Book Review, by Joseph Caezza

OPUS MAGNUM: The Book of Sacred Geometry, Alchemy, Magic, Astrology, Kabbala and Secret Societies of Bohemia, edited by Vladislav Zadrobilek, Trigon (1997) bilingual Czech-English) 328 p.(This book accompanied an exhibit by the same name held during Prague's 1997 celebration of the "Year of Rudolf  II".)

"A wise man says that a long time ago, after the creation of this world, the most beautiful angel longed to be more powerful than God. At that time the archangel Gabriel punched this rebellious angel of light in the head and knocked a shiny gem out of his crown. The stone of light flew and lit up the stars, which created the Milky Way. The one who had lost his right to his name because he was not carrying the light, now followed it. Down, close to the earth he crashed in his anger, and like that he created the Bohemian valley. A fragment of the stone of light was dropped in the hill where Vysehrad stands today. There, at the secret place, unknown brothers pray on a certain day of the year, and accept the hidden light."
D.Z. Bor
On the Threshold of Nobility

This quote heralds the opening text of Opus Magnum, a bold and brilliant exploration of Bohemian alchemy. The premiere chapter describes a geological cataclysm which occurred more than 100 million years ago when an enormous meteor formed "The Prague Impact Crater" 200 by 300
kilometers in size. Green vitreous meteoric fragments known as moldivite or semiprecious valtavine rich in iron hydroxides still abound in this region. The text goes on to detail how the layout of Old Town Prague follows the design of Jerusalem and how many of its churches were constructed at strategic locations in accordance with the laws of sacred geometry to affect a mystic enchantment. A penetrating analysis of cathedral architecture and the art of master stone masons crowns this opening chapter on the sacred space of Bohemia.

     A probing inquiry into alchemy's Gnostic, Hermetic and Presocratic roots examines the philosophy behind the practice. One reads on the subject of Heraclitian Fire from which everything comes and returns to:

"This fire refines and reveals everything; its flaring up is the direction toward the unity of everything in One, while its going out means the differentiation of all the particulars of the world. The flaring up is every individuals struggle for the real present and a transformation opposite to dreamy or leisurely going along or flowing off."

Alchemy emerged from the tension between myth and reality, the senses and meaning, perception and cognition. This same tension separates matter from spirit. Fire serves to reintegrate this tension. For the ancients the problem of oneness intrinsically follows awareness. The profoundness of such discussions soars miles above the plethora of contemporary literature on this subject.

     A section on doctrine presents alchemical fundamentals with an intriguing twist. Salt appears as the central mediator between mercury and sulfur in a rotating mandala scheme. This contrasts with the more familiar less dynamic linear hierarchy that situates mercury between sulfur and salt. The bullet point format of the text describing this model calls to mind an abbreviated version of Paracelsus' Alchemical Catechism.

     An exhaustive historical survey presents details on the men and events that shaped mystic Bohemia. A growing tradition achieved its highest level during the reign of Rudolf II. He sponsored over 200 court alchemists and inspired competitiveness among nobles to promote the royal art. The contemporary hermeticist, Dr. Benedict Janes contributed a chapter outlining the more recent history of Martinism, Freemasonry and related secret societies. Dr. Janes, one of the founders of the
organization, Universalia, presents compelling details on the presence of the perennial philosophy which has survived Nazi persecution, Communist repression and even the crowds of hedonistic tourists that today run rampant through the sacred streets of Prague.

     The unique feature of Opus Magnum entails never before published illustrations from several classic Czech alchemical tomes. Foremost among these rank Symbola Chirogyphica which bears vague resemblance to The Hermaphroditic Marriage of the Sun and the Moon, Sabaoth, a highly
original German manuscript and two idiosyncratic Czech versions of The Rosarium Philosophorum. Outstanding commentaries to John Dee's Hieroglyphic Monad, The Keys of Solomon grimoires and the VIth and VIIth Books of Moses add yet more value to this volume.

     Chapters on Doctor Faust in Prague, Kabbala, the Golem myth, astrological aspects of Prague and the Fraternity of the Rosy Cross attend to the myriad peripheral aspects of alchemy. Valiant scholarship attempts to distill the reality behind these myths. For example inflated stories about the magician, Zito, who performed in the court of Charles IVth transplanted themselves upon Dr. Faust. The legend of the Golem monster created by the Polish Rabbi, Eliahu Baalshem of Chem migrated to
the great Kabbalist mystic, Rabbi Low, of Prague. The well known myth about revelations from the illuminated tomb of Father Rosenkreutz, at the heart of Rosicrusian tradition, may be an incarnation of the older myth wherein Apollonius of Tyana discovers the Emerald Tablet in the tomb of Hermes. One recalls the belief that both the Emerald Tablet and the Holy Grail were carved out of the gem fallen from the crown of Lucifer. Yet another echo of this initiatory egregory comes from 17th century England where a peasant discovered a deep illuminated crypt inhabited by a sage. The location of this happening became known as "the grave of the Rosicrucian".

     Are these myths related to contemporary folklore that describe how the pagan prophetess princess, Libuse, sleeps with her army of knights in catacombs beneath Vysehrad, Prague's hilltop fortress, quietly waiting for Bohemia's hour of need? This too appears as a modern metamorphosis of
older Czech legends connected to St. Wenceslas, Mt. Blanik and the castle fortress Melnik. Like the green glassy meteorites strewn about the Bohemian landscape these myths resonate with the alchemical admonition from the acrostic, VITRIOL. Visita Interiora Terrae Rectificando Invenies
Occultum Lapidem translates to: "Visit the interior of the earth by rectification you will find the hidden stone".

     The editor stresses in the introduction the novel nature of the illustrations and the highly original text. These erudite articles as ingenious as they are only serve as footnotes to numerous never before
published pictures that bear the full force of the revelation. One can take any given page of this book, meditate for hours and be driven to rapture by the infectious intensity of its insights.

     During the summer of 1997 over 70'000 people visited the Opus Magnum exhibit at the House of the Stone Bell in Prague's Old Town Square. Such popularity testifies to the value of the material monumentalized in this book. Destined to become a collector's item only a few copies remain of
the original 2000 printed. It takes its place next to Roob's recent Hermetic Museum, Fabricus's Alchemy: The Royal Art and Klossowski de Rola's Golden Game but offers the unique Bohemian vision.

OPUS MAGNUM is available directly from: TRIGON BOOKS, Nakladatelstvi TRIGON,
Umelecka 2 , 170 00 PRAHA 7 , CZECH REPUBLIC

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