I’ve been diving into the world of the most famous “black book” in Western occult history—the Lesser Key of Solomon, or the Lemegeton. The first section, known as the Goetia, is like the ultimate Book of Evil Spirits, but don’t let the title fool you! It’s not just a list of spooky names to scare your mother; it’s actually a VIP roster of 72 infernal beings that King Solomon allegedly had on speed dial—because who doesn’t want to throw a sage-burning party with demons?
Here’s a quirky peek into the spooky pecking order and the wild tales about these 72 infamous spirits—yes, the ones that probably have stronger resumes than you do—what they’re all about, and why they decided to play sidekick to the magus instead of, say, starting their own reality show!
The Prison of Pride: The Brass Vessel
The tale of the Goetia is quite a hoot: picture King Solomon, our ancient overachiever, wrangling a wild bunch of 72 Mighty Kings and Princes into a gigantic Vessel of Brass. Why, you ask? Well, because they were just too darn proud! I mean, can you imagine the ego on those guys?
The legend holds that Solomon sealed this vessel and cast it into a deep hole in Babylon. Unfortunately, the people of Babylon, thinking the vessel held vast treasure, broke it open. Out flew the chief spirits, regaining their freedom and their legions. The most powerful spirits among this crew were BELIAL, BILETH, ASMODAY, and GAAP. Only Belial was truly caught, entering an idol where he gave answers to those who made sacrifices to him.
The Infernal Command Structure
These aren’t just your average forces of chaos; they’re organized like a high-society tea party but with more swords and less etiquette! Picture this: 72 spirits prancing around in their fancy ranks like Kings, Dukes, Marquises, Presidents, and Earls (or Counts), trying to keep things all neat and tidy in their ghostly game of Monopoly.
The entire system is governed by a small, supreme group of leaders:
- The Four Great Kings: Four potent kings are set over the spirits according to the four parts of the world. These include AMAYMON (King of the South) and PAIMON (King of the West).
- Timing is Everything: To summon any one of the 72, you must obey celestial timing. For instance, the Chief Kings may only be bound from 9 o’clock till 12 at Noon and again from 3 o’clock till Sunset.
- Seals and Metals: The specific rank of the spirit dictates the material used for their seal (or lamen). The seals of Kings must be made in Gold, while those of Dukes are forged in Copper. This attention to astrological materials demonstrates the depth of the ceremonial process.
Notable Members of the Infernal Roster
The descriptions of the 72 spirits in the Goetia are the most fascinating part of the manuscript, providing unique appearances and specialized offices:
- Bael (King #1): Bael is consistently listed first. He appears in multiple shapes, sometimes like a Cat, a Toad, and a Man, all at once. He commands a massive force of 66 Legions of Infernal Spirits and can make the practitioner invisible.
- Asmoday (King #32): This Great King is described as Strong and Powerful. He appears with three heads (Bull, Man, Ram), the tail of a Serpent, and webbed feet like a Goose. He sits upon an Infernal Dragon and gives true and full answers to demands. He teaches the Arts of Arithmetic, Astronomy, Geometry, and all handicrafts absolutely, governing 72 Legions.
- Paimon (King #9): Paimon, a Great King obedient to Lucifer, appears as a man on a dromedary with a glorious crown, preceded by an Host of Spirits with Trumpets. He can teach all Arts and Sciences, confirm dignity, and tell you what the Earth is and what holds it up in the Waters.
- Marbas (President #5): He first appears as a Great Lion but will take human shape. His offices include answering truly about secret things, giving knowledge in Mechanical Arts, causing and curing diseases, and having the power to change men into other shapes.
- Gaap (Prince/President #33): This mighty Prince can carry and re-carry men very speedily from one Kingdom to another at the will of the Exorcist. He also answers truly of things Past, Present, and to Come.
The True Nature of the Operation
The biggest takeaway from studying the Goetia is that the magician is not simply invoking these demons on their own merit. The entire system is built upon Christian theological authority.
The practice is one of coercion, not worship. When calling one of the 72, the magician stands within a Magical Circle, using the authority of the divine name TETRAGRAMMATON IEHOVAH to command the spirit. The text insists that the practitioner must be pure and chaste and sometimes fast for three days on bread and water in honor of Christ before operating.
The conjuration itself references the most sacred names of God and the dreadful judgments of GOD. The magician compels the demon to come to the circle in a fair and comely shape and obey the commands of the operator, who is armed with power from the Supreme Majesty. When the work is done, the spirit is given a License to Depart in peace, and the magician gives thanks unto God for the blessings received and for being delivered from the malice of the devil.
It is clear that the 72 spirits of Solomon represent a highly complex and dangerous technology—a detailed manual for applying perceived divine authority to command the supposedly fallen powers of the cosmos.
Check out my App, Solomon’s Spirits via your browser here:
Scroll down to reveal the number of oracle spirits. (there are not 72) If you cannot view the file click here.
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