The Ultimate Vampire Resource and Directory

Baphomet's bio
07:10 Jan 18 2005
Times Read: 644




Eliphas Levi - Dogme et rituel de la Haute Magie - Paris, 1861



Translation from Lévi's book





"The goat on the frontispiece carries the sign of the pentagram on the forehead, with one point at the top, a symbol of light, his two hands forming the sign of hermetism, the one pointing up to the white moon of Chesed, the other pointing down to the black one of Geburah. This sign expresses the perfect harmony of mercy with justice. His one arm is female, the other male like the ones of the androgyn of Khunrath, the attributes of which we had to unite with those of our goat because he is one and the same symbol. The flame of intelligence shining between his horns is the magic light of the universal balance, the image of the soul elevated above matter, as the flame, whilst being tied to matter, shines above it. The ugly beast's head expresses the horror of the sinner, whose materially acting, solely reponsible part has to bear the punishment exclusively; because the soul is insensitive according to its nature and can only suffer when it materializes. The rod standing instead of genitals symbolizes eternal life, the body covered with scales the water, the semi- circle above it the atmosphere, the feathers following above the volatile. Humanity is represented by the two breasts and the androgyn arms of this sphinx of the occult sciences."



Baphomet

Aka : Goat of Mendes



Shape : Often represented with the head of a goat and the body of a man but with wings and cloven feet (Eliphas Levi). A black cat. Also carry the heads of a cockerel.



Origin : Bapho-Mitras-son of Mithras or forged from Mahomet. The Knight Templars were accused of practicing their initiations and rituals in front of a large idol of the demon Baphomet.



Association : Aleister Crowley, Eliphas Levi



Quote :



We recur once more to that terrible number fifteen, symbolized in the Tarot by a monster throned upon an altar, mitered and horned, having a woman's breasts and the generative organs of a man -- a chimera, a malformed sphinx, a systhesis of deformities. Below this figure we read a frank and simple inscription -- the Devil. Yes, we confront here that phantom of all terrors, the dragon of all theogonies, the Ahriman of the Persians, the Typhon of the Egyptians, the Python of the Greeks, the old serpent of the Hebrews, the fantastic monster, the nightmare, the Croquemitaine, the gargoyle, the great beast of the Middle Ages, and -- worse than all of these -- the Baphomet of the Templars, the bearded idol of the alchemist, the obscene deity of Mendes, the goat of the Sabbath." Eliphas Levi