Ola K Ase

THE NECRONOMICON MYTHOS
ACCORDING TO HPL
by
Parker Ryan
This section is a short summary of some of horror writer H.P. Lovecraft's major ideas
relating to the Necronomicon and its associated Myths. The Necronomicon is perhaps
the most infamous book related to the magick (whether real or fictional). Please note
that I am not claiming that the information presented in part is historical fact.Rather I
am simply summarizing what HPL had to say in his fiction and other sources about
the Necronomicon. After reading ALL parts of this post AND doing your own
research, you will be the judge about what may or may not be historical fact.
Perhaps the best way to start is by Quoting HPL from The History and Chronology of
the Necronomicon.
"Original title Al Azif-Azif being the word usedby the Arabs to designate that nocturnal
sound (made by insects) supposed to be the howling of demons."
"Composed by Abdul Alhazred, a mad poet of Sanaa, in Yemen, who is said to have
flourished in the time of the Ommiade Caliphs, circa A.D. 700. He visited the ruins of Babylon
and the subterranean secrets of Memphis and spent ten years alone in the great southern desert
of Arabia-the Roba elKhaliye or 'Empty Space' of the ancients and 'Dahna' or 'Crimson
Desert' of the modern Arabs, which is held to be inhabited by protective evil spirits and
monsters of death. Of this desert many strange and unbelievable marvels are told by those who
pretend to have penetrated it. In his last years Alhazred dwelt in Damascus, where the
Necronomicon (Al Azif) was written... Of his madness manythings are told. He claimed to have
seen the fabulous Irem or city of Pillars, and to have found beneath the ruins of a certain
nameless desert town the shocking annals and secrets of a race older than mankind."

Later the Al Azif was translated into Greek under the Greek title Necronomicon (the
title is definitely not in Latin as is often claimed). This title is translated as "the Book
(orimage) of the Practices of the Dead"; Necro being Greek for "Dead" and Nomos
meaning "practices", "customs" or "rules" (as in astronomy). The title Necronomicon
absolutely does not translate as Book of Dead Names (as Colin Wilson has
mistakenly and repeatedly stated). In order for it to mean Dead Names it would have
to be Latin/Greek hybrid (besides HPL flatly indicated the first translation isthe
correct one). Still later (possibly in the 1200's) it was translated into Latin but retained
it's Greek title. The Latin text came into the possession of Dr. John Dee in the sixteenth
century. Dr. Dee made the only English translation of the Necronomicon known.
The Necronomicon contains dark secrets about the real nature of the Earth and the
universe. According to the Necronomicon theEarth was once ruled by the Old Ones,
powerful beings from other worlds or other dimensions. HPL in The Dunwich Horror
attributes this quote to the Necronomicon "Nor is it to be thought, that man is either

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Parker Ryan

the oldest or the last of Earth's masters, or that the common bulk of life and substance
walks alone. The Old Ones were, the Old Ones are, the Old Ones shall be not inthe
spaces we know but between them, They walk serene and primal undimensioned and
to us unseen. Yog-Sothoth is the gate. Yog-Sothoth is the key and guardian of the
gate. Past, present, future all are one in Yog-Sothoth. He Knows where the Old Ones
broke Through of old, and Where They shall break through again. He knows where
They have trod earth's fields, and where They still tread them, andwhy no man can
behold Them as They tread. By their smell can men sometimes know them near, but of
their semblance can no man know, saving only in the featurs of those They have
begotten on mankind; and of those are there many sorts, differing in likeness from
mans truest eidolon to that shape without sight or substance which is Them. They walk
unseen and foul in lonely places where the Words...