''The Lesser Key of Solomon'', also known as ''Lemegeton Clavicula Salomonis'' or simply ''Lemegeton'', is an anonymous
grimoire
A grimoire ( ) (also known as a "book of spells" or a "spellbook") is a textbook of magic, typically including instructions on how to create magical objects like talismans and amulets, how to perform magical spells, charms and divination, and ...
on
demonology
Demonology is the study of demons within religious belief and myth. Depending on context, it can refer to studies within theology, religious doctrine, or pseudoscience. In many faiths, it concerns the study of a hierarchy of demons. Demons may b ...
. It was compiled in the mid-17th century, mostly from materials a couple of centuries older.
[''Lemegeton Clavicula Salomonis: The Lesser Key of Solomon, Detailing the Ceremonial Art of Commanding Spirits Both Good and Evil''; ed. Joseph H. Peterson; Weiser Books Maine; 2001. pp. xi–xvii.][''The Goetia of Dr Rudd''; Thomas Rudd, Eds. Stephen Skinner & David Rankine; 2007, Golden Hoard Press. p. 399.] It is divided into five books—the ''Ars Goetia'', ''Ars Theurgia-Goetia'', ''Ars Paulina'', ''Ars Almadel'', and ''Ars Notoria''.
''Ars Goetia''
Etymology
The text is more properly called "Lemegeton Clavicula Salomonis, or, The little Key of Solomon".
The title most commonly used, "The Lesser Key of Solomon," does not in fact occur in the manuscripts. A.E. Waite, in his 1898 ''Book of Black Magic and of Pacts'' does use the terms "so-called Greater Key" and "Lesser Key" to distinguish between the Clavicula Salomonis and Lemegeton, so he may have been the first one to coin it. The
Latin
Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...
term ' refers to the
evocation
Evocation is the act of evoking, calling upon, or summoning a spirit, demon, deity or other supernatural agents, in the Western mystery tradition. Comparable practices exist in many religions and magical traditions and may employ the use of mi ...
of
demon
A demon is a malevolent supernatural entity. Historically, belief in demons, or stories about demons, occurs in religion, occultism, literature, fiction, mythology, and folklore; as well as in media such as comics, video games, movies, ani ...
s or evil spirits.
It is derived from the
Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek includes the forms of the Greek language used in ancient Greece and the ancient world from around 1500 BC to 300 BC. It is often roughly divided into the following periods: Mycenaean Greek (), Dark Ages (), the Archaic peri ...
word (''goēteía'') meaning “charm” "
witchcraft
Witchcraft traditionally means the use of magic or supernatural powers to harm others. A practitioner is a witch. In medieval and early modern Europe, where the term originated, accused witches were usually women who were believed to have us ...
" or "jugglery".
In
medieval
In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the Post-classical, post-classical period of World history (field), global history. It began with t ...
and
Renaissance
The Renaissance ( , ) , from , with the same meanings. is a period in European history marking the transition from the Middle Ages to modernity and covering the 15th and 16th centuries, characterized by an effort to revive and surpass ideas ...
Europe, ''goetia'' was generally considered evil and heretical, in contrast to ''theurgia'' (
theurgy
Theurgy (; ) describes the practice of rituals, sometimes seen as magical in nature, performed with the intention of invoking the action or evoking the presence of one or more deities, especially with the goal of achieving henosis (uniting wi ...
) and ''magia naturalis'' (
natural magic
Natural magic in the context of Renaissance magic is that part of the occult which deals with natural forces directly, as opposed to ceremonial magic which deals with the summoning of spirits. Natural magic sometimes makes use of physical substa ...
), which were sometimes considered more noble.
Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa
Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa von Nettesheim (; ; 14 September 1486 – 18 February 1535) was a German polymath, physician, legal scholar, soldier, theologian, and occult writer. Agrippa's '' Three Books of Occult Philosophy'' published in 1533 dre ...
, in his ''
Three Books of Occult Philosophy
''Three Books of Occult Philosophy'' (''De Occulta Philosophia libri III'') is Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa's study of occult philosophy, acknowledged as a significant contribution to the Renaissance philosophical discussion concerning the power ...
'', writes "Now the parts of ceremonial magic are goetia and theurgia. Goetia is unfortunate, by the commerces of unclean spirits made up of the rites of wicked curiosities, unlawful charms, and deprecations, and is abandoned and execrated by all laws."
Sources
The most obvious source for the ''Ars Goetia'' is
Johann Weyer's ''
Pseudomonarchia Daemonum
''Pseudomonarchia Daemonum'', or ''False Monarchy of Demons'', first appears as an Appendix to ''De praestigiis daemonum'' (1577) by Johann Weyer.Pseudomonarchia Daemonum (Liber officiorum spirituum); Johann Weyer, ed. Joseph Peterson; 2000. Avai ...
'' in his ''
De praestigiis daemonum
''De praestigiis daemonum'', translated as ''On the Tricks of Demons'', is a book by medical doctor Johann Weyer, also known as Wier, first published in Basel in 1563. The book argues that witchcraft does not exist and that those who claim to pr ...
''. Weyer does not cite, and is unaware of, any other books in the ''Lemegeton'', suggesting that the ''Lemegeton'' was derived from his work, not the other way around.
[''The Book of Ceremonial Magic'', Part I, Chapter III, section 2: "The Lesser Key of Solomon"; Arthur Edward Waite; London, 1913; available online a]
The Internet Sacred Text Archive
The order of the spirits changed between the two, four additional spirits were added to the later work, and one spirit (
Pruflas
''Pseudomonarchia Daemonum'', or ''False Monarchy of Demons'', first appears as an Appendix to ''De praestigiis daemonum'' (1577) by Johann Weyer.Pseudomonarchia Daemonum (Liber officiorum spirituum); Johann Weyer, ed. Joseph Peterson; 2000. Avai ...
) was omitted. The omission of Pruflas, a mistake that also occurs in an edition of ''Pseudomonarchia Daemonum'' cited in
Reginald Scot
Reginald Scot (or Scott) ( – 9 October 1599) was an Englishman and Member of Parliament, the author of '' The Discoverie of Witchcraft'', which was published in 1584. It was written against the belief in witches, to show that witchcraft di ...
's ''
The Discovery of Witchcraft
''The Discoverie of Witchcraft'' is a partially sceptical book published by the English gentleman Reginald Scot in 1584, intended as an exposé of early modern witchcraft. It contains a small section intended to show how the public was fooled by ...
'', indicates that the ''Ars Goetia'' could not have been compiled before 1570. Indeed, it appears that the ''Ars Goetia'' is more dependent upon Scott's translation of Weyer than on Weyer's work in itself. Additionally, some material came from
Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa
Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa von Nettesheim (; ; 14 September 1486 – 18 February 1535) was a German polymath, physician, legal scholar, soldier, theologian, and occult writer. Agrippa's '' Three Books of Occult Philosophy'' published in 1533 dre ...
's ''
Three Books of Occult Philosophy
''Three Books of Occult Philosophy'' (''De Occulta Philosophia libri III'') is Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa's study of occult philosophy, acknowledged as a significant contribution to the Renaissance philosophical discussion concerning the power ...
'', the
''Heptameron'' by pseudo-Pietro d'Abano,
[Rudd, Ed. Skinner & Rankine; pp. 31–43] and
the ''Magical Calendar''.
Weyer's ''Officium Spirituum'', which is likely related to a 1583 manuscript titled
''The Office of Spirits'',
[''A Book of the Office of Spirits''; John Porter, Trans. Frederick Hockley, Ed. Colin D. Campbelll; Teitan Press, 2011. p. xiii–xvii] appears to have ultimately been an elaboration on a 15th-century manuscript titled ''
Livre des Esperitz
The ''Livre des Esperitz'' (or ''Book of Spirits'') is a 15th or 16th century French grimoire that inspired later works including Johann Weyer's ''Pseudomonarchia Daemonum'' and the ''Lesser Key of Solomon''."Les who's who démonologiques de la ...
'' (30 of the 47 spirits are nearly identical to spirits in the ''Ars Goetia'').
In a slightly later copy made by
Thomas Rudd
Thomas Rudd (1583?–1656) was an English military engineer and mathematician.
Life
The eldest son of Thomas Rudd of Higham Ferrers, Northamptonshire, he was born in 1583 or 1584. He served during his earlier years as a military engineer in ...
(1583?–1656), this portion was labelled "Liber Malorum Spirituum seu Goetia", and the seals and demons were paired with those of the 72 angels of the
Shem HaMephorash
''Shem HaMephorash'' ( he, שֵׁם הַמְּפֹרָשׁ ''Šēm hamMəfōrāš'', also ''Shem ha-Mephorash''), meaning "the explicit name," is originally a Tannaitic term describing the Tetragrammaton. In Kabbalah, it may refer to a name of Go ...
[Rudd, Ed. Skinner & Rankine; p.14-19] which were intended to protect the conjurer and to control the demons he summoned. The angelic names and seals derived from a manuscript by
Blaise de Vigenère
Blaise de Vigenère (5 April 1523 – 19 February 1596) () was a French diplomat, cryptographer, translator and alchemist.
Biography
Vigenère was born into a respectable family in the village of Saint-Pourçain. His mother, Jean, arrang ...
, whose papers were also used by
Samuel Liddell MacGregor Mathers
Samuel Liddell (or Liddel) MacGregor Mathers (8 or 11 January 1854 – 5 or 20 November 1918), born Samuel Liddell Mathers, was a British occultist. He is primarily known as one of the founders of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, a cerem ...
(1854-1918) in his works for the
Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn
The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn ( la, Ordo Hermeticus Aurorae Aureae), more commonly the Golden Dawn (), was a secret society devoted to the study and practice of occult Hermeticism and metaphysics during the late 19th and early 20th ...
(1887–1903). Rudd may have derived his copy of ''Liber Malorum Spirituum'' from a now-lost work by
Johannes Trithemius,
who taught Agrippa, who in turn taught Weyer.
This portion of the work was later translated by
Samuel Liddell MacGregor Mathers
Samuel Liddell (or Liddel) MacGregor Mathers (8 or 11 January 1854 – 5 or 20 November 1918), born Samuel Liddell Mathers, was a British occultist. He is primarily known as one of the founders of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, a cerem ...
and published by
Aleister Crowley
Aleister Crowley (; born Edward Alexander Crowley; 12 October 1875 – 1 December 1947) was an English occultist, ceremonial magician, poet, painter, novelist, and mountaineer. He founded the religion of Thelema, identifying himself as the pro ...
in 1904 under the title ''The Book of the Goetia of Solomon the King''. Crowley added some additional invocations previously unrelated to the original work (including some evocations in the
Enochian
Enochian ( ) is an occult constructed language — said by its originators to have been received from angels — recorded in the private journals of John Dee and his colleague Edward Kelley in late 16th-century England. Kelley was a scryer who w ...
language), as well as essays describing the rituals as psychological exploration instead of demon summoning.
[Peterson, 2001, pp. xviii–xx]
The Seventy-Two Demons
![72_Goeta_sigils](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b9/72_Goeta_sigils.png)
The demons' names (given below) are taken from the ''Ars Goetia'', which differs in terms of number and ranking from the ''
Pseudomonarchia Daemonum
''Pseudomonarchia Daemonum'', or ''False Monarchy of Demons'', first appears as an Appendix to ''De praestigiis daemonum'' (1577) by Johann Weyer.Pseudomonarchia Daemonum (Liber officiorum spirituum); Johann Weyer, ed. Joseph Peterson; 2000. Avai ...
'' of Weyer. As a result of multiple translations, there are multiple spellings for some of the names, which are given in the articles concerning them. The demons Vassago, Seere, Dantalion, and Andromalius are new additions in ''Ars Goetia'' that are not present in the ''Pseudomonarchia Daemonum'' that it is based upon, whereas the demon
Pruflas
''Pseudomonarchia Daemonum'', or ''False Monarchy of Demons'', first appears as an Appendix to ''De praestigiis daemonum'' (1577) by Johann Weyer.Pseudomonarchia Daemonum (Liber officiorum spirituum); Johann Weyer, ed. Joseph Peterson; 2000. Avai ...
appears in the ''Pseudomonarchia Daemonum'' but not in ''Ars Goetia''.
# King
Bael Bael may refer to:
*''Aegle marmelos'', commonly known as the Bael tree
*Bael (demon)
* Bael (wrestler)
See also
* Baal (disambiguation)
* Bail (disambiguation)
Bail is the conditional release of an arrested person prior to their trial, or the mo ...
# Duke
Agares
Agares (also ''Agarat'', ''Agaros'', or ''Agarus'') is a demon described in demonological grimoires.
Description
Agares is described in grimoires such as the ''Livre des Esperitz'' (as Agarat), the '' Pseudomonarchia Daemonum'', the ''Lesser ...
# Prince
Vassago Vassago (also ''Vasago'', ''Usagoo'') is a demon described in demonological grimoires such as the ''Lesser Key of Solomon'' and the '' Book of the Office of Spirits''.
Lesser Key of Solomon
He is the third demon in the ''Lesser Key'' (including ...
# Marquis
Samigina
# President
Marbas
In demonology, Marbas or Barbas is a demon described in the Ars Goetia. He is described as the Great President of Hell governing thirty-six legions of demons. He answers truly on hidden or secret things, causes and heals diseases, gives wisdom ...
# Duke
Valefor
# Marquis
Amon
Amon may refer to:
Mythology
* Amun, an Ancient Egyptian deity, also known as Amon and Amon-Ra
* Aamon, a Goetic demon
People Momonym
* Amon of Judah ( 664– 640 BC), king of Judah
Given name
* Amon G. Carter (1879–1955), American pu ...
# Duke
Barbatos
Barbatos is the 8th spirit named among the list of 72 demons in ''The Lesser Key of Solomon''. According to grimoire tradition, he holds the rank of Duke, and (like the demon Buer) may appear when the sun is in the sign of Sagittarius. When su ...
# King
Paimon
Paimon is a spirit named in early grimoires. These include ''The Lesser Key of Solomon'' (in the ''Ars Goetia''), Johann Weyer's ''Pseudomonarchia Daemonum'', Collin de Plancy's ''Dictionnaire Infernal'', the ''Livre des Esperitz'' (as "''Poym ...
# President
Buer
# Duke
Gusion
The demons' names (given below) are taken from the ''Ars Goetia'', which differs in terms of number and ranking from the ''Pseudomonarchia Daemonum'' of Johann Weyer. As a result of multiple translations, there are multiple spellings for some of t ...
# Prince
Sitri
The demons' names (given below) are taken from the '' Ars Goetia'', which differs in terms of number and ranking from the '' Pseudomonarchia Daemonum'' of Johann Weyer. As a result of multiple translations, there are multiple spellings for some of ...
# King
Beleth
In demonology, Beleth, also spelled Bilet, Bileth, Byleth, or Bilith, is a king of Hell who has eighty-five legions of demons under his command. He rides a pale horse, and a variety of music is heard before him, according to most authors on dem ...
# Marquis
Leraje
Leraje (also ''Leraye'', ''Leriac'', ''Loray'', ''Oray'', or ''Zoray'') is a demon mentioned in demonological grimoires. He appears in the ''Lesser Key of Solomon'', Johann Weyer's ''Pseudomonarchia Daemonum'', and Jacques Collin de Plancy's ''D ...
# Duke
Eligos
The demons' names (given below) are taken from the ''Ars Goetia'', which differs in terms of number and ranking from the ''Pseudomonarchia Daemonum'' of Johann Weyer. As a result of multiple translations, there are multiple spellings for some of t ...
# Duke
Zepar
The demons' names (given below) are taken from the ''Ars Goetia'', which differs in terms of number and ranking from the ''Pseudomonarchia Daemonum'' of Johann Weyer. As a result of multiple translations, there are multiple spellings for some of t ...
# Count/President
Botis Botis, sometimes Otis, is a demon described in the ''Lesser Key of Solomon'' (as the seventeenth spirit) and the ''Pseudomonarchia Daemonum'' (as the ninth spirit) as a President and an Earl who initially appears as a viper before changing into a s ...
# Duke
Bathin Bathin (also ''Bathym'', ''Mathim'', or ''Marthim'') is a demon described in demonological grimoires.
Variations
He is ranked as a duke in the ''Lesser Key of Solomon'' (as the eighteenth spirit) and Johann Weyer's ''Pseudomonarchia Daemonum'' ...
# Duke
Sallos
# King
Purson
The demons' names (given below) are taken from the ''Ars Goetia'', which differs in terms of number and ranking from the ''Pseudomonarchia Daemonum'' of Johann Weyer. As a result of multiple translations, there are multiple spellings for some of t ...
# Count/President
Morax
# Count/Prince
Ipos
In demonology, Ipos is an Earl and powerful Prince of Hell (a Duke to some authors) who has thirty-six legions of demons under his command. He knows and can reveal all things, past, present and future (only the future to some authors, and past ...
# Duke
Aim
# Marquis
Naberius
The demon Naberius was first mentioned by Johann Weyer in 1583. He is supposedly the most valiant Marquess of Hell, and has nineteen legions of demons under his command. He makes men cunning in all arts (and sciences, according to most authors), ...
# Count/President
Glasya-Labolas
# Duke
Buné
# Marquis/Count
Ronové
# Duke
Berith
# Duke
Astaroth
Astaroth (also Ashtaroth, Astarot and Asteroth), in demonology, was known to be the Great Duke of Hell in the first hierarchy with Beelzebub and Lucifer; he was part of the evil trinity. He is known to be a male figure most likely named afte ...
# Marquis
Forneus
# President
Foras
Foras or Forrasis, in demonology, is a powerful President of Hell, being obeyed by twenty-nine legions of demons. He teaches logic and ethics in all their branches, the virtues of all herbs and precious stones, can make a man witty, eloquent, invi ...
# King
Asmodeus
Asmodeus (; grc, Ἀσμοδαῖος, ''Asmodaios'') or Ashmedai (; he, אַשְמְדּאָי, ''ʾAšmədʾāy''; see below for other variations), is a ''prince of demons'' and hell."Asmodeus" in '' The New Encyclopædia Britannica''. Chi ...
# Prince/President
Gäap
# Count
Furfur
In demonology, Furfur (other spelling: Furtur, Ferthur) is a powerful Great Earl of Hell, being the ruler of twenty-six legions of demons. He is a liar unless compelled to enter a magic triangle where he gives true answers to every question, spe ...
# Marquis
Marchosias
In demonology, Marchosias is a great and mighty Marquis of Hell, commanding thirty legions of demons. In the Ars Goetia, the first book of ''The Lesser Key of Solomon'' (17th century), he is depicted as a wolf with gryphon's wings and a serpent's t ...
# Prince
Stolas
# Marquis
Phenex
In demonology, Phenex is a Goetic demon. A Great Marquis of Hell he has twenty legions of demons under his command. He teaches all wonderful sciences, is an excellent poet, and is very obedient to the conjuror. Phenex hopes to return to Heaven ...
# Count
Halphas
# President
Malphas
# Count
Räum
# Duke
Focalor
# Duke
Vepar
The demons' names (given below) are taken from the ''Ars Goetia'', which differs in terms of number and ranking from the ''Pseudomonarchia Daemonum'' of Johann Weyer. As a result of multiple translations, there are multiple spellings for some of t ...
# Marquis
Sabnock
The demons' names (given below) are taken from the ''Ars Goetia'', which differs in terms of number and ranking from the ''Pseudomonarchia Daemonum'' of Johann Weyer. As a result of multiple translations, there are multiple spellings for some of t ...
# Marquis
Shax
# King/Count
Viné
# Count
Bifrons
In ancient Roman religion and myth, Janus ( ; la, Ianvs ) is the god of beginnings, gates, transitions, time, duality, doorways, passages, frames, and endings. He is usually depicted as having two faces. The month of January is named for Janu ...
# Duke
Vual
The demons' names (given below) are taken from the ''Ars Goetia'', which differs in terms of number and ranking from the ''Pseudomonarchia Daemonum'' of Johann Weyer. As a result of multiple translations, there are multiple spellings for some of t ...
# President
Haagenti
In demonology, Haagenti is a Great President of Hell, ruling thirty-three legions of demons. He makes men wise by instructing them in every subject, transmutes all metals into gold, and changes wine into water and water into wine.
Haagenti is d ...
# Duke
Crocell
The demons' names (given below) are taken from the ''Ars Goetia'', which differs in terms of number and ranking from the ''Pseudomonarchia Daemonum'' of Johann Weyer. As a result of multiple translations, there are multiple spellings for some of t ...
# Knight
Furcas
In demonology, Furcas (also spelled Forcas) is a Knight of Hell (the rank of Knight is unique to him), and rules 20 legions of demons.
# King
Balam
# Duke
Alloces
Alloces is a demon that appears in demonological grimoires such as the ''Liber Officiorum Spirituum'', ''Pseudomonarchia Daemonum'', and the ''Lesser Key of Solomon''. He is described in the ''Lesser Key of Solomon'' (as the fifty-second spirit) ...
# President
Caim
Caim (or Camio) is a Gaelic rendering of biblical 'Cain', who appears in a variation of the fantastical pedigree of Dardanus of Troy that is spun out in '' Lebor Bretnach'', the Middle Irish language recension of the compilation called ''Histo ...
# Duke/Count
Murmur
# Prince
Orobas
In demonology, Orobas is a powerful Great Prince of Hell, having twenty wikt:Legion, legions of demons under his control.
He supposedly gives true answers of things past, present, divinity, and the creation of the world; he also confers dignit ...
# Duke
Gremory
Gemory (also ''Gremory'', ''Gamori'', ''Gaeneron'', ''Gemon'', ''Gemyem'') is a demon listed in demonology, demonological grimoires.
Description
Gemory is described in demonological works such as the Munich Manual of Demonic MagicAs ''Gaeneron' ...
# President
Ose
# President
Amy
# Marquis
Orias
In demonology, Orias (also spelled Oriax) is a Great Marquis of Hell, and has thirty legions of demons under his command. He knows and teaches the virtues of the stars and the mansions of the planets (the influence of each planet depending on the ...
# Duke
Vapula
The demons' names (given below) are taken from the ''Ars Goetia'', which differs in terms of number and ranking from the ''Pseudomonarchia Daemonum'' of Johann Weyer. As a result of multiple translations, there are multiple spellings for some of ...
# King/President
Zagan
# President
Valac
Valac is a demon described in the goetic grimoires ''The Lesser Key of Solomon'' (in some versions as Ualac or Valak and in Thomas Rudd's variant as Valu), Johann Weyer's ''Pseudomonarchia Daemonum'' (as Volac), the ''Liber Officiorum Spirituum' ...
# Marquis
Andras
# Duke
Flauros
# Marquis
Andrealphus
The demons' names (given below) are taken from the ''Ars Goetia'', which differs in terms of number and ranking from the '' Pseudomonarchia Daemonum'' of Johann Weyer. As a result of multiple translations, there are multiple spellings for some o ...
# Marquis
Kimaris
# Duke
Amdusias
The demons' names (given below) are taken from the ''Ars Goetia'', which differs in terms of number and ranking from the ''Pseudomonarchia Daemonum'' of Johann Weyer. As a result of multiple translations, there are multiple spellings for some of t ...
# King
Belial
Belial ( he, , ''Bəlīyyaʿal'') is a term occurring in the Hebrew Bible/ Old Testament which later became personified as the devilSee the reference to "Beliar" in ''The Ascension of Isaiah'', at EarlyChristianWritings.com', specifically at ...
# Marquis
Decarabia
The demons' names (given below) are taken from the ''Ars Goetia'', which differs in terms of number and ranking from the ''Pseudomonarchia Daemonum'' of Johann Weyer. As a result of multiple translations, there are multiple spellings for some of t ...
# Prince
Seere
The demons' names (given below) are taken from the ''Ars Goetia'', which differs in terms of number and ranking from the ''Pseudomonarchia Daemonum'' of Johann Weyer. As a result of multiple translations, there are multiple spellings for some of ...
# Duke
Dantalion
The demons' names (given below) are taken from the ''Ars Goetia'', which differs in terms of number and ranking from the ''Pseudomonarchia Daemonum'' of Johann Weyer. As a result of multiple translations, there are multiple spellings for some of t ...
# Count
Andromalius
The demons' names (given below) are taken from the ''Ars Goetia'', which differs in terms of number and ranking from the ''Pseudomonarchia Daemonum'' of Johann Weyer. As a result of multiple translations, there are multiple spellings for some of ...
A footnote in one variant edition lists the kings of the cardinal directions as
Oriens or Uriens,
Paymon Peyman (; also transliterated as Paymon, Peiman, Paymaan or Payman, fa, پیمان) is a Persian and Kurdish name which is used as a given name and a surname. Notable people with the name include:
Given name Peyman
* Peyman Faratin (born 1965) ...
or Paymonia, Ariton or
Egyn, and Amaymon or Amaimon, alternatively known as
Samael
Samael ( he, סַמָּאֵל, ''Sammāʾēl'', "Venom/Poison of God"; ar, سمسمائيل, ''Samsama'il'' or ar, سمائل, label=none, ''Samail''; alternatively Smal, Smil, Samil, or Samiel) is an archangel in Talmudic and post-Talmudic ...
,
Azazel
In the Bible, the name Azazel (; he, עֲזָאזֵל ''ʿAzāʾzēl''; ar, عزازيل, ʿAzāzīl) appears in association with the scapegoat rite; the name represents a desolate place where a scapegoat bearing the sins of the Jews during ...
,
Azael
Azrael (; , 'God has helped'; ) is the angel of death in some Abrahamic religions, namely Islam, Christian popular culture and some traditions of Judaism. He is also referenced in Sikhism.
Relative to similar concepts of such beings, Azrael ...
, and
Mahazael (purportedly their preferred
rabbinic
Rabbinic Judaism ( he, יהדות רבנית, Yahadut Rabanit), also called Rabbinism, Rabbinicism, or Judaism espoused by the Rabbanites, has been the mainstream form of Judaism since the 6th century CE, after the codification of the Babylonian ...
names). Agrippa's Occult Philosophy lists the kings of the cardinal directions as Urieus (east), Amaymon (south),
Paymon Peyman (; also transliterated as Paymon, Peiman, Paymaan or Payman, fa, پیمان) is a Persian and Kurdish name which is used as a given name and a surname. Notable people with the name include:
Given name Peyman
* Peyman Faratin (born 1965) ...
(west), and Egin (north); again providing the alternate names Samuel (i.e. Samael), Azazel, Azael, and Mahazuel. The Magical Calendar lists them as
Bael Bael may refer to:
*''Aegle marmelos'', commonly known as the Bael tree
*Bael (demon)
* Bael (wrestler)
See also
* Baal (disambiguation)
* Bail (disambiguation)
Bail is the conditional release of an arrested person prior to their trial, or the mo ...
, Moymon, Poymon, and Egin,
[First footnote by Joseph H. Peterson to Trithemius's ''The art of drawing spirits into crystals''](_blank)
/ref> though Peterson notes that some variant editions instead list '"Asmodel
Abel
Abin Sur
Abra Kadabra (character)
Abby Holland
Ace the Bat-Hound
Acrata
Acrata (Andrea Rojas) is a superheroine appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics who was created as part of the ''Planet DC'' annuals event. Sh ...
in the east, Amaymon in the south, Paymon in the west, and Aegym in the north"; "Oriens, Paymon, Egyn, and Amaymon"; or " Amodeo (king of the east), Paymon (king of the west), Egion (king of the north), and Maimon."'
''Ars Theurgia Goetia''
The ''Ars Theurgia Goetia'' mostly derives from Trithemius's '' Steganographia'', though the seals and order of the spirits are different due to corrupted transmission via manuscript.[Peterson, 2001, p.''xv''.] Rituals not found in ''Steganographia'' were added, in some ways conflicting with similar rituals found in the ''Ars Goetia'' and ''Ars Paulina''. Most of the spirits summoned are tied to compass points: four emperors are tied to the cardinal points (Carnesiel in the east, Amenadiel in the west, Demoriel in the north and Caspiel in the south); and sixteen dukes are tied to cardinal points, inter-cardinal points, and additional directions between those. There are in addition eleven "wandering princes", so that a total of thirty-one spirit leaders each rule several spirits, up to a few dozen.[Rudd, ed. Skinner & Rankine; p.53-57]
''Ars Paulina''
Derived from book three of Trithemius's ''Steganographia'' and from portions of the ''Heptameron'', but purportedly delivered by Paul the Apostle
Paul; grc, Παῦλος, translit=Paulos; cop, ⲡⲁⲩⲗⲟⲥ; hbo, פאולוס השליח (previously called Saul of Tarsus;; ar, بولس الطرسوسي; grc, Σαῦλος Ταρσεύς, Saũlos Tarseús; tr, Tarsuslu Pavlus; ...
instead of (as claimed by Trithemius) Raziel
Raziel, ( ''Rāzīʾēl,'' "God is my Mystery") also known as Gallitsur ( Hebrew: גַּלִּיצוּר ''Gallīṣūr'') is an angel within the teachings of Jewish mysticism (of the Kabbalah of Judaism) who is the "Angel of Secrets" and the "An ...
. Elements from ''The Magical Calendar'', astrological seals by Robert Turner's 1656 translation of Paracelsus's ''Archidoxes of Magic'', and repeated mentions of guns and the year 1641 indicate that this portion was written in the later half of the seventeenth century.[Peterson, 2001, p. ''xv''–''xvi''][Rudd, ed. Skinner & Rankine; pp. 57–59] Traditions of Paul communicating with heavenly powers are almost as old as Christianity
Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth. It is the world's largest and most widespread religion with roughly 2.38 billion followers representing one-third of the global pop ...
itself, as seen in some interpretations of 2 Corinthians 12:2–4 and the apocryphal ''Apocalypse of Paul
The Apocalypse of Paul (''Apocalypsis Pauli'', more commonly known in the Latin tradition as the or ) is a fourth-century non-canonical apocalypse and part of the New Testament apocrypha. The full original Greek version of the ''Apocalypse'' is ...
''. The ''Ars Paulina'' is in turn divided into two books, the first detailing twenty-four angels aligned with the twenty-four hours of the day, the second (derived more from the Heptameron) detailing the 360 spirits of the degrees of the zodiac.
''Ars Almadel''
Mentioned by Trithemius and Weyer, the latter of whom claimed an Arabic origin for the work. A 15th-century copy is attested to by Robert H.Turner, and Hebrew copies were discovered in the 20th century. The ''Ars Almadel'' instructs the magician on how to create a wax tablet with specific designs intended to contact angels via scrying
Scrying, also known by various names such as "seeing" or "peeping", is the practice of looking into a suitable medium in the hope of detecting significant messages or visions. The objective might be personal guidance, prophecy, revelation, or in ...
.[Peterson, 2001, p. ''xvi''][Rudd, ed. Skinner & Rankine; p.59-60]
''Ars Notoria''
The ''Ars Notoria'' contains a series of prayers (related to those in ''The Sworn Book of Honorius
''The Sworn Book of Honorius'' ( la, Liber juratus Honorii, also ''Liber sacer'', ''sacratus'' or ''consecratus'') is a medieval grimoire purportedly written by Honorius of Thebes. The Latin word "juratus", which is typically translated to "swor ...
'') intended to grant eidetic memory
Eidetic memory ( ; more commonly called photographic memory or total recall) is the ability to recall an image from memory with high precision—at least for a brief period of time—after seeing it only onceThe terms ''eidetic memory'' and ''pho ...
and instantaneous learning to the magician. Some copies and editions of the ''Lemegeton'' omit this work entirely;[Peterson, 2001, p. ''xvii''][Rudd, ed. Skinner & Rankine; p.60-63.] A. E. Waite ignores it completely when describing the ''Lemegeton''. It is also known as the ''Ars Nova''.
Editions
* Crowley, Aleister (ed.), S. L. MacGregor Mathers
Samuel Liddell (or Liddel) MacGregor Mathers (8 or 11 January 1854 – 5 or 20 November 1918), born Samuel Liddell Mathers, was a British occultist. He is primarily known as one of the founders of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, a cerem ...
(transcribed) ''The Book of the Goetia of Solomon the King. Translated into the English tongue by a dead hand'' (Foyers, Inverness: Society for the Propagation of Religious Truth, 1904) 1995 reprint: .
* Greenup, A. W., "The Almadel of Solomon, according to the text of the Sloane MS. 2731" ''The Occult Review'' vol. 22 no. 2, August 1915, 96–102.
* Henson, Mitch (ed.) ''Lemegeton. The Complete Lesser Key of Solomon'' (Jacksonville: Metatron Books, 1999) . Noted by Peterson to be "uncritical and indiscriminate in its use of source material".
* de Laurence, L. W. (ed.), ''The Lesser Key Of Solomon, Goetia, The Book of Evil Spirits'' (Chicago: de Laurence, Scott & Co., 1916) 1942 reprint: ; 2006 reprint: . A plagiarism of the Mathers/Crowley edition.
* Peterson, Joseph H. (ed.), ''The Lesser Key of Solomon: Lemegeton Clavicula Salomonis'' (York Beach, ME: Weiser Books, 2001). Considered "the definitive version" and "the standard edition".
* Runyon, Carroll, ''The Book of Solomon’s Magick'' (Silverado, CA: C.H.S. Inc., 1996). Targeted more toward practicing magicians than academics, claims that the demons were originally derived from Mesopotamian mythology
Mesopotamian mythology refers to the myths, religious texts, and other literature that comes from the region of ancient Mesopotamia which is a historical region of Western Asia, situated within the Tigris–Euphrates river system that occupies ...
.[Rudd, ed. Skinner & Rankine; p.51–52]
* Shah, Idries, ''The Secret Lore of Magic'' (London: Abacus, 1972). Contains portions of ''Ars Almandel'' and split sections the ''Goetia'', missing large portions of the rituals involved.
* Skinner, Stephen & Rankine, David (eds.), ''The Goetia of Dr Rudd: The Angels and Demons of Liber Malorum Spirituum Seu Goetia (Sourceworks of Ceremonial Magic)'' (London and Singapore: The Golden Hoard Press 2007)
* Thorogood, Alan (ed.), Frederick Hockley
Frederick Hockley (1809 – 10 November 1885) was a British occultist and scryer who was a London-based Freemason and a member of the Societas Rosicruciana in Anglia.
Career
Hockley avidly collected and transcribed over many years a vast ...
(transcribed), ''The Pauline Art of Solomon'' (York Beach, ME: The Teitan Press, 2016)
* Veenstra, Jan R. “The Holy Almandal. Angels and the intellectual aims of magic” in Jan N. Bremmer and Jan R. Veenstra (eds.), ''The Metamorphosis of Magic from Late Antiguity to the Early Modern Period'' (Leuven: Peeters, 2002), pp. 189–229. The ''Almadel'' is transcribed at pp. 217–229.
* Waite, Arthur Edward, ''The Book of Black Magic and of Pacts. Including the rites and mysteries of goëtic theurgy, sorcery, and infernal necromancy, also the rituals of black magic'' (Edinburgh: 1898). Reprinted as ''The Secret Tradition in Goëtia. The Book of Ceremonial Magic, including the rites and mysteries of Goëtic theurgy, sorcery, and infernal necromancy'' (London: William Rider & Son, 1911). Includes the ''Goetia'', ''Pauline Art'' and ''Almadel''.
* White, Nelson & Anne (eds.) ''Lemegeton: Clavicula Salomonis: or, The complete lesser key of Solomon the King'' (Pasadena, CA: Technology Group, 1979). Noted by Peterson to be "almost totally unreadable".
* Wilby, Kevin (ed.) ''The Lemegetton. A Medieval Manual of Solomonic Magic'' (Silian, Lampeter: Hermetic Research Series, 1985)
See also
* ''The Book of Abramelin
''The Book of Abramelin'' tells the story of an Egyptian mage named Abraham, or Abra-Melin, who taught a system of magic to Abraham of Worms, a Jew in Worms, Germany, presumed to have lived from –. The system of magic from this book regained ...
''
* Grimoire
A grimoire ( ) (also known as a "book of spells" or a "spellbook") is a textbook of magic, typically including instructions on how to create magical objects like talismans and amulets, how to perform magical spells, charms and divination, and ...
* List of magical terms and traditions
The occult is a category of supernatural beliefs and practices, encompassing such phenomena as those involving mysticism, spirituality, and magic in terms of any otherworldly agency. It can also refer to other non-religious supernatural ideas like ...
* Works of Aleister Crowley
Aleister Crowley (12 October 1875 – 1 December 1947) was a highly prolific writer, not only on the topic of Thelema and magick, but on philosophy, politics, and culture. He was also a published poet and playwright and left behind many persona ...
Explanatory notes
Citations
Works cited
* Aleister Crowley (ed.), Samuel Liddell Mathers (trans.), ''The Goetia: The Lesser Key of Solomon the King''. York Beach, ME : Samuel Weiser Weiser Antiquarian Books is the oldest occult bookstore in the United States. It specialises in books on Aleister Crowley and his circle, magic, mysticism, eastern religions and alternative spirituality. Its earlier New York incarnation, The Weiser ...
(1995) .
* E. J. Langford Garstin, ''Theurgy'' or ''The Hermetic Practice: A Treatise on Spiritual Alchemy''. Berwick: Ibis Press, 2004. (Published posthumously)
* Stephen Skinner, & David Rankine, ''The Goetia of Dr Rudd: The Angels and Demons of Liber Malorum Spirituum Seu Goetia (Sourceworks of Ceremonial Magic)''. Golden Hoard Press, 2007.
External links
* J. B. Hare
online edition
(2002, sacred-texts.com)
* Joseph H. Peterson
(1999)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lesser Key Of Solomon, The
17th-century books
Demonological literature
Grimoires
Goetia
Solomon