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Goetia

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Buer, the 10th spirit, who teaches "Moral and Natural Philosophy" (from the Mathers and Liddell 1995 edition).
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Buer, the 10th spirit, who teaches "Moral and Natural Philosophy" (from the Mathers and Liddell 1995 edition).

Goetia refers to a practice which includes the Invocation or Evocation of demons, and largely derives from the 17th century grimoire Lemegeton Clavicula Salomonis, or The Lesser Key of Solomon.

Etymology

Ancient Greek γοητεια (goēteia) means "juggling, cheatery"[link] from go'ety which may mean witchcraft, to bewitch, or sorceror[link].

During the Renaissance goeteia (Latinized goetia, French goétie, English goety) was sometimes contrasted with magia as black (evil) vs. white magic, or with theurgy as "low" vs. "high" magic.

The Ars Goetia

The circle and triangle, used in the evocation of the seventy-two spirits of the Goetia. The magickian would stand within the circle and the spirit was believed to appear within the triangle. Some believe that the central circle of the triangle was actually a magick mirror, similar to a crystal ball as used for scrying.
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The circle and triangle, used in the evocation of the seventy-two spirits of the Goetia. The magickian would stand within the circle and the spirit was believed to appear within the triangle. Some believe that the central circle of the triangle was actually a magick mirror, similar to a crystal ball as used for scrying.

The Ars Goetia refers to the first section of King Solomon's grimoire, and contains descriptions of the seventy-two demons that Solomon is said to have evoked and confined in a bronze vessel sealed by magic symbols, and that he obliged to work for him. It gives instructions on constructing a similar bronze vessel, and using the proper magic formulae to safely call up those demons. The operation given is complex, and includes much detail. The Ars Goetia differs from other goetic texts[[Citing sources citation needed]] in that the entities summoned are to be compelled into obedience, rather than asked for favors.

It deals with the evocation of all classes of spirits, evil, indifferent and good; its opening Rites are those of Paimon, Orias, Astaroth and the whole cohort of Infernus. The second part, or Theurgia Goëtia, deals with the spirits of the cardinal points and their inferiors. These are mixed natures, some good and some evil.Arthur Edward Waite, Book of Ceremonial Magic(page 65)

The Ars Goetia assigns a rank and a title of nobility to each member of the infernal hierarchy, and gives the demons' 'signs they have to pay allegiance to', or seals. The lists of entities in the Ars Goetia correspond (to high but varying degree, often according to edition) with those in the Steganographia of Trithemius, circa 1500, and Johann Weyer's Pseudomonarchia Daemonum an appendix appearing in later editions of his De Praestigiis Daemonum, of 1563.

A revised English edition of the Ars Goetia was published in 1904 by magician Aleister Crowley, and it serves as a key component of his popular and highly influential system of magick. It has since become a relatively well-known book of magic (arguably, the most popular of the grimoires) and has even been featured in places like the graphic novel Promethea by Alan Moore.

The 72 Demons

The demons' names (given below) are spelled differently in different extant copies of the Ars Goetia, as is common in texts of the period. Other spellings of the names are given in the articles concerning them.

1. King Baal
2. Duke Agares
3. Prince Vassago
4. Marquis Samigina
5. President Marbas
6. Duke Valefor
7. Marquis Amon
8. Duke Barbatos
9. King Paimon
10. President Buer
11. Duke Gusion
12. Prince Sitri
13. King Beleth
14. Marquis Leraje
15. Duke Eligos
16. Duke Zepar
17. Count/President Botis
18. Duke Bathin
19. Duke Sallos
20. King Purson
21. Count/President Marax
22. Count/Prince Ipos
23. Duke Aim
24. Marquis Naberius
25. Count/President Glasya-Labolas
26. Duke Bune
27. Marquis/Count Ronove
28. Duke Berith
29. Duke Astaroth
30. Marquis Forneus
31. President Foras
32. King Asmodeus
33. Prince/President Gaap
34. Count Furfur
35. Marquis Marchosias
36. Prince Stolas
37. Marquis Phenex
38. Count Halphas
39. President Malphas
40. Count Raum
41. Duke Focalor
42. Duke Vepar
43. Marquis Sabnock
44. Marquis Shax
45. King/Count Vine
46. Count Bifrons
47. Duke Uvall
48. President Haagenti
49. Duke Crocell
50. Knight Furcas
51. King Balam
52. Duke Alloces
53. President Caim
54. Duke/Count Murmur
55. Prince Orobas
56. Duke Gremory
57. President Ose
58. President Amy
59. Marquis Orias
60. Duke Vapula
61. King/President Zagan
62. President Volac
63. Marquis Andras
64. Duke Haures
65. Marquis Andrealphus
66. Marquis Cimejes
67. Duke Amdusias
68. King Belial
69. Marquis Decarabia
70. Prince Seere
71. Duke Dantalion
72. Count Andromalius

J. R. R. Tolkien

The term plays a certain role in the discussion of magic in the works of J. R. R. Tolkien, because it appears in an unsent letter draft (Letters, no. 155), apparently in a sense corresponding to sanwe-latya, but it was not used by Tolkien in any other known instance.

See also

Notes

References

 


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