The Pentacles

The 5th Pentacle of Mars

A detailed scorpion fills the fifth Mars pentacle. The Key says demons cannot resist its sight, and surrounds the creature with HVL and a Psalm’s lion, adder and dragon underfoot. [1]

Mathers 1889 · Book I, chapter XVIII; printed p. 64; figure 29, Plate VI; plate PDF page 79

Pentacle profile

Tradition and Group: Mathers 1889 · Mars [1]
Position within the Set: Pentacle 5 · figure 29 · plate VI [1]
Attributed Purpose: To terrify demons into obedience by its sight and presence; the notice specifies virgin parchment or paper. [1]
Design: A scorpion with extended claws and a curled segmented tail lies among four HVL groups inside Psalm 91:13. [1]

A scorpion faces right with two open claws, small legs, a segmented body and a tail curling upwards from the left. HVL occurs on four sides within a Hebrew verse band topped by a hexagram. — **Source reproduction** The 5th Pentacle of Mars: a scorpion among four HVL groups, within Psalm 91:13’s dangerous-beast verse. Mathers 1889, Plate VI, figure 29; notice on p. 64.

Obedience at its sight

The fifth Mars notice specifies virgin parchment or paper. It calls the figure terrible to demons and says they obey at its sight and aspect, unable to resist its presence. [1]

The scorpion and HVL

The scorpion faces right, with open claws and a segmented body. Its jointed tail curves up from the left and ends in a hooked sting; small legs and fine strokes give the creature a textured outline. HVL appears above, below and on either side. The drawing sits within a separate Hebrew verse ring, with a small six-pointed star at its top. [1]

The Psalm’s dangerous creatures

Psalm 91:13 promises the treading down of the lion and adder, the young lion and dragon. These are the animals named in the verse around the pictured scorpion. Immediately before, the Psalm gives angels charge over the protected person and places that person in their hands; afterward, it promises deliverance to the one who loves and knows the divine name. [1][2]

Sources and editions

The Key of Solomon the King · The 5th Pentacle of Mars
S. L. MacGregor Mathers, 1889; printed edition, including editorial restoration of Hebrew characters. Book I, chapter XVIII; printed p. 64; figure 29, Plate VI; plate PDF page 79; Complete Mars notices and notes, printed pp. 63–64 (PDF pp. 80–81); Preface p. vi; general Book I VIII pp. 39–41 and XVIII pp. 56–57
Psalm 91:9–16 · Angels, dangerous beasts and deliverance
King James Version, public-domain biblical text. Psalm 91:9–16

Return to The Brass Vessel

Loading Luminary Oddities