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As most of those who are familiar with me know, I have a distinct interest in folklore, particularly folklore pertaining to monsters or shapeshifting (And my beloved werewolves fit both!) However, a lot of the time, I find something, and then have to set it on the back burner until I have the time to do something with it.
Such was the case when I first stumbled across the ROLOR Square while researching a similar magical square for lycanthropic purposes. Created by a fifteenth-century magician, the ROLOR square is said to allow its user to fly through the air like a crow, or in the form of a crow. In Medieval times, backwards words were thought to increase the value of magical phrases, which may be why some of the magical words are presented both backwards and forwards. The name Rolor may come from the Hebrew word ‘Rol,’ which means to move hurriedly.
I hope that little jaunt into corvanthropy was entertaining at least, and I hope that your Friday the 13th is going well, dear reader!
Selected Sources:
Mystical Arts by Time Life books
Binding Words: Textual Amulets in the Middle Ages by Don C. Skemer
The Magical Arts by Richard Cavendish
EDIT:
One thoughtful commenter below was musing, trying to unriddle the square, trying to see if he could find English root words in the square. A clever endeavor! I had this to say in reply, and thought I'd share:
Perhaps they're derived from other languages than English, such as Hebrew, or Latin. There are numerous possibilities!
However, most of the magic squares I have encountered are unlike this one in that they're numerical, not alphabetical. You can see how they're constructed not by the sounds they make when read aloud, but through simple mathematical functions, something that transcends language. There's a logic to their construction that most today simply do not have the patience for.
Alphabetical ones like this one, however, can't necessarily be substantiated through simple arithmetic.
...Or, perhaps they can. If the letters are actually code for numbers, then, perhaps, some of the 'words' here have no lingual derivation at all, but are math problems hidden in sound. Or, the words themselves are based in language to give them meaning, but modified through math, to give them structure.
And math, when you get down to it, is the language of the universe. Perhaps... that's part of the magic, I suppose.
Such was the case when I first stumbled across the ROLOR Square while researching a similar magical square for lycanthropic purposes. Created by a fifteenth-century magician, the ROLOR square is said to allow its user to fly through the air like a crow, or in the form of a crow. In Medieval times, backwards words were thought to increase the value of magical phrases, which may be why some of the magical words are presented both backwards and forwards. The name Rolor may come from the Hebrew word ‘Rol,’ which means to move hurriedly.
I hope that little jaunt into corvanthropy was entertaining at least, and I hope that your Friday the 13th is going well, dear reader!
Selected Sources:
Mystical Arts by Time Life books
Binding Words: Textual Amulets in the Middle Ages by Don C. Skemer
The Magical Arts by Richard Cavendish
EDIT:
One thoughtful commenter below was musing, trying to unriddle the square, trying to see if he could find English root words in the square. A clever endeavor! I had this to say in reply, and thought I'd share:
Perhaps they're derived from other languages than English, such as Hebrew, or Latin. There are numerous possibilities!
However, most of the magic squares I have encountered are unlike this one in that they're numerical, not alphabetical. You can see how they're constructed not by the sounds they make when read aloud, but through simple mathematical functions, something that transcends language. There's a logic to their construction that most today simply do not have the patience for.
Alphabetical ones like this one, however, can't necessarily be substantiated through simple arithmetic.
...Or, perhaps they can. If the letters are actually code for numbers, then, perhaps, some of the 'words' here have no lingual derivation at all, but are math problems hidden in sound. Or, the words themselves are based in language to give them meaning, but modified through math, to give them structure.
And math, when you get down to it, is the language of the universe. Perhaps... that's part of the magic, I suppose.
Category Artwork (Digital) / Fantasy
Species Corvid
Size 656 x 976px
File Size 689.6 kB
but what's "obvfo". i know what observation is "fo". or oblvion. does look like "obv.fo"
or obey foe, so that maybe they'll launch you through the air with a trebuchet, like that little fat celtic guy who's name eludes me at the moment.
oh i know someone named lyayl, though its usually spelled lyile.
and of course rolors can be used to move heavy objects. not exactly like a crow though.
or obey foe, so that maybe they'll launch you through the air with a trebuchet, like that little fat celtic guy who's name eludes me at the moment.
oh i know someone named lyayl, though its usually spelled lyile.
and of course rolors can be used to move heavy objects. not exactly like a crow though.
Maybe! Or maybe they're derived from other languages than English, such as Hebrew, or Latin. There are numerous possibilities!
However, most of the magic squares I have encountered are unlike this one in that they're numerical, not alphabetical. You can see how they're constructed not by the sounds they make when read aloud, but through simple mathematical functions, something that transcends language. There's a logic to their construction that most today simply do not have the patience for.
Alphabetical ones like this one, however, can't necessarily be substantiated through simple arithmetic.
...Or, perhaps they can. If the letters are actually code for numbers, then, perhaps, some of the 'words' here have no lingual derivation at all, but are math problems hidden in sound. Or, the words themselves are based in language to give them meaning, but modified through math, to give them structure.
And math, when you get down to it, is the language of the universe. Perhaps... that's part of the magic, I suppose.
However, most of the magic squares I have encountered are unlike this one in that they're numerical, not alphabetical. You can see how they're constructed not by the sounds they make when read aloud, but through simple mathematical functions, something that transcends language. There's a logic to their construction that most today simply do not have the patience for.
Alphabetical ones like this one, however, can't necessarily be substantiated through simple arithmetic.
...Or, perhaps they can. If the letters are actually code for numbers, then, perhaps, some of the 'words' here have no lingual derivation at all, but are math problems hidden in sound. Or, the words themselves are based in language to give them meaning, but modified through math, to give them structure.
And math, when you get down to it, is the language of the universe. Perhaps... that's part of the magic, I suppose.
Funny how I come across this after moving my collection of esoterica. Interestingly enough one of the major points of difficulty is the translation of the original source of these magic squares given the nature that the source while thoughtfully may be German there are also cases where some words are shared between languages and have been lost altogether in others. Many magic squares you will come across will actually have two or three different languages in them not just a singular one further more Hebrew letters do represent numbers so hypothetically using that as a basis one could create a simple magic square that would convey a very complicated formula that to beings that exist outside of conscious perception would be easily understandable.
That said the formula tho which magic squares create do have significant geometric components. Convert the square into numbers and use sacred geometry to map it and you will find something very distinct born out of it. Here is an example:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GFrXuLjddq4
I also suggest you add http://www.sacred-texts.com/ to your resource list if you have never discovered that site.
That said the formula tho which magic squares create do have significant geometric components. Convert the square into numbers and use sacred geometry to map it and you will find something very distinct born out of it. Here is an example:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GFrXuLjddq4
I also suggest you add http://www.sacred-texts.com/ to your resource list if you have never discovered that site.
I assume you mean Abramelin the Mage’s book, yes? Because I sure hear you on the translation part. I’m actually currently going through a second, more recent translation of the book. It’s not often that I have the luxury of multiple English translations for a single text. Regardless, once I have decided which translation I prefer (Likely the second), I will add it to the sources so they will no longer be ‘selected sources.’ Also, since that site is not what I have used to do my research, and, due to the dubious nature of internet sources, I generally try to avoid using websites altogether, while I appreciate the suggestion, that will not be added to the sources.
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