During the 16th and early 17th centuries, one of the most enigmatic figures in the United Kingdom was John Dee, who served at the court of Queen Elizabeth I as an astronomer, mathematician, astrologer, teacher, and chemist. Known for his profound studies in the occult and esoteric sciences, Dee also owned one of the most extensive collections of mystical and magical texts in Europe, if not the world. His library was filled with dark, dusty shelves containing manuscripts and books on spells, divination, astrology, and demonology. Among his collection was one of the most intriguing manuscripts, referred to as the “Book of Soyga”, known for being one of the most mysterious and challenging magical texts for researchers and scholars today.
The mystery of the Book of Soyga, sometimes called The Aegis, lies in its near-total use of Latin and its inclusion of Renaissance-era magical beliefs and spells. It contains numerous diagrams, tables, and secret symbols, as well as sections on astrology, angelic and demonic names and genealogies, and references to other medieval magical texts that were previously unknown. Although much of the Book of Soyga is in Latin and thus theoretically translatable, many words are written in reverse for unknown reasons, and numerous numerical codes remain unsolved. John Dee himself struggled with these codes during his obsessive studies of the book, which remain enigmatic to this day. Mathematician and researcher Jim Reeds notes that this method is characteristic of the new Cabalistic magic that was popular in the 16th century.
John Dee’s interest in studying the Book of Soyga stemmed from his belief that it contained deep cosmic secrets. He devoted much of his time to studying and attempting to decipher it, achieving varying levels of success but remaining deeply frustrated by his inability to unlock the secrets of the final 36 pages, which contained tables filled with seemingly random Latin letters. Dee recognized that these pages contained some form of encoded message but was never able to reveal its meaning despite employing extreme and unconventional methods, such as seeking angelic counsel. He claimed to have spoken with the angel Uriel, who told him that the book appeared when Adam entered Eden and that it could only be properly translated by the archangel Michael. Uriel also warned Dee that anyone who deciphered the coded tables would surely die within two and a half years. It is unknown if Dee received any further answers, but he remained obsessively devoted to the book until his death without ever solving its mysteries.
After Dee’s death, most of his library was looted and lost, and the Book of Soyga disappeared, presumed lost until 1994. At that time, American scholar and occult expert Deborah Harkness discovered two copies—one among piles of old, dusty books at the British Library and the other several months later at the Bodleian Library. Harkness was able to confirm that these were genuine copies of the long-lost Book of Soyga. However, despite technological advancements, understanding its secrets remains elusive. Although mathematician and researcher Jim Reeds managed to decode the algorithms and mathematical formulations used in the book’s tables and even identify errors made by its author(s), the actual meaning and significance of these elements remain unknown. Reeds was fortunate to live 12 years after decoding the symbols, debunking the book’s curse legend. Still, some argue that merely reading the pages does not guarantee their correct interpretation, and only those who correctly interpret them face the curse.
To this day, many have tried to uncover the secrets of the Book of Soyga, yet it remains largely as mysterious as ever. No one knows what to make of these texts and their purposes, whether they hold crucial clues about our reality or if they were merely a joke by their creators. John Dee believed the manuscript was of utmost importance, but unfortunately, these questions remain unanswered to this day.
