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Magickal Library

Liber XXV
Ritual of the Star Ruby

TEXT, TRANSLATION, COMMENTARY
by E. A. O. A.
77 Pyramid Oasis, O. T. O.
Buffalo, New York
IIIxvi A. L. 3 in Y, J in }
17 September 1986 e.v.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I wish to thank several members of Pyramid Oasis, especially Peter Arnold, Norman Fleck, August La Scola, and Michael Tromanhauser, for their discussion and contributions to my understanding of this ritual. I also wish to thank Richard Gurner and Randy von Smith for their thoughts and discussion. In no way do I suggest that any, or all, of these persons will agree with each specific detail, or the organization presented here. Responsibility for erroneous ideas and relationships expressed herein is assumed by me. This paper represents my understanding at a particular point in literal time and magical development, and is subject to change as these parameters change.

Liber XXV--STAR RUBY
A A Ritual in Class D.

1 Facing east, in the center, draw deep the breath, closing the mouth with the right forefinger pressed against the lower lip. Then dashing down the hand with a great sweep back and out, expelling the breath forcibly, cry:
Apo pantoc kakodaimonoc.
APO PANTOS KAKODAIMONOS.
(Go) away each evil daemon.

2 With the same forefinger touch the forehead, member, right shoulder and left shoulder, and say:
Soi, Q Falle, isxyroc, eyxaristoc.
SOI, O FALLE ISCHUROS EUCHARISTOS.
(Be) to you. O Phallus, strong (hard), thankful (winning).

3 Then clasp the hands, locking the fingers, and cry:.
IAQ
I-A-O.
IAO.

4 Advance to the east. Imagine strongly an upright pentagram on the forehead. Drawing the hands to the eyes, fling it forth, making the sign of Horus, and roar:
Xaoc. or Jhrion.
CHAOS. or THERION.
Chaos.1 Therion.2 (element of earth)

Retire the hand in the sign of Hoor-paar-Kraat.

5 Go around to the north and repeat, but scream:
Babalon. Nyij.
BABALON. or NUIT.
Babalon.1 Nuit.2(element of air)

6 Go around to the west and repeat, but say:
Eroc. Babalon.
EROS. or BABALON.
Eros.1 Babalon.2(element of water)

7 Go around to the south and repeat, but bellow:
Wuxh. >Adij.
PSYCHE. or HADIT.
Psyche.1 Hadit.2(element of fire)

8 Completing the circle widdershins, retire to the center and raise the voice in the Paean with the words below and the signs of N.O.X. (optionally facing the appropriate directions). The signs of N. O. X. are: Vir (the man), Mulier (the wife), Puer (the boy), Puella (the maiden), Mater Triumphans (the successful mother):
IQ, Pan.
IO, PAN.
Io, Pan. (element of spirit)

9 Extend the arms in the form of a Tau, and say low but clear:
Pro mou, Iyggec
PRO MOU, IUNGES
Before me, Wrynecks (the totem of the Abyss)

10
Opiso mou, Teletarxai
OPISO MOU, TELETARCHAI
Behind me, Initiation into the Mysteries

11
Epi devia, Synoxec
EPI DEXIA, SYNOCHES
On (my) right, Distress (anguish, trials, a holding together)

12
Eparistera, Daimonec1 (or Daimonoc2)
EPARISTERA, DAIMONES
On (my) left, Daemons (proceeding from fate)

13
Flegei Feg(g)ei
FLEGEI or FEGGEI
Flames1 Shines.2

14
Gar peri mou, >o asthr tqn pente
GAR PERI MOU, HO ASTER TON PENTE
For around me, the star of the five (points)
(=Pentagram)

15
Kai en thi sthlhi, >o asthr tqn >ev
KAI EN TH STHLH, HO ASTER TON HEX
And in the column, the star of the six (points)
(=Hexagram)

16
Esthke.
ESTHKE.
Stand.

17
Repeat the Qabalistic Cross, as above:
Soi, Q Falle, isxuroc, euxaristoc.
Soi. O FALLE, ISCHUROS, EUCHARISTOS.
(Be) to you. O Phallus, strong (hard), thankful (winning)

18
IAQ
I-A-O
IAO

19
End as you begin.

Facing east, in the center, draw deep the breath, closing the mouth with the right forefinger pressed against the lower lip. Then dashing down the hand with a great sweep back and out, expelling the breath forcibly, cry:
Apo pantoc kakodaimonoc.
APO PANTOS KAKODAIMONOS.
(Go) away each evil daemon.

1 A. Crowley. Book of Lies. Ch. 25.2 A. Crowley. Magick in Theory and Practice. Appendix VI.Verbal text in Greek, English phonetic transliteration in CAPITALS, directions and explanations in plain text.COMMENTARY The Ritual of the Star Ruby is the Thelemic expansion and elaboration of the Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram. It takes on the same general form, but incorporates some additional levels of symbolism, as well as the use of specific Thelemic symbols, rather than those in the more generalized LBR. Also, as a ritual of the Aeon of Horus, the Star Ruby stands between the LBR and the Ritual of the Mark of the Beast, Liber V vel Reguli. Just as the former sets down the basic format for the Star Ruby, so the latter can be used to interpret some of the symbols and directions. Frater A. L. (1983) provides some important background for this ritual. He reports the first version as being written no later than 1913, when the Book of Lies (Crowley, 1974) was first published, and that this modified Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram was modified during the Cephalu period (1920's). The latter version appears in Magick (Crowley, 1973), and was changed to conform to other Thelemic rituals such as Liber Reguli. He continued that the purpose of the Star Ruby is to produce the proper attitude of mind for the invocations. A still further point of significance, he mentioned that the Star Ruby should be a part of the daily invocations of members of Crowley's Order of Thelemites, along with Will, Liber Resh, and the Star Sapphire. He concludes one paragraph with "At least during the '20's, we can then reasonably assume that Therion considered these among the most important practices of Thelemic magic--of any grade." The current format of the Star Ruby has been set up from the versions in the Book of Lies and in Magick. The two are similar in many ways, but are decidedly distinct in others. Again, the two versions can be contrasted to discern the meaning and patterns of the symbolism. The lines have been numbered for ease of reference and analysis. The directions, adapted from the Book of Lies, have been modified to bring their form into a more modern style of English, and some inconsistencies in the Greek text have been corrected. Specifically why the Star Ruby has been written in Greek is not immediately clear, but the Book of Lies version appears to be a bit "purer", i.e. it utilizes Greek words, and not the more Egyptian Nuit and Hadit. It may have been written at the time Crowley was particularly interested in the Greek qabalah. As suggested above, the Star Ruby is a basic Thelemic banishing ritual. It is used appropriately anywhere a banishing ritual is required in the preparation of a space--personal or for a circle or temple--where a specific Thelemic emphasis or setting is desired. Crowley (1974) clearly indicates it to be a ritual of the A|A| upon which he chose to write no further comment. He does provide a single footnote, discussed below, which indicates that there are qabalistic interpretations to be considered. This is not unexpected in any of his rituals, so one must assume that there is a specific intent in placing the footnote where it is. In the interpretation of any of Crowley's writings, too, one should be conscious not only of the exoteric (the outer obvious level of action), but the esoteric (the hidden meaning), and frequently also a sexual context. The number of the Liber, XXV, is the square of five, and the pentagram has the red color of Geburah (Crowley, 1974), hence its position as Kefalh KE. Considering these factors, the commentary can proceed forthwith.Line 1. Apo pantoc kakodaimonoc. This line sets the basic tone of the banishing characteristic of the ritual. It is a line parallel to the Biblical one where on the mountaintop Satan tempts Jesus, and the response is "Get thee behind me, Satan.". The line itself is a prepositional phrase with an understood verb. The word Apo implies motion behind, and takes the genitive case of that which is to be put behind, i.e. pantoc kakodaimonoc. Literally translated, it means "of every evil daemon". With an implied verb "go" or "get", the line means "Get behind me every evil daemon. The magician stands in the center of his universe, facing east, the direction of the rising sun. He inhales the energy or prana. The meaning of the line is emphasized by the action of sweeping the hand backward, and forcing out the breath, i.e. figuratively blowing away each evil daemon. Now the "evil daemon" is not defined. In the Thelemic sense this daemon represents any negative aspect of life which detract from the performance of one's True Will. The word daimonoc includes things which derive from the Deities, or from fate. The kako(c) is a prefix derived from the adjective meaning "evil", however defined. At the beginning of the ritual, the magician is in Malkuth. The banishing of the "evil daemons" is from this plane. According to Liederkranz (1974) he becomes the master of these daemons by doing so. The equivalent of this line does not occur in the LBR or in Liber Reguli.Line 2. Soi, Q falle, isxuroc, euxaristoc. This line is the "Qabalistic Cross". It is equivalent to the first line of action in both the LBR and in Liber Reguli, and positions the magician on the Tree of Life. The actions of the magician establish a cross in Kether, Malkuth, Geburah, and Chesed on the Tree of Life in the LBR.
However, it is more appropriate to assign "phallus" to Yesod, correlated to the Svadisthana Chakra in the Star Ruby. The magician has moved himself above the plane of Malkuth in Assiah. Soi has a value of 280, the name of Sandalphon, the Archangel of Malkuth. Fr. A. L. (1983) recognized that 280, SP, indicates the position of the magician on the Tree of Life at the intersections of the paths of Samech and Peh, looking toward Tiphareth along the Middle Pillar. He continued, that it is "that consciousness, therefore, which one summons 'down' into one's psyche by the pronouncement of the word Soi, is none other than the highest manifestation of one's own Holy Guardian Angel". Therefore, it seems appropriate to assign Soi to Kether.
Liederkranz (1974) indicates that 280 represents the "dyad passing to zero by virtue of 8, the Charioteer who bears the Cup of Babalon". Again, the sentence has an implied verb, to be. The first word, Soi, is a dative meaning "to you". It directs the action to the vocative, Q falle, the phallus. Q falle has a total value of 1366, the product of two primes, 2 and 683. The word falle, as 566, is equivalent to DVS, secret, spelled out. It is also the product of two primes 2 and 283. This last number is equivalent to "aurum inclusum", confined gold, or RVGS BHZ. Liederkranz writes that by touching his "weapon", the magician declares the most powerful technique of magic, and that its working is pertinent to the Aeon of Horus. Here Crowley adds a footnote that the significance of the word is to be found in its qabalistic interpretation. The word falloc, in its nominative form, adds to 831, as does the word Pyramic (Pyramid). In this light the two words imply the gate or esoteric source of initiation. With the following adjectives, a sexual connotation can also be implied. Also, 831 is the product of 3 and 277, and the latter, in Hebrew refers to ORZ, meaning "to sow, propagate, seed, semen" (Crowley, 1977). Again, phallus is referred to Yesod, rather than Malkuth. The word isxuroc means strong, mighty, powerful, also stiff, firm, lasting, hard, and severe, great, excessive.
The meaning is quite clear in the several connotations. Following the pattern of the LBR, this word is attributed to Geburah, and reflects the severe or forceful connotation of its meaning. Its value is 1580, the product of 20 and 79. These reflect an element of duality perfected, and union. The number 79, that of the two pillars of the temple (zob and yixai), is a prime not listed in the meanings of the prime numbers in 777 (Crowley, 1977). The word euxaristoc, 1886, the product of 2, 23, and 41. 
The latter two numbers have been attributed to pentagrams. The concept of "eucharist", or "sacrament", derives from the prefix eu, meaning "good" or "well", and the verb xarizomai meaning to show favor or kindness, to please or gratify, to indulge, or to be pleasing, agreeable, or be granted a favor.
The adjective thus describes the condition of being winning, agreeable, pleasant, grateful, or thankful. In contrast to isxuroc, this word is assigned to Chesed, and its meaning fits well with its position on the Pillar of Mercy. Euxaristoc, interpreted as "communion", can easily be interpreted on a number of levels.Line 3. IAQ. By gematria, the number of IAQ is 811 a prime number. The equivalent Greek Word AIQ means I breathe, I live, I know. This is a fifth element, which when added to the traditional qabalistic cross (of the LBR) creates the figure of a pentagram, or if put on a higher plane, indicates the apex of a pyramid. In this word the focus centers on Tiphareth. Little need to be said about IAO, the Gnostic supreme being. Massey (1974) in discussing the Hebrew and other Creations, includes IAO as one of the seven Elohim, the children of the ancient mother Sophia. "In their primordial phase they were seven elementary powers, warring in chaos, lawless and timeless. They were first born of the Mother in space; and then the Seven Companions passed into the sphere of time, as auxiliaries of Kronos, or Sons of the Male Parent.
The reader is referred to Chapter V in Magick to study Crowley's interpretation of the IAO formula. This formula establishes the equilibration of the four-armed cross in the completion of the pentagram.
Lines 4 through 7

The directions indicate to start at the east, and repeat each of the words in the sequence at the cardinal points, proceeding widdershins. The circle is completed in line 8. At each cardinal direction, a pentagram is imagined on the forehead, and flung forth with the sign of Horus (refer to Liber O, section 3, in Crowley, 1974, for the procedure). Each is sealed with the sign of Hoor paar Kraat. Of the two versions published by Crowley, the earlier one is in the Book of Lies, and includes the first line of four terms above (see figure 1), while the later is in Magick, and includes the four terms in the second line (see figure 2). Xaoc has the number 871, the product of the primes 13 and 67. Chaos is a primitive Greek deity that preceded the Olympic gods, prior to Saturn, may parallel Uranus, and is referred to Chokmah. He is the personification of space, the first state of existence. In that sense he is a Greek equivalent of Nuit, but perceived as male. Judging from its eastern position, and the parallel word in the second sequence, it is representative of the element earth.
Parenthetically, it should be noted that Liederkranz (1974) uses the elements of earth and air interchanged. Babalon has the number 156 both in Greek and in Hebrew, though it is native to neither language. The relationship between Chaos and Babalon can be derived from the Egyptian mythos. Here she seems to represent the element air and is assigned to Binah. As complement to Chaos, she represents the sublime state of Nuit.
She is connected to Chaos by the path of the Empress, the horizontal above the abyss. The pair personifies the division "for love's sake". This also is represented by the upper crossbar of the Hierophantic Cross.
Creation, in the strict sense, began with the means of recording the cycles of time. The Elohim were created in the myths as the auxiliaries of Kronos, Time. These "seven" Elohim were reduced to one. This group is then described by Massey, describing its Egyptian background: "The name of Sevekh signifies the sevenfold; hence the seven heads of the Dragon, the Dragon who is of the seven and is himself also an eighth, as we are told in Revelation. In him the Seven Powers were unified, as they were in Ea, Iao-Chnubis, and various other of the chief gods who summed up the earlier powers in the supreme one, when unity was attained at last. For it is certain that no one god was ever made known to man by primitive revelation.
The only starting-point was in external phenomena, which assuredly manifested no oneness in personality. The group of the Totemic brotherhood preceded the fatherhood, and finally the fatherhood superseded the Totemic group in heaven, as it was on earth. One form of this god was Sut-Nub, and Nub means the golden. Thus the reign of Sut was that age of gold afterwards assigned to Saturn by the Greeks. In Egypt the Great Bear was the constellation of Typhon, or Kepha , the old genitrix, called the Mother of the Revolutions; and the Dragon with seven heads was assigned to her son Sevekh-Kronos, or Saturn, called the Dragon of life. That is, the typical dragon or serpent with seven heads was female at first, and then the type was continued as male in her son Sevekh, the Sevenfold Serpent, in Ea the Sevenfold, in Num-Ra, in the Seven-headed Serpent, Iao-Chnubis, and others.
We find these two in the book of Revelation. One is the Scarlet Lady, the mother of mystery, the great harlot, who sat on a scarlet-coloured beast with seven heads, which is the Red Dragon of the Pole. She held in her hand the unclean things of her fornication. That means the emblems of the male and female, imaged by the Egyptians at the Polar centre, the very uterus of creation as was indicated by the Thigh constellation, called the Khepsh of Typhon, the old dragon, in the northern birthplace of Time in heaven. The two revolved about the pole of heaven, or the Tree, as it was called, which was figured at the centre of the starry motion." Thus the reason for Babalon in the north. Chaos and Babalon, then, represent a primordial or archetypal male/female polarity. Babalon, as described below, is the lower manifestation of the concept of Nuit--the Infinite Sky and the Infinite Stars thereof, described here. Eroc equals 375, or 1105 if an q is used.
Eros is the Greek god of Love, the son of Chaos (or Ares or Hermes) and Aphrodite, and particularly represents the mundane aspects of love. As in the alternative sequence for these lines, the element of water, emotion, is emphasized by their assignment to the west. It is easily assigned to Netzach. Wyxh equals 1708, equals 61 x 7 x 2 x 2. The word refers to the anima, the sign of life, spirit; the soul as opposed to the body; the seat of the will, desire or passions; or soul, mind, reason or understanding.
In many ways it is the counter of Eros and has been assigned to Hod. As the complement to Eros it completes the lowest cross-bar of the hierophantic cross. One might expect it to represent the element of air, but it is rather that of fire in the south. Fr. A. L. (1983) has an interesting discussion relating this word to a formula of the Rose-Cross. In completing the Hierophantic Cross, note that the direction is opposite in the upper and lower cross-bars to that in the middle one. This is a direct parallel to the symbolic procedure in Liber Reguli. Also, the sequence of the four indicates a bringing down of the forces. This sequence of four words, done with the motions of the Sign of the Enterer and the Sign of Silence at each cardinal direction, reflect more the classical approach, and an earlier understanding of the personification of the forces by Crowley.
In Magick (Crowley,1973), there is a change of emphasis, and the symbols used appear to be more overtly Thelemic. However, there is also a difference in the flow of the forces, as follows: Jhrion equals 247. The word is used in the sense of The Great Beast, rather than just "beast (undefined)" or a wild animal, especially the male. It is assigned to the element of earth in the east. For Thelemites, the explanation of this word seems superfluous. It is part of one of the appellations of Crowley as "The Great Beast", To Mega Jhrion, when used at a non-divine level. He is assigned to Taurus, if one considers the cardinal position, or to Hod. Nyij equals 469. It is the product of the primes 7 and 67, which have some bearing on the concepts of Gemini, Zain, and Binah. 67 represents the womb of the mother containing the twins. This represents the level of Babalon (=Nuit) in the discussion above. Here she is the epitome of the air element. It is a hellenized form of an Egyptian goddess, and the final consonant is a J rather than a T. She is assigned to Aquarius in the zodiac. However, she represents the archetypal mother, and thus in this sequence is assigned to Binah. The sequence here gives the bottom and top of the Pillar of Severity, an upward action. Babalon equals 156 or 12 times 13. Babalon, here, is much like Babalon above. She is the Scarlet Lady riding the Beast, the great Harlot, a lower manifestation of Nuit, the epitome of female, or the reflection of Binah in Netzach, at the base of the Pillar of Mercy. The assignment to the element of water, and the west are well established. She is the complement of Therion and is assigned to Scorpio. >Adij has a gematric value of 24. Hadit is the complement of Nuit, and represents the element of fire. As Nuit is the infinite expansion, Hadit is the infinite contraction. They relate as space to motion or energy. Hadit is also a hellenized word. He is assigned to Leo. Here Hadit is at the top of the Pillar of Mercy, at Chokmah. The motion is again up the Tree of Life. The banishing circle is completed by returning to the east, widdershins (see directions for line 8). This circle has a macrocosmic aspect. Line 8 IQ Pan (repeated five times). The directions indicate that upon completing the circle above, the magician retires to the center of the circle. He then raises his voice in the words, IO PAN, while giving the signs of N.O.X. These signs are given in order in Reguli, and tell a story as such. My experience has been to see these lines of the ritual usually done while standing and facing east. A more satisfactory procedure seems to be to face the appropriate direction, as indicated in Reguli (and to which the magician is referred, if necessary), as the signs are made , and the paean is intoned. The effect of this is to complete a cross--north, south, east, west--with the first four repeats.  After all, are not circles and crosses signs of the A|A| and the O. T. O.?
The fifth sign can then be done either facing east again, or toward Boleskine (the Thelemic east of some rituals) and if interpreted as on another plane, defines the top of the pyramid. Note the sequence of the signs interpreted by Liederkranz (1974), i.e. Vir, Mulier, Puer, Puella, indicates the sequence in the Tarot and in IHVH. The successive directions would then be east, west, south, north. He does not include the sign Mater Triumphans. The text is a salute to Pan, the All (Pan, Pangenetor, Pamfage). The reader is referred to the Book of Lies, Chapter 1 for the relationships and the explanations of N.O.X. and PAN; and the number 210 for the latter.Lines 9 through 12. Iuggec, Teletarxai, Synoxec, Daimonoc. These four lines form the next section of the ritual, along with line 13 which is the common shared verb for each. They establish the magician at the crossing of the paths of Samech and Peh, the "standard" position on the Tree of Life and facing east for a pentagram ritual, or perhaps slightly above it on the path of Samech, but below the Veil of Paroketh. The prepositions at the beginning of each line 9 through 12 collectively describe a "cross". The final term in each line is derived from a sequence in the Chaldaean Oracles of Zoroaster (Wescott, 1983). The reader is referred to Frater A. L. (1983) for a particularly informative discussion of these words--most of which is not repeated here. However, I quote, "Speaking further of these 'ideas' (that is, root structuralizations of consciousness of so early a stage as to be beyond comprehension), the text {of the Oracles of Zoroaster} continues: "These being many, descended flashingly upon the shining Worlds, and in them are contained the Three Supernals. They are the guardians of the works of the Father, and of the One Mind, the Intelligible." The "guardians" are the Three Supernals, the Intellectual Triad. Wescott (1983) quoted by Frater A. L., tells us in his interpolation to the text, "The Second Order of the Platonist philosophy was the Intelligible and Intellectual Triad. Among the Chaldeans this order includes the Junges, Synoches and Teletarchs." Frater A. L. continues, "We deal therefore with Supernal concepts; though, as we'll see below, these names (all of which, incidentally, are Greek plurals, thus not the name of individual Beings whatsoever) refer to Classes of Beings much like the 'orders of angels'...but they are not the Supernals themselves". This section is a sentence with four prepositional phrases, each indicating one of the cardinal directions as the magician faces east. They have been the most difficult to understand. They are described from the position of the magician. Alternatively, they can be interpreted as the veils of the Abyss and the Outer, and the Pillars of Mercy and Severity (or the sephiroth at their bases); or as the three Veils of the Tree of Life.Line 9. Pro mou, Iuggec; Pro mou means "in front of me" (i.e. to the East), the preposition taking the genitive case. From his position just below the Veil of Paroketh on the Middle Pillar, the magician sees the place of the break in that veil, or imagines the Veil of the Abyss beyond, and presumably whatlies ahead. The word Iuggec derives from Iugmoc, a shrieking sound. Iugv, (JYNX is the singular, romanized form, and is the scientific name for the Wryneck, a degenerate woodpecker-like European bird noted for its cry). 
Ancient witches used to bind the Wryneck to a wheel for certain magical spells, believing that as the wheel turned, it drew men's souls along with it, and charmed them into obedience. It was also used to recover unfaithful lovers The bird derives its common name from the ability to turn its head, much in the manner of a vulture. Another interpretation is that the word may be related to a Sanskrit root IUG, from which we derive the work "yoga", and possibly by extension "union with God" or ultimate love, hence an association with the Abyss. The qabalistic value is 621. Frater A. L. summarizes it as related to the Wheel of Fortune, the Swastika, symbols of primal, swirling power. He also emphasizes that the Iuggec are consistent with Chokmah and alchemical sulphur. In summary, Iuggec, relates to either a high order of "angels" above the abyss, a love charm, witchery or desire, or, as interpreted here, a symbol of the abyss.Line 10. Opiso mou, Teletarxai; Opiso mou literally means, "behind me", with the proposition again taking the genitive case. As the magician faces ahead to the east, this indicates what he has past, what is behind him, in the west. The word Teletarxai value of 1352. This number is the product of 8 (the cube of 2) and 169 (the square of 13). Eight is the number of Mercury, of Initiation. Thirteen is the number for the dissolution of the ego, of unity (dxa) and love (HBHA), and is the reflection of 31=la=al. The word is therefore clearly related gematrically to the concept of Initiation, its process and product; and has direct meaning for Thelema. The easiest interpretation is to view the word as a combination of the prefix Tele, meaning ultimate, remote, or in this case primeval, first or original, and Arxai, meaning rule, or in this case control or law i.e. Natural Law.  Frater A. L. (1983) summarizes the meaning quite nicely. The word Teletarxai most likely means "those in charge of an initiation", i.e. the Hierophants. Ideas relating to Aiwass, as the Hierophant of the Aeon, come to mind as we recall he bore the Law (AROU) and was Adonai (INDA). He continues, "If we maintain the sulphur and salt symbolism for the first pair (Iuggec and Synoxec), we must attribute to this third name some variation of the idea of Mercury." And "The Teletarchs correspond to the Child born within the Mother; or as though the Truths of Initiation are comprehended once the consciousness of Binah, Understanding, is attained." Following   the concept of the Tree of Life, where Iuggec is the symbol of the Abyss, it is therefore totally appropriate to consider Teletarxai as symbolizing the Gate of Initiation, or the Veil of the Outer. As the magician stands at the intersection of the paths of Samech and Peh looking eastward on the path of Samech, this would be behind him. The actual position of the Veil of the Outer has been variously interpreted as above Malkuth in Assiah (this would seem appropriate in the A|A| grade system), or sometimes between Malkuth and Yesod on the primary Tree. In either event, the magician has entered the Path of Initiation, and crossed the Veil of the Outer in doing so.Line 11. Epi devia, Synoxec; Epi devia means "on the right" (i.e., to the south), and combines a preposition with the dative case. For the magician in this ritual and on the Tree of Life, this locates the Pillar of Mercy, or Netzach. Qabalistically, Synoxec has a value of 1525, the equivalent of the Hebrew "Shemhamphorash", the 72-fold name of God. It is the product of 25 and 61. Frater A.L. says "the closest correspondence ofSunoches to a member of the Supernal Triad is Binah". Note that Netzach is the reflection of Binah. Although it does not appear to be a "proper" Greek word, Synoxec can be interpreted to mean a "joining together", or passively, "a being held together". By analogy, it can mean "constraints".  Frater A.L. describes it as a "holding together" and "continuous" (as in a continuous sequence of things held together), hinting at the idea of "eternity", and attributes it to the alchemical concept of Salt, thus completing the three alchemical elements as interpreted above the aybss.
Again, looking from the vantage of the magician on the Tree during this ritual, he is just below, facing the point where the Veil of Paroketh will be rended, so that he may continue on the path. To the right of this point of rending are the "contraints" which keep him on the path. The Synoxec may represent the right part of the Veil of Paroketh, or the forces of the Pillar of Mercy, or Netzach. As we shall see shortly, these are balanced by the forces of the left. Line 12. Eparistera, Daimonec/Daimonoc;  Eparistera means "on the left" (i.e. toward the north), again with the dative, and locates Pillar of Severity or the sephira Hod. It is the counterpart to Epi devia. Daimonoc and Daimonec are two similar Greek words which Frater A. L. points out represent the Gods and "the souls of men of the Golden Age, forming a link between gods and men", respectively. The latter, he continues, "That is, Man-God. As what we call the H. G. A. was of old termed the 'genius', the Daimones were those who 'had their genius'; that is, true adepts". Qabalistically the words equal 445 and 380 respectively. The latter, includes the Hebrew words for pain, trouble, misery, also darkness, difficulty, narrowness, and Egypt. Further, the "god/goddess" idea implies the Divine power, the power controlling the destiny of individuals, one's lot or fortune, perhaps fate or karma. Again, for the magician this balances the contraints of the right, and, either as the left part of the Veil of Paroketh, the Pillar of Severity, or Hod, it functions to keep the Initiate on the True Path. In these four terms, in either version of the Star Ruby, the magician sees the limits of his perceptual world. One can summarize the relationship among these four terms as follows:

Line 13. Flegei or Feggei. These two words of similar, but different, meanings show further the difference between the two versions of the Star Ruby. They mean "flame" and "gleam" respectively. The sense of the two words as used in these versions is not different functionally. However, in terms of visualization by the magician, the plane to which he excites his consciousness seems higher, or more active, in the earlier form flegei.  Certainly in comparing the two versions, the earlier version, calling down the forces, suggests a more abstract concept, one emphasizing the part of the Tree above Tiphareth, and even above the Veil of the Abyss, while the latter feggei suggests a relatively lower interpretation of the forces on the Tree. The significance of the difference in the two versions may be indicated by Crowley's "blind" where one of the gammas is left out in feggei. There may also be a clue in the six letters of flegei, and the five of feg ei, indicating that the earlier version may be more appropriate to a magician of higher grade, or one who has established his working higher up on the Tree of Life--or it may be just the result of poor proofreading.

Line 14. Gar peri mou, >o asthr tqn pente; The literal interpretation of this line is relatively easy, providing one recognizes the inclusion of the verb etsthke from line 16. The preposition peri here takes the genitive case. It means, "For around me (stands) the star of the five (points)".  As such, this line is a very clear parallel to the visualization in the Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram. It recognizes the perimeter, in the four cardinal directions, of the area banished, and the clearing of the consciousness of the magician in the planes below Tiphareth. This represents the magician's world, and the base of his pyramid.

Line 15.  Kai en thi sthlhi, >o asthr tqn >ev; Here again is an almost literal translation of the corresponding line from the Lesser Banishing Ritual. It means, "And in the column (stands) the star of six (points)", the preposition en taking the dative case. Notice that the same verb is understood (see line 16). This vertical element in a pentagram ritual first recognizes that the hexagram, as the symbol of the Macrocosm, is above the plane of the Microcosm. It relates to the realm of the Tree particularly above Tiphareth, but also defines the object of the banishing as a "solid", rather than a "planar" figure. Instead of interpreting the figure only as a planar five-pointed star, it also symbolizes the apex of the pyramid, bringing the cosmos and consciousness into a spatialreality.

Line 16. Esthke. This is the verb "stands" in the phrases in lines 14 and 15. Basically it implies existence or state.Lines 17 and 18.  The Qabalistic Cross. These lines are the same as lines 2 and 3, the commentary for which is found earlier. The repetition of the qabalistic cross follows the pattern of both the Lesser Banishing Ritual and Liber Reguli in form, and provides symmetry in the ritual.Line 19. Apo pantoc kakodaimonoc. The ritual ends as it was begun, with the direction for every evil daemon to depart. This strong accent at the end serves to punctuate the banishing action, the objective of the ritual. It can be said that when the ritual is performed successfully, the magician will feel a sense of "cleanliness" or "purity", but also will be exhausted. Enflame thyself.

LITERATURE CITED
Crowley, A. C. 1973 Magick. London: Routledge & Kegan Paul.
(Originally published privately in 1929). It includes Liber V vel
Reguli, and Liber O vel Manus et Sagittae. 1974 The
Book of Lies. New York: Samuel Weiser. (Originally
published in 1913). 1977 777 and other Qabalistic Writings of Aleister
Crowley. (I. Regardie, ed.) York Beach, Me.: Samuel
Weiser, Inc.Frater A. L. (443) 1983 The Star Ruby: An analysis. In the
Continuum III (3):3-15.Liederkranz, Paul 1974 Notes on the Star Ruby.
The Oriflamme 1(1): 49-54.Massey, G. 1974 Lectures. New York: Samuel
Weiser.Wescott, W. Wynn 1983 The Chaldaean Oracles of Zoroaster.
Wellingborough, Norths.: Aquarian Press.

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