Mini review: The Doctrine and Ritual of High Magic
Posted: Thu Aug 17, 2017 12:18 pm
The Doctrine and Ritual of High Magic: A New Translation
by Eliphas Lévi (Author), John Michael Greer (Translator), Mark Anthony Mikituk (Translator)
The idea behind this new translation is fairly simple. Mark Mikituk lives in France where he teaches english and have previous experience with translation. HOWEVER, he is not an occultist, he has never read the A.E Waite translation and he has according to himself "no skin in the game". It's a pretty straight translation.
To help with some of the technical terms and also provide extensive notes and commentary, you have John Michael Greer. Who I think did a very good job with the translation of 'the picatrix' and a somewhat good job with the latest edition of 'the golden dawn' editing.
So should you get this translation instead of the A.E Waite translation?
Yes and no. Waite also did a fairly straight translation and then added commentary to it, and I find his commentary to be very insightful and actually helpful. Greer's commentary is pretty superficial and in most point unnecessary.
Example:
4. Nineveh and Thebes: important cities in ancient kingdoms
5. Orpheus. Legendary musician
6. Pythagoras: Greek mathematician.
If you don't already know this information, you have no business reading something like Eliphas Levi anyway.
How good is the translation then?
Better, is the shortest word I can use. It's easier to read and it acknowledge things like Levi's humor and wordplay. I don't think Waite even had a sense of humor...
BUT!
Eliphas Levi is not an easy writer to read. Neither in french or in english. The book itself deals with some of the most advanced magic before you get into the goetia and forms the backbone to the golden dawn system. But Levi isn't helping the reader to understand anything either. His writing is very pompous and very dense.
I'll give you a good example from the introduction to the rituals so that you get a sense of how Levi writes and how they've chosen to translate it:
A.E Waite:
Knowest thou that old queen of the world who is on the march always and wearies never? Every uncurbed passion, every selfish pleasure, every licentious energy of humanity, and all it's tyrannous weakness, go before the sordid mistress of our tearful valley, and, scythe in hand, these indefatigable laborers reap their eternal reward.
New translation:
Do you know the old queen of the world, who continually walks without even tiring?
All debauched passions, all egoistic pleasures, all the unbridled forces of humanity, and all it's tyrannical weaknesses precede the avaricious proprietor of our valley of suffering, and, with sickles in hand, her untiring minions perform their eternal harvest.
by Eliphas Lévi (Author), John Michael Greer (Translator), Mark Anthony Mikituk (Translator)
The idea behind this new translation is fairly simple. Mark Mikituk lives in France where he teaches english and have previous experience with translation. HOWEVER, he is not an occultist, he has never read the A.E Waite translation and he has according to himself "no skin in the game". It's a pretty straight translation.
To help with some of the technical terms and also provide extensive notes and commentary, you have John Michael Greer. Who I think did a very good job with the translation of 'the picatrix' and a somewhat good job with the latest edition of 'the golden dawn' editing.
So should you get this translation instead of the A.E Waite translation?
Yes and no. Waite also did a fairly straight translation and then added commentary to it, and I find his commentary to be very insightful and actually helpful. Greer's commentary is pretty superficial and in most point unnecessary.
Example:
4. Nineveh and Thebes: important cities in ancient kingdoms
5. Orpheus. Legendary musician
6. Pythagoras: Greek mathematician.
If you don't already know this information, you have no business reading something like Eliphas Levi anyway.
How good is the translation then?
Better, is the shortest word I can use. It's easier to read and it acknowledge things like Levi's humor and wordplay. I don't think Waite even had a sense of humor...
BUT!
Eliphas Levi is not an easy writer to read. Neither in french or in english. The book itself deals with some of the most advanced magic before you get into the goetia and forms the backbone to the golden dawn system. But Levi isn't helping the reader to understand anything either. His writing is very pompous and very dense.
I'll give you a good example from the introduction to the rituals so that you get a sense of how Levi writes and how they've chosen to translate it:
A.E Waite:
Knowest thou that old queen of the world who is on the march always and wearies never? Every uncurbed passion, every selfish pleasure, every licentious energy of humanity, and all it's tyrannous weakness, go before the sordid mistress of our tearful valley, and, scythe in hand, these indefatigable laborers reap their eternal reward.
New translation:
Do you know the old queen of the world, who continually walks without even tiring?
All debauched passions, all egoistic pleasures, all the unbridled forces of humanity, and all it's tyrannical weaknesses precede the avaricious proprietor of our valley of suffering, and, with sickles in hand, her untiring minions perform their eternal harvest.