[Note - This description refers to Mathers'
version, rather than the Waite
version, of the text.]
The Goetia: The Lesser Key of Solomon the King,
Book one of the Lemegeton, supposedly contains the first
of five writings by the legendary king
Solomon, son of
David. A number of ancient sources, including both the
Bible and
Josephus' Antiquities,
claim Solomon as a wiseman and as a
magician. His
connection with the Goetia, however, lacks such external
confirmation. Most likely an unknown author penned it in
the early
Renaissance, naming it for its content (the
72
spirits Solomon supposedly
summoned) rather than
intending to claim Solomon as the true author.
The currently available version of this
text claims
S.L. MacGregor Mathers, of
Golden Dawn fame,
as its "translator". This attribution somewhat
overstates Mathers' actual contribution (which applies
to Waite's claim as well, considering they had access
to the same source materials), as he merely modernized
a text already written (though possibly previously
translated) in an archaic English.
The heart of this book, the Shemhamphorash, describes
the attributes,
sigils, and means of evoking the 72
spirits known to and controlled by Solomon. Many
entries also include an illustration of the spirit
they describe.
A quick list of the 72 spirits:
BAEL,
AGARES,
VASSAGO,
SAMIGINA or GAMIGIN,
MARBAS,
VALEFOR,
AMON,
BARBATOS,
PAIMON,
BUER,
GUSION,
SITRI,
BELETH,
LERAJE or LERAIKHA,
ELIGOS,
ZEPAR,
BOTIS,
BATHIN,
SALLOS,
PURSON,
MARAX,
IPOS,
AIM,
NABERIUS,
GLASYA-LABOLAS,
BUNE or BIME,
RONOVE,
BERITH,
ASTAROTH,
FORNEUS,
FORAS,
ASMODAY,
GAAP,
FURFUR,
MARCHOSIAS,
STOLAS or STOLOS,
PHENEX or PHEYNIX,
HALPHAS or MALTHUS,
MALPHAS,
RAUM,
FOCALOR,
VEPAR,
SABNOCK,
SHAX,
VINE,
BIFRONS,
UVALL or VUAL or VOVAL,
HAAGENTI,
CROCELL,
FURCAS,
BALAM,
ALLOCES,
CAMIO or CAIM,
MURMUR or MURMUS,
OROBAS,
GREMORY or GAMORI,
OSE or VOSO,
AMY or AVNAS,
ORIAX or ORIAS,
VAPULA or NAPHULA,
ZAGAN,
VOLAC or VALAK or VALU or UALAC,
ANDRAS,
HAURES or HAURAS or HAVRES or FLAUROS,
ANDREALPHUS,
CIMEJES or CIMEIES or KIMARIS,
AMDUSIAS or AMDUKIAS,
BELIAL,
DECARABIA,
SEERE or SEAR or SEIR,
DANTALION,
ANDROMALIUS
To the well-read student of the mythology, many of
the above will sound familiar. Many, such as Asmoday,
Belial, and Paimon, come straight from the standard lists
of demons. Some, such as Amon, stood as deities in
their own right from nearly-forgotten religions. Still
others, such as the Pheynix, we recognize as "mere"
mythological beasts.
Overall, while The Goetia most likely will not help
the reader accomplish its stated goal (the evocation
of the above-mentioned spirits for the purpose of
carrying out one's requests), it contains a valuable
summary of the implements, spirits, and means used
in the art popularly known as "
demonology".