Election of Planetary Days and Hours

Rather than a ceremony in itself, this chapter is the timetable on which every other Solomonic operation depends. The day is divided into twelve unequal planetary hours from sunrise and twelve from sunset, the first hour belonging to the planet of the day and the rest following the Chaldean order. Saturn governs works of learning, buildings and the dead; Jupiter honours, riches and friendship; Mars war and courage; the Sun wealth and the favour of princes; Venus love and journeys; Mercury eloquence, science and divination; the Moon voyages, messages and water. The text adds that the Moon's sign refines the choice: earthy signs for invocation, fiery for love and invisibility, airy for unusual experiments. Observing both day and hour is said to be strongest.

Purpose

The text presents this as the governing rule of the whole Art: every operation is to be matched to the planet whose nature suits it, or the work is said to fail.

Timing

Planetary hour

The hour of the planet suited to the work, reckoned from local sunrise and sunset

Moon

Waxing (increasing in light)

General rule: use the hour (ideally also the day) of the planet suited to the work. Hours are reckoned from sunrise and sunset. Moon increasing in light is favoured; nothing is begun at the conjunction. For conversing with spirits the text prefers the day and hour of Mercury with the Moon in an airy sign.

Tools

• table of planetary hours

Omitted

The chapter also lists hours said to suit works of hatred, discord and destruction; these are noted for historical completeness only and are not reproduced.