The Scarlet Letter
Volume I, Number 4 | May 1994
Incantation
from Antonin Artaud's Theater of Cruelty (1947)
by Fr. Pnesomauma

Magically restored, with the significance of the BARBAROUS NAMES Etymologically or Qabalistically determined and paraphrased in English by Pnesomauma, Cultist of Cunning Lingo

Apep now deifieth Ra ever anon.

o pedana	Null, fortress of Bliss, whose heart and tongue are the Serpent!
na komev	Serpent exalted by the Wheel's whirling
tau dedana	On the Universal Cross of the Serpent-slain Fool,
tau komev	Cross exalted by the whirling Rose.
na dedanu	Serpent of the Slain Priest of the Goddess of the Stars!
na komev	Serpent exalted by the Wheel's whirling
tau komev	On the Cross exalted by the Rose.
na come	Serpent embrace Nothing!
copsi tra	With Star and Sun
ka figa aronda	Doubly brilliant: the secret door admits the Sun's child.
ka Lakeou	Doubly formless benediction of
to cobbra	The serpent father:
cobra ja	Serpent father Lord!
ja futsa mata	Lord of destruction and creation.

This incantation was written by Artaud for broadcast on radio as part of his final poetic synthesis of the Theater of Cruelty (not to be confused with the essay or book of the same name). It was composed of 'barbaric names' to objectify and de-utilize the language of the passage, which was devoted to the illustration of "the dance and consequently the theater [than have not yet begun to exist."

I thus confess to countering the author's intention by giving "meaning" to his original text, which is especially suited to evocatory magicks of the 24th path. The dogged ritualist may now scent certain instructions in the incantation itself.

Where there is smoke...

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