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          RITUS OLYMPICUS PENTAGRAMMOU MINOR AD EXPELLENDUM
 
                     (c) 1993, John Opsopaus
 
 Preface
 
 The following is an adaptation of the Lesser Banishing Ritual
 of the Pentagram to the Graeco-Roman Tradition, and so it is
 called the "Olympic Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram."
 Such a "translation" is possible because the LBRP is an
 enactment in a Qabalistic framework of certain shamanic
 practices that are nearly universal.  Once the underlying
 shamanic cosmology has been identified, it's relatively
 straight-forward to reexpress the ritual in the terms of
 another cosmology, such as the Graeco-Roman.
 
 I would welcome criticism of the result, especially from
 Qabalists and Ceremonial Magicians.  Criticism/correction of
 my Latin and Greek composition will also be appreciated.
 Finally, I beg readers to forgive the Early Modern English,
 which I've used to add dignity to the text.
 
 The Ritual follows in summary form; a separate posting will
 contain a fully annotated text.  This information should make
 clear which aspects of the ritual follow from Ancient
 Tradition, which come from more recent Magical Traditions, and
 which are a result of my speculation or arbitrary choice; such
 information is all too often missing from Neopagan recon-
 structions.  If anyone knows of a similar adaptation, please
 let me know.
 
 Gratias vobis ago,
 John Opsopaus
 72747.154@compuserve.com
 ----------------------------------------------------------
 
                      Ritus  Olympicus
 
                     Pentagrammou Minor
 
                       ad Expellendum
 
 
    The Olympic Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram
 
                          which is
 
  The Traditional Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram
           Adapted to the Graeco-Roman Tradition
 
                   (c)1993, John Opsopaus
 
 
 I.  The Opening Tau Cross
 
 i.  Close thine eyes, and by thy breath fan thou the Fire,
 which awakeneth the Serpent and the Eagle.  Allow thyself to
 grow beyond all bounds of space, until the Universe is
 2405
 
 within thee.  Be thou as a God; be thou as a Goddess.
 
 ij.  Draw thou down the Fire of Heaven into thy Heart, and
 say:
   "From Celestial Fire"
   "Ab Igne Caelesti"
   "Apo tou Ouraniou Puros"
   [)Apo  tou= )Oura/niou Puros/]
 
 [Suggested gestures for the preceding step:  Raise your arms
 into a horizontal, cross position, with palms up (in Celestial
 Invocation).  Bring them together above your head, palm to
 palm, and then draw the Celestial Fire down to your heart,
 while saying "From Celestial Fire."]
 
 [The words to be spoken by the practitioner are given in
 English, Latin and Greek.  In an attempt to combine
 readability and accuracy, I've given the Greek text two ways,
 in a simple but approximate Roman transcription, and in "Beta
 code," a standard ASCII representation of Greek including all
 the accents, breathings, etc.  Beta code transcriptions are
 enclosed in square brackets.  The Beta code transcriptions
 should be reasonably comprehensible with the following
 information:  ")" and "(" represent smooth and rough
 breathing, respectively; "/", "&" and "=" represent acute,
 grave and circumflex accents, respectively; "|" is iota
 subscript.]
 
 iij.  Guide thou the bright Beam downward, until it stirreth
 the Subterranean Waters of the Abyss and bringeth Them to
 life; and while so doing, say thou:
   "To Watery Abyss"
   "Ad Aquosum Profundum"
   "Eis ten Hudroessan Abusson"
   [)Eiss thnn (Udro/essan )/Abusson]
 
 [Suggested gesture:  Keep the palms together and move them
 down in front of the groin.  Then separate the hands and hold
 them to the sides and slightly forward, with palms down (in
 Chthonic Invocation).]
 
 iv.  Direct thou the beam from thy heart through thy left
 shoulder, until it stretcheth to the Moon, and say:
   "By Way of Earth"
   "Via Terrena"
   "Kat' Hodon Chthonion"
   [Kat' (Odonn Xqo/nion]
 
 [Suggested gesture:  Raise the left hand up to your chest;
 then extend your arm into horizontal position, with the palm
 forward.]
 
 v.  Direct thou the beam from thy heart through thy right
 shoulder, until it stretcheth to the Sun, and say:
   "By Way of Air"
   "Via Aeria"
   "Kat' Hodon Aitherion"
   [Kat' (Odonn )Aiqe/rion]
 2406
 
 [Suggested gesture:  Raise the right arm to the chest and then
 into a horizontal position, with forward palm.]
 
 vi.  Feel thou the Sacred Tau Cross that blazeth inside
 thee.  Now cross thy arms over thy Heart, and say:
   "Abiding always in the Center.  So be it!"
   "Semper in Medio manens.  Esto!" or "Fiat!"
   "En Omphaloi aei menon" (masc.) or "menousa" (fem.).  "Esto!"
   [)En )Omfalw=| a)ei  me/nwn] (masc.) or [me/nousa] (fem.).
   [)/Estw!]
 
 [Suggested gesture:  Bring your arms together and cross them
 over your chest.]
 
 vij.  As thou makest this gesture the Moon and Sun will
 stand together above thy head, nor will they ever move from
 there.  Moon over Sun and Sun over Tau Cross; thou art the
 Holy Caduceus.  Thou hast become the Center of the World,
 for the Cosmic Axis runneth through thy spine; on thy left
 standeth the Path of the Moon, and on thy right the Path of
 the Sun, above thee shineth the Cosmic Pole, below thee
 lieth the Abyss.
 
 viij.  Thou standest upon the Sacred Mountain, the World
 Navel, under which hideth the Watery Abyss.  At thy back
 groweth the Tree of Life, which stretcheth over thy head,
 the Navel Cord, for the Mountain and Tree are the Cosmic
 Pillar, which supporteth the four Quarters of the Heavens.
 From Calypso's Cave between the Tree's  roots, which
 penetrate the Abyss, are the four springs, which flow to the
 four Quarters of the World, and they run with water, honey,
 milk and wine.  Around the World Tree's trunk coileth thrice
 and half again the Serpent.  In the Cosmic Tree's leaves
 percheth the Eagle of Zeus, guarding the Horn of Amalthea,
 from which Nectar floweth into the Libation Bowl, the
 Bountiful Breast, which overfloweth, raining Nectar on the
 World.  Ambrosia floweth up the trunk of the Tree from the
 Deep.  Illumination cometh from Above and Growth cometh from
 Below.  The World Tree is the Tree of Destiny and Its leaves
 are the Book of Fate, for as they fall, so fall to earth the
 winged souls of the folk, ever singing in its foliage.
 
 ix.  Divine Helen, Leto's Daughter, with large breasts,
 liveth in the Bountiful Cosmic Tree, for she is Its Spirit;
 and Her Brothers, the Dioskouroi, Sons of Zeus [Dios Kouroi]
 the All-Shining [Pamphaes], the Heavenly Twins of Leto,
 command the Sacred Paths on either side.  For Castor, who
 resideth underground, knoweth the Lunar Discipline and
 controlleth the Way of Descent, and Polydeuces, who liveth
 above, is Master of the Solar Discipline and controlleth the
 Way of Ascent.
 
 x.  For learn thou this about the Way of Ascent.  It is
 under the jurisdiction of Zeus, the Sky Shaker, who giveth
 fertilizing rain and nourishing sunlight.  He holdeth the
 Lightning Bolt of Illumination, and His lightning descendeth
 from the Sky.  The Way of Ascent is to climb Scylla's
 Mountain, which riseth into the clouds, nor can its peak
 2407
 
 ever be seen.  Prometheus or Apollo will show thee the Way.
 Thy Helper in this journey is the Horse Pegasos, but also
 the Soaring Eagle, Dove and Goose.  Then wilt thou break
 through the Vault of the Heaven, and going through the
 Celestial Pole thou wilt ascend the Heavens.  For this is
 the Way of Light, the Path by Day, the Sun's Way, the Path
 of the Sage.
 
 xi.  And learn thou this about the Way of Descent.  It is
 under the jurisdiction of Poseidon, the Earth Shaker, who
 giveth fresh water from springs, but also floods and
 earthquakes.  He holdeth the Trident of Ecstasy and His
 lightning leapeth up from the Earth.  The Way of Descent is
 by the precipice opposite Scylla's cliff, which is the lower
 of the two, and from it groweth the Sacred Fig Tree.  Climb
 thou down from this Tree to Charybdis, by which thou wilt be
 drawn into the Watery Abyss.  Circe or Herakles will show
 thee the Way past the Dog and Gatekeeper.  Thy Helper in
 this journey is the Serpent Python, but also the Raging Lion
 and Bull.  Then wilt thou break through the Vault of the
 Abyss and, going down the Well, thou wilt descend through
 its levels.  For this is the Way of Darkness, the Path by
 Night, the Moon's Way, the Path of the Mage.
 
 xij.  But the Wise know that the Way Up and the Way Down are
 the same, for they are both on the Cosmic Pillar, and
 sometimes our task demandeth that we go up it, and sometimes
 it demandeth that we go down it.  When Duty calleth, we
 travel by Day or Night as is the need.  Ask thou Hermes for
 guidance, for he frequenteth the Navel.
 
 II.  Pentagrams of the Quarters
 
 xiij.  This is the way thou wilt draw the Shining Pentagrams
 that wardeth each Quarter. The first ray goeth from the
 lower left to the top, and each ray continueth from the
 last.  And as thou makest each ray, sing a letter of the
 Name of the Pentagram.
 
 xiv(a).  In Greek the Pentagram  hath the Name HUGIEIA
 [U(GI/EIA], which meaneth Soundness or Wholeness, so sing
 thou the sounds:
   "Huuuuuuu, Gggggggg, Iiiiiiih, Aaaaaay, Aaaaaaah."
 
 xiv(b).  In Latin the Pentagram hath the Name SALUS, which
 meaneth Soundness or Welfare, so sing thou the sounds:
   "Ssssssss, Aaaaaaah, Llllllll, Uuuuuuuu, Ssssssss."
 
 xiv(c).  Though in English we label the Pentagram WHOLE or
 SOUND, its spoken Name is WHOLENESS, so sing thou the
 sounds:
   "Hooooooo, Llllllll, Nnnnnnnn, Eeeeeeeh, Ssssssss."
 
 xv.  Now go thou to the East and make the Pentagram.  As
 thou callest:
   "Jupiter" or "Zeus"
   "Iuppiter"
   "Zeus" [Zeu/s]
 2408
 
 hurl thou His Thunderbolt through the center of the
 Pentagram, and see it fly away to Infinity.
 
 [Iuno / Hera [(/Hra] might also be appropriate for the East
 (She is not an Earth Goddess), in which case you should throw
 Her Cuckoo-bearing Sceptre, which represents the Celestial
 Spirit nesting on the top of the World Tree.  (Zeus first came
 to Hera in the form of a Cuckoo.)]
 
 xvi.  Now with thy Staff forge thou the Fiery Ring, drawing
 it from the center of the Eastern Pentagram and stretching
 it to the South, where thou wilt make another Pentagram, but
 call:
   "Vesta" or "Hestia"
   "Vesta" [pron. "Westa"]
   "Hestia" [(Esti/a]
 and throw thou Her Burning Circle.
 
 xvij.  Then to the West:
   "Neptune" or "Poseidon"
   "Neptunus"
   "Poseidon" [Poseidw/n]
 Hurl thou His Trident.
 
 xviij.  Then to the North:
   "Ceres" or "Demeter"
   "Ceres"  [pron. "Keres"]
   "Demeter" [Dhmh/thr]
 Throw thou Her Torch.
 
 [Pluto / Hades [(/Aidhs] would also be appropriate for the
 North, in which case his Helmet of Invisibility should be
 projected through the Pentagram.  Hades' name may mean "the
 Unseen" ["(/Aidhs" < "a) idh/s"].]
 
 xix.  Then draw thou the Fiery Ring back to its beginning,
 so it burneth on every side.  Then will the Barrier expand
 above and below until thou art surrounded by the Glowing
 Sphere.
 
 [When projecting the Four Weapons through the Pentagrams, the
 practitioner might find it helpful to make an appropriate
 gesture:  as though throwing a dart for Zeus's Keraunos, as
 though throwing a frisbee for Hestia's Burning Ring, as though
 throwing a javelin for Poseidon's Trident, as though throwing
 a knife for Demeter's Torch.]
 
 
 III.  Wards of the Quarters
 
 xx.  Now raise again thy arms so thou art the Sacred Tau and,
 focusing thine attention before thee (Eastward), say:
   "Before, Apollo"
   "Ante, Apollo"
   "Prosthen, Apollon"
   [Pro/sqen, )Apo/llwn]
 Apollo will appear before thee in all His Glory, Bow in hand,
 facing thee.  Then will He turn His back to watch the Eastern
 2409
 
 Quarter.
 
 [Mercurius/Hermes [(Ermh=s], with His Caduceus, would also be
 appropriate for the East.]
 
 xxi.  West:  Focusing thine attention behind thee, say:          
   "Behind, Diana/Artemis"
   "Post, Diana"
   "Opisthen, Artemis"
   [)/Opisqen,  )/Artemis]
 Artemis will appear with Her Bow.  Then will She turn away to
 watch the West.
 
 [Venus/Aphrodite [)Afrodi/th], arising from the waves and
 holding Her Zona (Girdle), would also be appropriate for the
 West.]
 
 xxij.  South:  Focusing thine attention to thy right, say:
   "On the right, Minerva/Athena"
   "Dextra, Minerva"
   "Epidexia, Athena."
   [)Epide/cia, )Aqhna=]
 Athena will appear with Her Aegis and Spear, and turn to
 watch the South.
 
 [Mars / Ares [)/Arhs] (with Shield and Sword) or Volcanus /
 Hephaistos [(/Hfaistos] (with Hammer and Tongs) would also be
 appropriate for the South; Mars was also an Italic vegetation
 God, and so might be evoked in the North.]
 
 xxiij.  North:  Focusing thine attention to thy left, say:
   "On the left, Bacchus/Dionysos"
   "Sinistra, Bacchus"
   "Ep' aristera, Dionusos"
   [)Ep' a)ristera/, Dio/nusos]
 Dionysus will appear with His Thyrsus, and then turn to
 watch the North.
 
 [Pan [Pa/n], with His Pipes, would also be appropriate for the
 North.  Pan may seem an unlikely Ward, but when Athens honored
 Him and asked Him to help defend them from the Persians, he
 did so (Herodt. VI.105.2-3).]
 
 xxiv.  In thy mind, thank all the Wards of the Quarters for
 Their protection.
 
 
 IV.  The Macrocosm in the Microcosm
 
 xxv.  Spread thy feet apart and assume thou the form of the
 Sacred Pentagram, which Pythagoras hath called Hugieia
 (Salus, Whole/Sound).  When the Pentagram flameth around
 thee, say:
   "For around flameth the Pentagram."
   "Nam circa flagrat Pentagrammon."
   "Peri men gar phlegei to Pentagrammon"
   [Peri  menn garr fle/gei to  Penta/grammon]
 
 2410
 
 [If you prefer "For around flame the Pentagrams," then use:
   "Nam circa flagrant Pentagramma"
   "Peri men gar phlegousi ta Pentagramma"
   [Peri  menn garr fle/gousi ta  Penta/gramma]
 
 xxvi.  When the Sacred Hexagram shineth within thee, say:
   "And within shineth the Six-rayed Star."
   "Atque intra lucet Stella Sexradiata."
   "Entos de lampei ho Hexaktinotos Aster."
   [)Entoss de  la/mpei o( E(caktinwtoss )Asth/r.]
 
 [If you prefer your Hexagram shining above rather than within,
 then say "super" instead of "intra," or "Huper" [(Upe/r]
 instead of "Entos."  However, I think it's better to have it
 within (see the notes for the reason).]
 
 xxvij.  The Pentagram signifieth the Microcosm, and the
 Hexagram signifieth the Macrocosm.  Thus the Macrocosm
 shineth within the Illuminated Microcosm.
 
 
 V.  The Closing Tau Cross
 
 xxviij.  Repeat thou the Tau Cross as it was at the beginning.
 
 [The following alternative gestures incorporate the relation
 of the elements embodied in the Hexagram:  As you recite the
 text of the Tau Cross, (1) begin with arms crossed, right over
 left, on your chest; (2) raise your right arm to the Celestial
 Fire, (3) lower your left arm to the Watery Abyss, (4) let the
 Fire draw up the Water to yield Earth, by moving your left arm
 up to your chest and out to the left, the Way of Earth; (5)
 let the Water draw down the Fire to yield Air, by moving your
 right arm down to your chest and out to your right, the Way of
 Air; (6) cross your arms over your chest, indicating the
 Reconciliation, Union and Balance of the Oppositions (Bivium),
 Worlds (Trivium) and Elemental Quarters (Quadrivium).  I must
 admit, however, that these gestures seem somewhat awkward.]
 
 xxix.  Thou hast made for thyself a Sacred Space at the
 World's Navel.  Ascending on thy Right is the Light Path and
 descending on thy Left is the Dark Path, but remember thou
 that the Wise One knoweth that the Way Up and the Way Down are
 the same and that together they make the one Path of Wisdom.
 So must it be.
 
                       finis
 
 ................................................................................
 2411
 


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