Eliphas Lévi Zahed, owned by Alphonse-Louis Constant (born February 8, 1810, died May 31, 1875) is a French author of books on magic, a Freemason.
He wrote his works under the pseudonym Eliphas Lévi, hence by this name he is best known today. Eliphas Lévi originated as an attempt to translate his real name (Alphonse-Louis) into Hebrew.
His version of the science of magic was hugely successful, especially after his death. His teaching did not contain obvious texts that could indicate fanaticism, even though his works were considered "dark." Eliphas did not seek to make money from his teachings, nor, unlike many earlier and later authors, did he pretend to be a member of some ancient and mysterious society. He incorporated tarot cards into his magic system, as a result of which they became an important attribute of Western magicians. He had a profound influence on the magic of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, and it is thanks to this that Lévi is remembered today as one of the key figures in magic who contributed to the revival of magic in the 20th century.
Lévi divided pentagrams into good and bad ones. The good ones, in his view, are those that resemble a five-pointed star in their alignment, while the bad ones are inverted, as they resemble a goat's head. Often the "evil" pentagram is depicted with the head of Baphomet in the center. The symbol was used by Anton Shandor LaVey, founder and high priest of the Church of Satan.
The book in English.
Published by The Anchor Press Ltd, 1975
Format: 215 x 140 mm, 425s.
Good condition, corner folds, dings and scratches visible under light.