User:Nyctophilia

An attraction to darkness or night; finding relaxation or comfort in the darkness.

To-do list
(tasks, not people)


 * Investigate origins of the Theban alphabet

Theban alphabet
As I get more information, I'll update the Theban alphabet page

Most information you can find concerning this cipher from the net (mostly from neopagan sites) seems very incomplete, with each site copy/pasting other sites' sections. Unlike what is usually stated, the first printing of the cipher was not by Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa (1486-1535) (De Occulta Philosopha, 1531 ), but by Johannes Trithemius (1462-1516) (in Polygraphia, 1518). Both credits Pietro d'Abano (a.k.a. Peter Aponensus, Pierre d'Ebano...1257-1316) as their source.

The "mythical" inventor of Theban alphabet was Honorius of Thebes, a possibly legendary character. Some people think he could have been Pope Honorius I or Pope Honorius III, but I haven't found any evidence on that. It is noteworthy that Honorius of Thebes is said to be the author of the grimoire The Sworne Book of Honorius (a.k.a. Liber Juratus, referenced as early as in 14th century, possible earlier origin ). However, this grimoire does not contain any description nor use of the Theban letters.

It is to be noted that at this time, it apparently seemed quite common to create your own magic alphabet, whether for encrypting purposes or magical purposes (or even, to disguise messages under a "magic-mambo-jumbo-atmosphere", which is precisely what Johannes Trithemius did in a former book (Steganographia, written circa 1499 and published 1606), as you can see in ; text  ; It is ironically funny that many took this work literaly, including his student Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa). Another Trithemius' student, Paracelsus (1493-1541) invented his Alphabet of the Magi in 1499 ; Johannes Trithemius invented angel sigils with numerical values in Steganographia (c. 1499 p. 1606), and reported a lot of ciphers in Polygraphia (1518) ; Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa reported many now-famous ciphers, like Malachim, Celestial Alphabet and Passage du Fleuve (Passing the River). Even later, John Dee would create - although some do prefer "recreate" - Enochian alphabet.

I have not yet found descriptions nor use of Theban alphabet in Pietro d'Abano works. I will have to check in Conciliator differentiarum philosophorum et precipue medicorum (late 13th century), although most of his works concerns medecine, philosophy and other topics. Simon de Phares notes in his Recueil des plus célèbres astrologues (= Most famous astrologers) :

(french)

«« 1305. Petrus de Ebano, excellant phillozophe, medicin et astrologien, resident a Padue, fut et florit environ ce temps, lequel obtint pour son temps le nom de Consilliateur. Cestui a bien monstré que vault et de quoy sert astrologie es euvres de medicine. Aucuns dient qu'il traicta sur astrologie, touteffoiz ces livres ne me sont point apparuz.Aucuns dient qu'il predist par astrologie plusieurs choses a Henry l'empereur 7e de ce nom, de la destrucion d'aucune secte, c'est des Templiers, comme aucuns estiment. Cestui fist le livre Des venins. Aucuns dient qu'il fut grant philosophe et excellant magicien. J'ay veu de mes yeux a Padue ung puis, lequel puis le vulgal tient que icelui de Ebano fist transporter de lieu en autre et est a present en place publique et est fait en maniere d'une cuve a baigner. Plusieurs choses en sont escriptes de ses haulx faiz que je laisse. »»

Highlighted part of the old french text means "Many says that he did work/write on astrology, although I've never seen those books". Which makes existence of those books either questionnable, either those were destroyed or concealed (until I find some).

In the talk page, user:Fuzzypeg published a script that looks closely like Theban, probably from a Nigel Pennick book. It would be of great interest to know what is written in the chapter dedicated to this alphabet. Hence I message Fuzzypeg right now.

In most neopagan and wiccan sites describing Theban alphabet, they refer to it as a cipher for encrypting messages, names or things in Book of Shadows. By pure curiousity, I'd like to know how relevant is it and whether neopagans and wiccans often use this script.