The Lemegeton is divided into five parts:
- Ars Goetia
- Ars Theurgia Goetia
- Ars Paulina
- Ars Almadel
- Ars Notoria.
A well-known translation of the Lemegeton is “The Goetia: The Lesser Key of Solomon the King”, published by MacGregor Mathers (one of the founders of the Golden Dawn) with an introduction by Aleister Crowley (founder of the Astrvm Argentvm).
ABOUT THE GRIMOIRE
Depiction of the magic circle, where the magician is protected, and the triangle of art, where the 72 daemons are to be evoked (by Aleister Crowley).
It appeared in the seventeenth century, but much of it was taken from sixteenth-century texts, including the Pseudomonarchia Daemonum. It is likely that books of the Jewish Kabbalah and of Muslim mystics also served as inspiration. Some of the material in the first section, concerning the conjuration of demons, dates from the fourteenth century or earlier.
Traditionally, authorship of the book has been attributed to King Solomon, although some scholars dispute this claim. The titles of nobility attributed to the demons were unknown in Solomon’s time. The Lesser Key of Solomon contains detailed descriptions of the spirits and of the conditions needed to evoke them and compel them to do the evoker’s will. It details the signs and rituals to be performed, the actions needed to prevent the spirits from taking control, the preparations that precede the invocations, and instructions on how to make the instruments required to carry out these rituals. The various surviving copies vary considerably in the spelling of the spirits’ names. Contemporary editions are widely available in print and on the Internet.
The Goetia: The Lesser Key of Solomon the King of 1904 is a translation of the text by Samuel Mathers and Aleister Crowley. It is essentially a manual that purports to give instructions for summoning 72 different spirits.
A well-known translation of the Lemegeton is The Goetia: The Lesser Key of Solomon the King (Lemegeton Clavicula Salomonis Regis), by MacGregor Mathers with an introduction by Aleister Crowley.
THE BOOKS OF THE LEMEGETON
- ARS GOETIA
The first section, called the Ars Goetia, contains descriptions of the seventy-two daemons that Solomon is said to have evoked and confined in a bronze vessel sealed with magical symbols, so that they would be obliged to work for him. It gives instructions on building a similar bronze vessel and on using the magical formula for proper protection in order to call the entities.
Depiction of a goetic magic ritual for evoking a daemon (by Éliphas Lévi).
It deals with the evocation of all classes of spirits, good or evil (we should be careful in judging such entities; it is worth remembering that they are primitive entities, and the concept of good and evil here should be treated with caution). Its opening rites are those of Paimon, Orias, Astaroth and the whole court of Hell. The second part, or Theurgia Goetia, is shared with the spirits of the cardinal points and their inferiors. These are of mixed natures, some good and others evil.
The Ars Goetia assigns a rank and a title of nobility to each member of the infernal hierarchy and gives the daemons signs to which they must pay allegiance, or seals (sigils). The lists of entities in the Ars Goetia correspond to those of Trithemius’s Steganographia, c. 1500, and of Johann Weyer’s Pseudomonarchia Daemonum, an appendix that appears in later editions of De praestigiis daemonum, from 1563.
The revised English edition of the Ars Goetia was published in 1904 by the magician Aleister Crowley as The Book of the Goetia of Solomon the King. It serves as a key component of his popular and influential system of magick.
THE 72 DAEMONS
Depiction of the seals (sigils) of the 72 daemons.
CLICK HERE TO READ THE ARTICLE ABOUT THESE ENTITIES IN DETAIL
The names of the daemons (below) are taken from the Ars Goetia, which differs in number and ranking from Weyer’s Pseudomonarchia Daemonum. As a result of multiple translations, several variants exist for some of the names that appear in the articles concerning them.
- Baal (King)
- Agares (Duke)
- Vassago (Prince)
- Samigina (Marquis)
- Marbas (President)
- Valefar (Duke)
- Amon (Marquis)
- Barbatos (Duke)
- Paimon (King)
- Buer (President)
- Gusion (Duke)
- Sitri (Prince)
- Beleth (King)
- Leraje (Marquis)
- Eligos (Duke)
- Zepar (Duke)
- Botis (Earl/President)
- Bathin (Duke)
- Sallos (Duke)
- Purson (King)
- Morax (President)
- Ipos (Prince)
- Aim (Duke)
- Naberius (Marquis)
- Glasya-Labolas (Earl/President)
- Bune (Duke)
- Ronove (Marquis/Earl)
- Berith (Duke)
- Astaroth (Duke)
- Forneus (Marquis)
- Foras (President)
- Asmodeus (King)
- Gaap (Prince/President)
- Furfur (Earl)
- Marchosias (Marquis)
- Stolas (Prince)
- Phenex (Marquis)
- Halphas (Earl)
- Malphas (President)
- Raum (Earl)
- Focalor (Duke)
- Vepar (Duke)
- Sabnock (Marquis)
- Shax (Marquis)
- Vine (King)
- Bifrons (Earl)
- Uvall (Duke)
- Haagenti (President)
- Crocell (Duke)
- Furcas (Knight)
- Balam (King)
- Alloces (Duke)
- Caim (President)
- Murmur (Duke)
- Orobas (Prince)
- Gremory (Duke)
- Ose (President)
- Amy (President)
- Orias (Marquis)
- Vapula (Duke)
- Zagan (King)
- Valac (President)
- Andras (Marquis)
- Haures (Duke)
- Andrealphus (Marquis)
- Cimejes (Marquis)
- Amdusias (Duke)
- Belial (King)
- Decarabia (Marquis)
- Seere (Prince)
- Dantalion (Duke)
- Andromalius (Earl)
- ARS THEURGIA GOETIA
Depiction of the seal of Solomon from the book The Goetia: The Lesser Key of Solomon the King.
The Ars Theurgia Goetia (“the art of goetic theurgy”) is the second section of the Lesser Key of Solomon. It explains the names, characteristics and seals of the 31 aerial spirits (called Chiefs, Emperors, Kings and Princes) that King Solomon invoked and confined. It also explains the protections against them, the names of the spirits and their servants, the way to invoke them, and their nature, which is both good and evil.
Their sole purpose is to discover and reveal hidden things and anyone’s secrets, and to obtain, carry and do anything when asked. They are, however, contained in one of the four elements (earth, fire, air and water). These spirits are arranged in a complex order in the book, and the spelling of some of them varies between editions.
- ARS PAULINA
The Ars Paulina (“the art of Paul”) is the third part of the Lesser Key of Solomon. According to legend, this art was discovered by the Apostle Paul, but in the book it is referred to as the Pauline Art of King Solomon. The Ars Paulina was already known in the Middle Ages and is divided into two chapters in this book.
The first chapter deals with how to work with the angels of the various hours of the day (that is, day and night), their seals, their nature, their agents (called Dukes), the relationship of these angels to the seven planets known at the time, the astrological aspects suitable for invoking them, and their names (in some cases coinciding with those of the seventy-two demons mentioned in the Ars Goetia).
The second part concerns the angels that rule over the signs of the zodiac and each degree of each sign, their relationship to the four elements, Fire, Earth, Water and Air, their names and their seals. These are called here the angels of men, because every person is born under a zodiac sign, with the Sun in a specific degree of it.
- ARS ALMADEL
The Ars Almadel (“the art of the Almadel”) is the fourth part of the Lesser Key of Solomon. It tells us how to make the Almadel, which is a wax tablet with protective symbols traced on it. Four candles are placed on it. This chapter contains instructions on the colours, materials and rituals needed to make the Almadel and the candles.
The Ars Almadel also speaks of the angels that are to be invoked and explains only the things that are necessary and must be done for them, and how the conjuration must be performed. It also mentions twelve princes reigning with them. The dates and astrological aspects considered most suitable for invoking the angels are detailed, though briefly.
The author claims to have tested what is explained in this chapter.
- ARS NOTORIA
The Ars Notoria (“the Notory Art”) is the fifth and last part of the Lesser Key of Solomon. It was a grimoire known since the Middle Ages. The book claims that this art was revealed by the Creator to King Solomon through an angel.
It contains a collection of prayers (some of them divided into several parts), mixed with kabbalistic and magical words in various languages (namely Hebrew, Greek, etc.), how each prayer should be said, and the relationship these rituals have to the understanding of all the sciences. It mentions the aspects of the Moon in relation to the prayers. It also says that the act of praying is like an invocation of the angels of God. According to the book, the correct writing of the prayers gives knowledge of the science related to each one, as well as a good memory, stability of mind and eloquence. This chapter warns of the precepts that must be observed to obtain a good result.
Finally, it tells how King Solomon received the revelation from the angel.
In short, the Lemegeton is divided into these five books, each carrying one or, rather, several teachings. It is worth stressing here that such practices should be carried out by people who are properly instructed; after all, everything has its consequences, and when the subject is Goetia we must tread on eggshells. So think twice, three or even four times before trying to practise these arts merely to satisfy your curiosity: it may cost more than you expect.
Bibliography
MATHERS, S. L. MacGregor; CROWLEY, Aleister. The Book of the Goetia of Solomon the King. 1904.
PETERSON, Joseph H. The Lesser Key of Solomon. York Beach: Weiser, 2001.