by Saturn, his father. Leo would also work, but I prefer to think of the Sun's sign as ruled by Apollo. Proclus tells us that "of whatever the Sun is the author, the Demiurgus [from whom he is emanated] is in a greater degree teh fabricator and precedaneous cause." Thus the power of the hypercosmic Demiurge is contained within Leo, but that of the encosmic, in Sagittarius.

If anyone out there has worked with these ideas or this symbolism before, I'd be very interested in knowing what you think.

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More on the Dodecad, and a Hellenic Magical System