Ah Red-Rose, some marvellous material submitted thus far thank you, however let me comment on the last post Novem Portis and add a tiny bit of knowledge on the subject last in first reply. odd approach I know!
De Umbrarum Regni Novem Portis or English translation Nine Gates of the Shadow Kingdom written by Aristide Torchia - Aristedem Torchiem in the 17th Century and published in 1666 in Venice.
There are as you illustrate a simply stunning number of alphanumerically transposed 9s inherent to all the Latin language connections, an impressive revelation.
This rare book allegedly granted the owner access to the supernatural powers of The Kingdom of Shadows (Hell). The text is in coded and encrypted Latin and the 413-page book contains nine medieval woodcut engravings that play a fundamental role in the process of summoning demonic forces. rumored to be copied from the apocryphal Delomelanicon. The latter work, said to have once been in the possession of King Solomon, emerges into the realm of Medieval sorcery in 1666 through Aristide Torchia, who publishes his version of the 'Devil’s Notebook' as
De Umbrarum Regni Novem Portis.
NOVEM PORTIS is the focal point of the 1999 film: The Ninth Gate; directed by Roman Polanski and starring Johnny Depp.
However the film was based on a book, a 1993 work of fiction written by Arturo Pérez-Reverte entitled 'El Club Dumas' ('The Club Dumas' in English). The engravings shown in the film are actually from Pérez-Reverte's novel, in which a book called "The Book of the Nine Doors" is written by the same Torchia. The ninth gate is the last of nine gates that, which should each be correctly passed through, are reputed to conjure or lead to Lucifer.
While the story of Torchia and the Inquisition may well have been factual, supposedly both Torchia and copies of the work, although obviously not all, were burned by the Church, which is a completely plausible outcome of a likely conviction for what would have been heresy at the time, although the 'Nine Gates of the Shadow Kingdom' itself in original form is generally believed to be an elaborate but very believable spoof. Although, I have some doubts as to the 'spoof' deduction as the book was probably written in all seriousness and dangerously so give the fervent religious zeitgeist of the seventeenth century.
The First Gate 'Silence is Golden' A knight rides through a fortified town. With his finger on his lips he counsels prudence or silence.
An alternative translation of the latin text is: 'Only one who has battled according to the rules will prevail'.
The castle in the image is the final destination and is significant to the final outcome, or the Ninth Gate.The castle has four towers. As a number 4 concerns the physical domain; there are four phases of the moon; four cavities in the human heart; four limbs; four points of the compass and of the cross used to crucify Christ; four known physical forces, nuclear, radiation, gravity and electromagnetism; and in some cultures it is considered an unlucky and certainly tricky number to be associated with.
The Second Gate Gate 'Open that which is closed' A hermit stands before a closed door. A lantern on the ground and two keys in his hand. Next to him, a sign that resembles the Hebrew letter Teth.
Two keys refers to salvation or damnation. They are also highly prized in occult circles. King Solomon’s Temple has two doors and also two doors to its oracle. Two keys are required for the outer doors, a gold key for the right door and a silver key for the left door. Right hand. Left hand. The same keys are used on the inner doors but they are turned from left to right instead of from right to left. This defines duality of the nature of these objects; right can be left; light can be dark.
The Third Gate 'Wasted breath keeps a secret' A traveller heads towards a bridge which spans a river. At each end a fortified door bars access. On a cloud, a bowman aims in the direction of the road leading to the bridge.
Is this the realm of the spirit and perfection; the Holy Trinity; Mind, Body and Soul; Birth, Life and Death; Conscious, Subconscious and Physical Form. But most significant is this: the number three may represent new and challenging adventures with an assurance of cooperation from others whom you may require help. Typically, the number three symbolises reward and success in most undertakings.
Another transliteration of the latin title is 'a missing word keeps a secret'. The bowman represents the danger from God or the Devil (duality) regarding the person who dares to seek to penetrate the boundaries of this powerful domain; who dares to grasp the hidden meanings to unlock the gates of secrecy.
The Fourth Gate 'Chance is not the same for all.' A jester before a stone maze. The entrance is closed by a door. Three dice on the ground each reveal their faces showing the numbers 1, 2 and 3.
Number 4 is the physical domain; there are four phases of the moon; four cavities in the human heart; four limbs; four points of the compass and of the cross used to crucify Christ; four known physical forces, nuclear, radiation, gravity and electromagnetism; and in some cultures it is considered an unlucky and tricky number.
A maze, and a dungeon-like one built of stone, has potent symbolism. In Greek mythology, the Labyrinth of Crete was so well designed that it was impossible for a person to find their way out again; leaving them as prey for the Minotaur. The Minotaur is representative of the beast ‘in us’ that roams the labyrinth of the subconscious mind. The warning here is: delve into the darker side of your self and you may never find a way back out. And in Aristide Torchia’s version of the engraving there is no way out.
The Fifth Gate 'In vain' A merchant counts his gold. Behind him, Death holds an hourglass in one hand and a pitchfork in the other.
The merchant is sitting within a castle-like chamber, possibly hinting at the location of the final, Ninth Gate. The floor is a checkerboard, black and white together, repeating the theme of duality.
The hourglass and the pitchfork in either hand are significant. The pitchfork is three-pronged; a trident, which here is most likely a symbol for the Devil; although it also doubles as a weapon against evil in Hinduism possesing powers against demons.
Yet in Aristide Torchia’s version, there is still time to resolve the situation; to dispense with material delusions of wealth and to take the appropriate action (perhaps taking up the trident to defend himself).
The Sixth Gate 'I enrich myself with death.' A hanged man, similar to that of the Tarot, his hands behind his back, hung by one foot from the crenellation of the castle wall next to a closed tower gate. A hand clad in a gauntlet brandishes a burning sword from a loophole.
Despite hanging upside down the man’s hair and clothes do not; he has a calm demeanour. This position is desired.
A key meaning of the hanged man is that through personal sacrifice, even death, comes new understanding.
The Norse god Odin hung upside down from the world-tree, Yggdrasil, for nine days in order to attain wisdom. By surviving these nine days of challenge, or nine gates, Odin acquired the runes from the Well of Wyrd, the ultimate source of all sacred knowledge. Remembering that Norse pagan faith would have been brighter in the memory in the 1600s than the 21st Century.
The significance of the right and left leg is based on the motivation and nature of the sacrifice being undertaken. Torchia’s engraving, showing the man hanging from the right leg would suggest a materialistic sacrifice; but the inverted meaning can indicate the opposite is true; just as with the gold and silver keys for the Temple of Solomon, right becomes left and left becomes right. Again duality.
The Seventh Gate 'The disciple outshines the master.' A king and a beggar play chess on a board with white squares. The moon can be seen through the window. Beneath this and next to a closed door, two dogs fight.
The crescent moon symbolises new beginnings and the turning of dreams into reality. Question: is not reality a dream and to escape the dream is to ascend / descend into reality?
The two dogs fighting represent the fears of the mind at the approach of great transformation. Black and white. Opposites fighting over a single purpose. Duality. The difference between the black chess board and the white chess board is merely to reinforce this point.
The white and black chess board also hints at either an ascent from the Kingdom of Shadows or a decent into it.
Finally, with both King and peasant playing on a uniform board, it suggests that the game is in fact even, heading towards a draw. The King cannot beat the peasant. They are both equal. Having come this far the peasant is now equal to God or the Devil. Will he have the courage to get past the fighting dogs (his own fears) and head out through the door, which is closed but not locked, into the engendering light of the new moon?
The Eighth Gate 'Virtue is conquered' A figure kneels in prayer before the fortified walls of a castle, whilst behind him stands a warrior with a mace ready to strike. In the background is a Wheel of Fortune.
The virtuous man prays to overcome the challenges he faces, but fate may yet strike him down, a killing blow from the warrior behind him pending on the turn of the Wheel of Fortune. Virtue will not stop the praying man from being killed. Virtue is vanquished.
The warrior and the man in prayer represent the dual roles of the protagonist and antagonist. One is aggressive, acquisitive, determine to do whatever to achieve his goal; the other is passive and seeks guidance to gain an understanding of his goal.
The Ninth Gate 'I know now that the shadows come from the light.' A seven-headed dragon is ridden by a naked woman; she sits incanting from an open book on her lap whilst gesturing towards the castle in the background.
The castle depicted in the woodcut is a visually literal representation of the Ninth Gate’s physical location. No doubt a location that has been sought for millennia and finally found.
The woman riding the dragon could allude to the Whore of Babylon, the angel/demon or Lucifer itself, summoned as an overseer of the journey. meanwhile the castle burns in order that the seeker may receive the wisdom as to where the real endpoint of enlightenment is located.
Another point of reference from which to view The Ninth Gate within, is as a window, looking into the story of Catharism and the fight against the tyranny of materialism, Cathars were attacked as heretics by Catholic forces.
In conclusion, each of the nine engravings represents a particular life experience, generic or specific, that a seeker must undergo in order to gain access to the world of light and illumination. In truth an utterly fascinating progression, but perhaps a logical follow on to the work of 16th Century English mathematician, astronomer, astrologer, occult philosopher, and advisor to Queen Elizabeth I John Dee (13 July 1527 – 1609), who devoted much of his life to the study of alchemy, divination, and Hermetic philosophy.
