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Aamon
One of three demons in the service of Satanachia, commander of the first legion of Hell.

Abaddon
"The Destroyer", from a Hebrew word meaning "destruction." An angel of hell known as Sovereign of the Bottomless Pit or King of Demons and is Chief of the demons of the seventh hierarchy. Abaddon is the name given by St. John in the Apocalypse to the king of the grasshoppers. In greek, Abaddon is known as Apollyon (Revelations, ix, 11).

Abdiel
An Arabic demon said to be the lord of slaves and slavery. His name is derived from the Arabic word 'Abd', meaning 'slave'.

Abduxuel
According to the Enochian tradition, Abduxuel is one of the demonic rulers of the lunar mansions.

Abigor
A Grand Duke of Hades, he commands sixty of the infernal legions. He is depicted in the form of a handsome knight, bearing lance, standard, or sceptre. He is a demon of the superior order, and responds readily to questions concerning war. He can foretell the future, and instructs leaders how to make themselves respected by the soldiers. Also called Abigar.

Abraxas
The Basilidian sect of the Gnostics of the second century claimed Abraxas as their supreme god, and said that Jesus Christ was only a phantom sent to earth by him. They believed that his name contained great mysteries, as it was composed of the seven Greek letters which form the number 365, which is also the number of days in a year. Abraxas, they thought, had under his command 365 gods, to whom they attributed 365 virtues, one for each day. The older mythologists placed him among the number of Egyptian gods, and demonologists have described him as a demon, with the head of a rooster, a huge belly, a knotted tail and serpents instead of legs. He is represented on ancient amulets, with a whip in his hand. It is from his name that the mystic word, Abracadabra, is taken. Also called Abrasax or Abracax.

Addu
The Babylonian god of the storm. Also called Adad.

Adramelech
Johann Weyer, a sixteenth century demonologist and pupil and friend of the famous magus Cornelius Agrippa, places Adramelech among the chieftains of hell in his book Pseudomonarchia Daemonum (an attempt to provide a complete hierarchy of infernal spirits). According to this account, Adramelech was the Grand Chancellor of the infernal empire, and in this role, presided over the Devils' general council. He was also in charge of the sovereign's wardrobe. He often shows himself in the guise of a mule and sometimes in that of a peacock. In MacGregor Mather's Kabbalah Denudata, Adramelech is listed among the ten archdemons who were under the supreme command of Sammael, the 'venom of God.' According to that hierarchy, Adramelech was the eighth of the ten evil Sephiroth. He is thus the counterpart or negation of the eighth divine Sephiroth Hod, who is 'majesty and glory.' Not much is known of Adramalech's origins. The Old Testament contains two incidents in which the name of Adramelech occurs. The first one narrates how the Assyrian King Sennacherib, returning from a disastrous expedition against the Israelite King, Hezekiah, was murdered by his two sons, Adramalech and Sharezer, as he was worshipping in the temple of his idol, Nisrach. The other version makes Adramelech a Samarian deity, a sun god worshipped by the Sepharvites, who burned their children as sacrificial offerings to him. It is possible that this Samarian deity was the origin of the demon Adramelech.

Adriel
In the Enochian tradition, a demon of the mansions of the moon.

Aerial Demons
One of the six classes of demons identified by medieval theologians. They roam through the air but remain close to human beings. They can fashion bodies for themselves from thin air. Moved by passion like men, they can cause natural disturbances. They can be invoked by sorcerers, and often change shape.

Aeshma
One of seven archangels of the Persians. Has been recorded in history for at least three thousand years. Aeshma is known as the 'fiend of the wounding spear,' (Yasht xi.15) and is the demon of wrath and fury. Aeshma was later adopted into the Hebrew mythology as Asmodeus.

Afrasiab
A serpent identified by the Scythians with archfiend Ahriman.

Agaliarept
A Grand General of Hell, commander of the second legion and possessed of the power to discover all secrets. He commands Buer, Guseyn, and Botis.

Agares
Grand Duke of the eastern regions of Hell, commander of thirty-one legions. The army he protects in battle is indeed fortunate, for he disperses their enemies, and puts new courage into the hearts of the cowards who fly before superior numbers. He distributes place and power, titles and prelacies, teaches all languages, is an inciter of dancing among terrestrial beings, and has other equally remarkable powers. He is of the Order of the Virtues. Shown under the form of a benevolent lord mounted on a crocodile, and carrying a hawk on his fist. Also Aguares.

Agathion
A familiar demon which was said to appear only at midday. It took the shape of a man or a beast, or even enclosed itself in a talisman, bottle, or magic ring.

Agramainio
The great spirit of evil praised by Giosue Carducci in his hymn to Satan (`Inno a Satana,' 1863).

Agramon
Demon of fear.

Agrat-bat-mahlaht
One of Satan's wives and demoness of whores.

Ahharu
In Assyrian demonology, these are evil vampires.

Ahazu-demon
(The Seizer). Little is known of this ancient Semitic demon unless it is the same ahazie told of in medical texts, where a man can be stricken by a disease bearing this name.

Ahpuch
A Mayan demon.

Ahriman
In the ancient Persian religion (Zoroastrianism), Ahriman (aka Arimanius or Angra Mainya) stood high in the ranks of the enemies who opposed Ohrmazd (aka Ahura Mazda or Oromasdes). Ahriman is thought to be the first personification of "the Devil" because Zoroastrians believed in a completely dualistic form of religion. There are four major stands in Zoroastrianism. The first is that of Zarathustra (Zoroaster). The second is of the teachings of Mazdaism, which made Ahriman creator and leader of the daevas. The third is that of Zeravanism, and the fourth is that of the Magi. Zarathustra believed that one of the ahuras, Ahura Mazda, was the supreme god, and chose to be good, while Ahriman chose to be evil. Therefore, the daevas that opposed the ahuras chose to be evil as well, and were commonly thought of as demons. All things in Zoroastrianism have free will and choose whether they want to be good or evil. In Mazdaist traditions, in the beginning there were two spirits, Ohrmazd and Ahriman. These two spirits were separated by a void. Ohrmazd was thought to be characterized by goodness, light, and he was unlimited in time but not in space. He was free of all evil, and does not create or willingly tolerate evil. Ahriman was represented as evil and limited by time because he knew eventually Ohrmazd would defeat him, and he was also limited by space. Because there was a void separating the two, in the beginning, Ohrmazd knew of Ahriman but Ahriman did not know of Ohrmazd. Ohrmazd wanted to free himself from his own limitation in space, but he knew that by doing so, he would have to initiate a struggle with Ahriman, which he did not want to do. In time, though, Ahriman saw a light across the void and envied and lusted for it. He then created the evil things of this world (such as the daevas) to fight against the good things Ohrmazd created. Ohrmazd offered Ahriman peace if Ahriman would worship the good things Ohrmazd created, but Ahriman refused, and Ohrmazd showed Ahriman his inevitable fate. Ahriman was stunned and fell into the void for a period of time. When he awakened, he engaged in war with Ohrmazd, which Ohrmazd won and finally destroyed

Ahriman.
In the Zeranism tradition, there is one ur-principle called Zurvan, who is the All. He contains all good and evil, and is also infinite in time. Zurvan then wishes for a son, and so his wife, who is actually the female half of his androgynous nature, gives birth to two sons. One (Ohrmazd) is the product of love and desire, while the other (Ahriman) is the result of a moment of doubt. Ahriman is born first and assumes the birth rite. In this way Ahriman was Ohrmazd's brother, and they each held equal sway over the world. Ahriman created all the maladies of life, and prided himself on the feat of having conjured ninety-nine thousand, nine hundred and ninety-nine diseases to plague the earth. He also attempted and failed to change the Persian religion by maiming the divine prophet Zarathustra. He first sent the demon Buiti to kill Zarathustra, but the prophet chanted aloud the Ahuna-Vairya, and the demon fled back to Ahriman. Ahriman himself then 'rushed forth from the regions of the North to lure away the Prophet from the path of righteousness,' but the prophet resisted the temptation and affirmed that he would never do the bidding of Ahriman. For all that Ohrmazd created, Ahriman created either the evil opposite, or he turned the good to excess:

'Arimanius frown'd,
The author foul of evil, how with shades
From his dire mansion, he deform'd the works
Of Oromazes; turn'd to noxious heat
The solar beam, that foodful Earth might parch,
That streams exhaling might forsake their beds,
Whence pestilence and famine...
If the hand of Oromazes, on precarious life
Shed wealth and pleasure, swift the infernal God
With wild excess, or avarice, blasts the joy.
But yet at last, shall Arimanius fall
Before his might, and evil be no more.'

Later texts refer to Ahura Mazda as having created six (sometimes seven) Amesha Spenta, or archangels. Angra Mainya also created a council of six (sometimes seven) archdemons. The archdemons (daevas) are known as Aka Manah, Indra, Sauru, Taurvi, Zairitsha, and Naonhaithya (the seventh is Aeshma). Eventually, Ahriman will be defeated by the coming of a Saoshyant or Saviour. Ancient texts refer to three great souls who are designated to be Saoshyants. The third of these will destroy evil and bring forth the reign of righteousness. The coming is referred to in the Farvardin Yasht, which says he will be the son of Zarathustra and will be conceived through a virgin called 'the all-destroying' (Yasht xiii.142; Vendidad xix.5). He will be assisted by his friends, who are fiend-smiting, well-thinking, well-speaking, well-doing, and whose tongues have never uttered a word of falsehood (Yasht xiii.142). After this, the world will be restored, the dead will arise, and life and immortality will come. "With the disappearance of evil from the universe, good will prevail everywhere and for all time; and the accursed name of Angra Mainya will be forgotten. Ahura Mazda will be for ever, even as he has been from all eternity" (Yasht xix.11,12).

Aini
A strong duke, who appears with the body of a handsome man and three heads, the first like a serpent, the second like a man, with two stars on the forehead, and the third like a cat. He rides on a viper, and carries a blazing firebrand with which he spreads destruction. He imparts much cunning, and gives true answers concerning private matters.

Aitvaras
A little Lithuanian demon who appears in the shape of a black cat or a black cock. He will give goods and money to those who sell their souls to him; things he stole from other people. Aitvaras usually nests behind the stove, and the inhabitants often leave food and drink for him.

Akathaso
Burmese evil spirits that inhabit trees.

Akikel
One of the leaders of the angels who, according to the Book of Enoch, swore allegiance to Samiaza.

Alal
In Assyrian demonology, evil spirits. They are demons of destruction. Alastor A cruel demon, who, according to Johann Weyer, filled the post of chief executioner to the monarch of Hades. The conception of him somewhat resembles that of Nemesis. Zoroaster is said to have called him "The Executioner." He was originally a mortal, the son of Neleus, king of Pylos. He became a (minor) demon when he and his brothers were slain by Heracles. Others confound him with the destroying angel. Evil genies were formerly called Alastors. Plutarch says that Cicero, who bore a grudge against Augustus, conceived the plan of committing suicide on the emperor's hearth, and thus becoming his Alastor.

Aldinach
An Egyptian demon presiding over the tempests, earthquakes, rainstorms, hailstorms, etc. It is he, also, who sinks ships. When he appears in visible form he takes the shape of a woman.

Alfar
In old Scandinavian folklore, a term for a being that is half god, half dwarf. In later mythology it degrades to a demon that only causes nightmares and diseases. In Germany it is pronounced as 'alb'. A reference to the word can be found in the Nibelungen Saga, where the king of the dwarves is called Alberich.

Aligar
One of three demons serving Fleuretty.

Allatu
In Sumero-Akkadian religion, one of the names of the evil demon, Death. He is the offspring and servant of Ereshkigal. His more familiar name is Namtar (Namtary). In Assyro-Babylonian religion, Allatu is the goddess of the underworld, consort of Bel, and later the consort of Nergal.

Alocer
A Grand Duke of Hell, commander of thirty-six legions. He appears in the shape of a lion-headed knight mounted on an enormous horse. His face has a ruddy complexion and burning eyes and he speaks with much gravity. He is said to give family happiness to those whom he takes under his protection, and to teach astronomy and liberal arts.

Alouqua
A female demon who is also a succubus and vampire who exhausts men and drives them to suicide.

Alpiel
An angel or demon, who, according to the Talmud, presides over fruit trees.

Alrunes
Female demons or sorceresses, the mothers of the Huns in ancient Germany. They took all sorts of shapes, but without changing their sex.

Alu-demon
Ancient Babylonian demon, said to owe his parentage to a human being; he hides himself in caverns and corners, and slinks through the streets at night. He also lies in wait for the unwary, and at night enters bed-chambers and terrorizes folk, threatening to pounce upon them if they shut their eyes.

Amaimon
Also called Amaymon. One of the four spirits who preside over the four parts of the universe. Amaimon is the governor of the eastern part, according to the grimoire or magic manual of the Lemegeton of Solomon, also known as the Little Key.

Aman
One of the demons who possessed Sister Jeanne des Anges. Aman was among the first of the demons whom she managed to expel.

Amane
According to the Book of Enoch, one of the leaders of the two hundred angels who rebelled against God and swore allegiance to Samiaza. Amduscias A Grand Duke of Hell, commander of twenty-nine legions. He has the form of a unicorn, but when evoked, appears in human shape. He gives concerts, at the command of men, where one hears the sound of all kinds of instruments but can see nothing. It is said that the trees themselves bend to his voice., and is a producer of disturbing music.

Amon
A marquis of hell and strongest of the demon princes, commander of forty legions. Depicted as a wolf-headed demon with a serpents tail, vomiting flame. When in human form, his head resembles that of a large owl with canine teeth. He knows the past and the future, and can reconcile friends who have quarreled.

Amoymon
One of the four kings of Hades, of which the eastern part falls to his share. He is invoked in the morning from nine to twelve and in the evening from three to six. He has been identified with Amaimon. Asmodeus is his lieutenant and the first prince of his dominions.

Amy
According to an ancient grimoire, Grand President of Hades, and one of the princes of the infernal monarchy. He appears there enveloped with flame, but on earth, in human form. He teaches the secrets of astrology and of the liberal arts, and gives faithful servants. He reveals to those who possess his favour the hiding place of treasures guarded by demons. Thirty-six of the infernal legions are under his command. The fallen angels acknowledge his orders, and he hopes that at the end of 20,000 years he shall return to heaven to occupy the seventh throne.

Anamalech
Bearer of ill news. He was worshipped at Sepharvahim, a town of the Assyrians. He reveals himself in the figure of a quail. His name, we are told, signified a "good king", and some authorities declare that this demon was the moon, as Andramalech is the sun.

Anarazel
One of the demons charged with the guardianship of subterranean treasures, which he carries about from one place to another, to hide them from men.. It is he who, with his companions Gaziel and Fecor, shakes the foundations of houses, raises tempests, rings the bells at midnight, causes spectres to appear, and inspires a thousand terrors.

Ancitif
A little known demon, who, during the possession of the nuns of Louviers, in 1643, was said to have occupied the body of Sister Barbara of St. Michael.

Andhaka
A Hindu demon.

Andras
A Grand Marquis of Hell, commander of thirty legions. Depicted as an owl head with the body of a winged angel, riding a black wolf and brandishing a pointed sabre. He teaches those whom he favours to kill their enemies, masters and servants. He sows discord and will kill the unwary.

Andrealphus
A mighty marquis, appears at first in the shape of a peacock, with a great noise, but after puts on human shape. He teaches geometry perfectly and all that belongs to measurements, astronomy included. He can transform men into the likeness of a bird.

Andromalius
A great duke and earl, appears in the form of a man holding a serpent in his hand. He returns stolen goods and the thief, discovers all wickedness and underhand dealing, as also hidden treasures.

Anneberg
Demon of the mines, known principally in Germany. On one occasion he killed with his breath twelve miners who were working in a silver mine of which he had charge. He was a wicked and terrible demon, sometimes represented as a large goat, sometimes as a horse, with an immense neck and frightful eyes.

Apaosa
Apaosa (Apa-urta) is a demon who brings drought and aridity. He rides on a black, bald horse. Eventually he was defeated by the god Tistrya. He is equal to the Indian evil spirit Vritra.

Aremata-Popoa
"Short Wave". One of two ocean demons who are greatly feared by Polynesian mariners because they are at the mercy of their immense power. The other demon is Aremata-Rorua.

Aremata-Rorua
"Long Wave". One of two Polynesian ocean demons greatly feared by mariners because they are at the mercy of their immense power. The other one is Aremata-Popoa.

Arioch
Demon of vengeance, according to some demonologists. He is different from Alastor, and occupies himself only with vengeance in particular cases where he is employed for that purpose.

Arphaxat
A Persian sorcerer who was killed by a thunderbolt (according to Abdias of Babylon) at the same hour as the martyrdom of St. Simon and St. Jude. In the account of the possession of the nuns of Loudun there is a demon Arphaxat, who took possession of the body of Louise de Pinterville.
 

Asmodeus
Asmodeus seems to be Persian in origin and may be identical to the demon Aeshma, one of the seven archdemons of Persian mythology. According to that tradition, he visited heaven every day to eavesdrop on the angels' conversations. The Latinized version of his name may be derived from the Hebrew, Ashmedai or Shamad ('to destroy'), and it is among the Jews that Asmodeus achieved his highest degree of power. He belongs to the order of the Seraphim, the highest order of angels, from whence he fell. He is the son of Naamah and Shamdon. In his female incarnation, Asmodeus is the spirit of lust and the beautiful sister of Tubal-Cain. Often portrayed as an ugly man endowed with a pair of large wings, Asmodeus inspires men with such lust that they betray their wives.

This demon appears first in the apocryphal Book of Tobit, which tells how Asmodeus fell in love with a beautiful young woman and wanted to possess her. Sarah, the daughter of Raguel, had already been married to seven men, but the jealous demon had slain each one of them before the marriage could be consummated, Sarah was so deeply grieved that she thought of hanging herself, however, she did not want to bring disgrace and sorrow to her father, who was in old age. Praying fervently to God, she begged Him to have pity on her. The Lord heard her prayer and sent the archangel Raphael to earth to help her new suitor, Tobias, the son of Tobit, to overcome the demon. Raphael taught the young man to prepare a charm by burning the heart and liver of the glanos fish, with incense made from tamarish wood. After the marriage ceremony, the newlyweds retired to their chambers, and Tobias did as the archangel had instructed him. When Asmodeus entered the room to kill the new husband, the odour of the burning incense drove him away. Asmodeus is best known for his help in building King Solomon's Temple.

This story is told in the Testament of Solomon, and in a number of other ancient sources on magic and demons. When the Temple was being built, a demon plagued a boy by taking his pay and food, and making him sick. This boy was a favourite of Solomon. When the king heard the complaints, he went into the temple to pray for a night and a day so that he might gain power over the demon. The archangel Michael appeared to Solomon and gave him a magic ring which was inscribed with the powerful pentacle. This enabled the owner to command all spirits. With the help of this formidable weapon, the King freed the boy from the demon, and then proceeded to use the ring to call other demons to help complete the Temple. According to the Aggadah, a traditional collection of Hebrew folklore, Asmodeus was the third demon to be conjured up. Solomon knew that Asmodeus was a particularly brutal captive. By hurling insults and thrusting the magic ring in his face, the King forced the demon to reveal the spell which would protect from the fiend's evil influence. One day the King asked Asmodeus wherein the greatness of demons lay if their prince could be kept in bonds like a mortal. Asmodeus replied that if Solomon would remove the chains and lend him his magic ring, he would prove his greatness. When he was released, the demon seized Solomon, flung him out of Jerusalem and set himself up as king. When Solomon returned, he surrounded himself by other demons and finally fell prey to their evil influence.

He fell in love with a woman from the Shumannite tribe. Although there is very little information concerning this, it seems most likely that this woman was goaded in her seduction by Lilith, the queen of demons and equal in power to Asmodeus. For her sake, Solomon built a temple to Baal, sacrificed to Moloch, and thus fell one of the great wise men, perhaps the greatest of all magi. During the Middle Ages, Asmodeus was considered an evil spirit who caused men to be unfaithful. He plotted against the newly-wed, and wasted the beauty of virgins. It seems that despite Christianity, Asmodeus lost none of his evil energies, and he was much dreaded. It took a figure of truly great power, such as John the Baptist, to help the tempted man oppose this demon. Sister Elizabeth, one of the Louviers nuns, was said to have been possessed by Asmodeus. He was supposedly sent to trouble her by two witches, Father Picard and Sister Madeleine Bavent. Paul Lucas, a medieval writer and traveller, describes meeting Asmodeus during one of his journeys through Egypt. The Courier de L' Egypte reports that at the time many Egyptians still adored the serpent Asmodeus.

The serpent had a temple in the desert of Ryanneh. There he was said to cut himself into pieces, and to reappear immediately afterwards, healed and whole. The medieval demonologists ranked him high in the hierarchy of hell, calling him 'a strong and powerful king disposing of seventy-two legions.' He is described as possessing three heads: the first one resembling that of a bull, the second that of a man, and the third that of a ram. He has the tail of a serpent, the feet of a goose, and fiery breath. Carrying a banner and a lance, he appears mounted on a dragon. Asmodeus bequeaths his followers with rings engraved with planetary symbols. He teaches men the difficult but useful art of becoming invisible, as well as instructing them in geometry, arithmetic, astronomy, and the mechanical sciences. He has vast knowledge concerning buried treasures, and can be forced to reveal their site with the help of appropriate spells and incantations.

Astaroth
Astaroth is the name given to the male, medieval incarnation of the ancient demon goddess Astoreth, as the Hebrews call her, or Astarte as she was known to the Phoenicians. He was said to appear in the guise of an ugly angel, riding on a dragon and holding a viper in his left hand. Johann Weyer's hierarchy describes Astaroth as a very powerful grand duke in hell, where he held the office of great treasurer and commanded forty legions. In the hierarchy of the fallen angels he ranks as the 'prince of thrones.' Always desirous to sit idle and be at ease, he is a great lover of sloth. For that reason he can best be frustrated by appealing to St. Bartholomew for help. Further medieval sources specify that he resides in the Occident, that he procures the friendship of the great lords, and that he has to be invoked on Wednesdays between the tenth and the eleventh hours of the night. When the demon appears, it is wise not to approach too closely because of the infernal stench emanating from him, although one can protect oneself from the fetid odour by holding a magic ring under one's nose. Astaroth willingly answers questions concerning the past and the future. He is willing to make discourse on great secrets, and he loves to talk about the Creation and the Fall, or the faults of the angels. In his conversations, he stresses most emphatically that he himself has been punished unjustly, and that some day he will once again take his rightful place among the heavenly angels. He is also said to be a very good teacher of the liberal arts and or most sciences.

Asto Vi``datu
The Persian demon of death whom no human escapes. Together with Aesma Daeva he chases and tries to catch the souls of the deceased with a noose when they rise to heaven.

Asurakumara
"Demon princes". A group of Jain (one of the great classical religions of India) gods associated with rain and thunder.

Ayperos
A Prince of Hell, commander of thirty-six legions, foreseer of the future. Depicted as a standing vulture or eagle.

Ays
In Armenian mythology, Ays is an evil demon and the personification of the wind. In this form he is able to enter the body of a human being, who will either go mad or become a demon himself. Ays belongs to the Dev, a group of immortal spirits.

Azael
One of the angels who revolted against God. The rabbis say that he is chained on sharp stones in an obscure part of the desert, awaiting the last judgement.

Azazel
According to Johann Weyer, Azazel is a demon of the second order and the principal standard bearer of the infernal armies. Azazel is the chief of the Se'irim, or goat-demons, who haunted the desert and to whom most primitive Semitic (most likely non-Hebrew) tribes offered sacrifices. The Old Testament states that Jeroboam appointed priests for the Se'irim. But Josiah destroyed the places of their worship, as the practices accompanying this worship involved copulation of women with goats.

The Se'irim, or hairy demons as the word itself means, are mentioned in Leviticus 17:7 and 2 Chronicles 11:15 as "goat-demons". Isaiah 34:14 says that the "goat-demons" greet each other among the ruins of Edom along with Lilith and other wild beasts. The name 'Azazel' may be derived from 'azaz' and 'el' meaning 'strong one of God.' It is thought that Azazel may have been derived from the Canaanite god, 'Asiz, who caused the sun to burn strongly. It has also been theorized that he has been influenced by the Egyptian god, Seth.

In Leviticus 16:8 we are told that the Lord ordered his high priest, Aaron, to 'place lots upon the two goats, one marked for the Lord and the other marked for Azazel' on the Jewish Day of Atonement. The goat designated by lot for the Lord is to be used as a sin offering, while the goat designated for Azazel "shall be left standing alive before the Lord, to make expiation with it and to send it off to the wilderness for Azazel." (Lev 16:10) Aaron was to "lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat and confess over it all the iniquities and transgressions of the Israelites, whatever their sins, putting them on the head of the goat; and it shall be sent off to the wilderness through a designated an. Thus the goat shall carry on it all their iniquities to an inaccessible region; and the goat shall be set free in the wilderness." (Lev 16:21-22)

Leviticus also says that "He who set the Azazel-goat free shall wash his clothes and bathe his body in water; after that he may reenter the camp." (16:26) From this passage in Leviticus, it would seem that Azazel is conceived of as a personal being, as lots were drawn for the Lord and for him. Also, Leviticus mentions that Azazel lives in the wilderness, as do the Se'irim. Because of this ritual, Azazel is known as the "scapegoat." The goat that is sent to Azazel is not as a sacrifice, but as a symbol that there is no longer any unexpiated guilt. Both the goat and the man who leads away the goat are unclean, and the only way the man can reenter the camp is by washing his clothes and bathing.

In the Book of Enoch, Azazel is the leader of the horde of the Watchers - the sleepless angels. In the time preceding the flood, these angels saw that 'the children of men had multiplied and that beautiful and comely daughters were born unto them.' Descending to earth, the Watchers mingled with the women and began 'to defile themselves with them.' While the angels taught their wives all manners of enchantments and charms, as well as the science of root cutting and botany; Azazel taught the art of warfare, and the making of swords and shields.

He also taught his wives how to use cosmetics, 'the art of deception by ornamenting their bodies,' and revealed the secrets of witchcraft. But finally he was brought to the Lord's command, bound hand and foot by the archangel Raphael, and chained to a jagged rock. There he is to abide in utter darkness until the Day of Judgement, when he will be cast into the fire to be consumed forever. In the Apocalypse of Abraham, Azazel is portrayed as an unclean bird which came down upon the sacrifice which Abraham prepared.

This is in reference to Genesis 15:11 "Birds of prey came down upon the carcasses, and Abram drove them away." "And the unclean bird spoke to me and said, 'What are you doing, Abraham, on the holy heights, where no one eats of drinks, nor is there upon them food for men. But these all will be consumed by fire and ascend to the height, they will destroy you.' And it came to pass when I saw the bird speaking I said this to the angel: 'What is this, my lord?' And he said, 'This is disgrace, this is Azazel!' And he said to him, 'Shame on you Azazel! For Abraham's portion is in heaven, and yours is on earth, for you have selected here, (and) become enamored of the dwelling place of your blemish. Therefore the Eternal Ruler, the Mighty One, has given you a dwelling on earth. Through you the all-evil spirit (is) a liar, and through you (are) wrath and trials on the generations of men who live impiously." - Apocalypse of Abraham 13:4-9

The Apocalypse of Abraham also associates Azazel with Hell. Abraham says to him "May you be the firebrand of the furnace of the earth! Go, Azazel, into the untrodden parts of the earth. For your heritage is over those who are with you" (14:5-6) There is also the idea that God's heritage (the created world) is largely under the dominion of evil. It is "shared with Azazel" (20:5) Azazel is also identified with the serpent which tempted Eve. His form is described as a dragon with "hands and feet like a man's, on his back six wings on the right and six on the left." (23:7)

Finally, the Apocalypse of Abraham says that the wicked will "putrefy in the belly of the crafty worm Azazel, and be burned by the fire of Azazel's tongue." (31:5) Here again, there is another reference to Azazel as being Hell.

Azi Dahaka
A storm demon from Iranian mythology. He steals cattle and brings harm to humans. It is a snake-like monster with three heads and six eyes who also personifies the Babylonian oppression of Iran. The monster will be captured by the warrior god Thraetaona and placed on the mountain top Dermawend. In a final revival of evil, it will escape its prison, but at the end of time (fraso-kereti) it will die in the river of fire Ayohsust.

B

Baal
Grand Duke of Hell, general of the infernal armies and commander of sixty-six legions. He is depicted as a creature with three heads - a cat, a crowned man and a toad. His pudgy torso ends in a spider's legs. Those who invoke him are made alert and cunning and are taught the means of making themselves invisible when necessary.

Baalberith
Demon of the second order. Chief Secretary and Archivist of Hell, master of the Infernal Alliance. He is depicted as a pontiff seated among princes of the infernal regions. Originally he was the Phoenician (Canaanite) god of covenants. He was one of the demons who possessed an Ursuline nun at Aix-en-Provence in 1610.

Baalzephon
Captain of the guard and sentinels of Hell.

Babael
A demon known as the Keeper of Graves.

Bachelor
One of the names given to Satan, when he appeared in the guise of a great he-goat, for the purpose of love intercourse with the witches.

Bael
A demon cited in the The Grand Grimoire (note: and Goetia) and head of the infernal powers. It is with him that Johann Weyer commenced his inventory of the famous Pseudomonarchia Daemonum. He alluded to Bael as the first monarch of hell, and said that his estates are situated on the eastern regions thereof. He had three heads, that of a crab, a cat, and a man. Sixty-six legions obey him.

Balam
Among the seventy-two spirits of the brazen vessel, as enumerated in the Lesser Key of Solomon, there is a demon called Balam. He features as number fifteen in what some authors refer to as 'the false monarchy of demons.' Judging by the various descriptions of Balam, he is identical with several other demons whose names are given by writers of the same period as Balan, Balaam, and Balemm. He is described as being a great and terrible king in hell, commanding forty legions of infernal soldiers. He appears at times with three heads: the middle one is that of a man, while the others are those of animals, usually a bull and a ram. Furthermore, Balam is equipped with a serpent's tail and eyes so fierce that they spit forth fire and flames. Usually, though, Balam is said to appear as a naked monster riding on a bear. He wears a royal crown, surmounting two long and upward horns, and a pair of extremely hairy ears stick out at right angles from his skull. The sharp, goat-like facial features are enhanced by a long, scraggly beard. His limbs terminate in unnaturally long fingers and toes, capped by sharp-pointed nails that look as deadly as the claws of the goshawk perching on his right wrist. Balam, once an angel of the Order of Dominations, is quite easily invoked and relatively harmless to deal with. Like many of his species, he answers questions concerning past, present and future events, and he is willing to reveal the secret of invisibility. He is an excellent teacher of the subtle art of cunning, and he imparts wit and finesse to whoever queries him on these matters.

Balban
A demon of delusion.

Bali
An ancient Indian demon, king of the Daityas. He ruled the sky and the earth, but this power was wrested from him by Vishnu in the avatara of Vamana, the dwarf. Since then he rules the underworld.

Baltazo
One of the demons supposed to have possessed Nicole Aubry of Laon, France, in the year 1566. He went to dine with her husband under the pretext of freeing her from demon possession, which he did not accomplish. It was observed that at supper he did not drink, which showed that demons are averse to water.

Bar-Lgura
Ancient Semitic demon said to sit on the roofs of houses and leap on the inhabitants. People so afflicted were called d'baregara.

Barbas
According to the medieval hierarchies he was the demon of mechanics.

Barbatos
A great count and duke, who appears when the sun is in Sagittarius with four noble kings and three companies of troops; he gives instructions in all the sciences, reveals treasures concealed by enchantment, knows the past and future, reconciles friends and those in power, and is of the Order of the Virtues. He also understands the songs of birds and the language of other animals

Barqu
Demon in whose keeping was the secret of the Philosopher's Stone.

Bathym
One of the three demons in the service of Fleuretty. Duke of the Infernal Regions. He has the appearance of a robust man but his body ends in a serpent's tail. He bestrides a steed of livid colour. He is well versed in the virtues of herbs and precious stones. He is able to transport men from one place to another with wondrous speed. He commands thirty legions. Also known as Marthin.

Bayemon
Named in the grimoire of Honorius as that of a powerful demon whom it addresses as monarch of the western parts of the Infernal Regions. To him the following invocation is addressed; "O King Bayemon, most mighty, who reigneth towards the western parts, I call upon thee and invoke thy name in the name of the Divinity. I command thee in the name of the Most High to present thyself before this circle, thee and the other spirits who are thy subjects, in the name of Passiel and Rosus, for the purpose of replying to all that which I demand of thee. If thou dost not come I will torment thee with a sword of heavenly fire, I will augment thy pains and burn thee. Obey, King Bayemon." Although ascribed to Pope Honorius III, supported by what is claimed as a Papal Bull authorizing ordained priests to invoke spirits and control demons, this grimoire is denounced by Catholic writers as a forgery. The grimoire became popular among seventeenth-century occult magicians.

Bearded Demon
The demon who teaches the secret of the Philosopher's Stone. He is but little known. The demon barbu is not to be confused with Barbatos, said to be a Duke in Hades, although not a philosopher; nor with Barbas, who is interested in mechanics. It is said that the bearded demon is so called on account of his remarkable beard.

Bechard
A demon alluded to in the ancient grimoire The Key of Solomon as having power over the winds and the tempests. He makes hail, thunder and rain.

Beelzebub
The scriptures call Beelzebub the 'prince of demons,' and St. Matthew reports that the Pharisees accused Jesus of casting out demons in his name: 'It is only by Beelzebub, the prince of demons, that this man casts out demons' Matthew 9:34 He was an idol of the Canaanites, and his best known shrine was in the Philistine city of Ekron. When King Ahaziah of Israel consulted his oracle in Ekron, he brought upon himself the wrath of the prophet Elijah. Baal or Bel means 'lord,' and was a title given to a great number of deities. Beelzebub means 'lord of the flies;' though it is not known if this is a reference to the practice of divination by the flight of flies, or to the idol's power of delivering men from flies which ruined their crops.

It may possibly refer to the fact that the god's statue, dripping with sacrificial blood, must have attracted large numbers of flies. Most medieval demonologists consider him as the sovereign ruler of the infernal empire. One book called In Zodiaco Vitae, describes him as being of prodigious height, sitting on a giant throne. A band of fire encircles his forehead, his chest is swollen, his face puffed up; while sparkling eyes and lifted eyebrows enhance his menacing air. He has cavernous nostrils and two big horns sprout from his head; while large bat wings adorn his back. He has ducks' feet, a lion's tail and is covered from head to foot with thick black hair. According to the apocryphal Gospel of Nicodemus, Beelzebub was not at first the most powerful potentate of hell. Satan was the 'prince and captain of death.'

After Christ's crucifixion, Satan conversed with Beelzebub at the gates of hell, bragging that he was about to bring Jesus down to his infernal abode. He rejoiced as Jesus was an enemy who had deprived him of many a victim. Beelzebub begged his master not to attempt this dangerous feat because 'the very power of His name disturbed him and him impious company.' "Then Hell, receiving Satan the prince, with sore reproach said unto him: O prince of perdition and chief of destruction, Beelzebub, the scorn of the angels and spitting of the righteous why wouldest thou do this? Thou wouldest crucify the King of glory and at his decease didst promise us great spoils of his death: like a fool thou knewest not what thou didst. For behold now, this Jesus putteth to flight by the brightness of his majesty all the darkness of death, and hath broken the strong depths of the prisons, and let out the prisoners and loosed them that were bound. And all that were sighing in our torments do rejoice against us, and at their prayers our dominions are vanquished and our realms conquered, and now no nation of men feareth us any more. And beside this, the dead which were never wont to be proud triumph over us, and the captives which never could be joyful do threaten us. O prince Satan, father of all the wicked and ungodly and renegades wherefore wouldest thou do this? They that from the beginning until now have despaired of life and salvation - now is none of their wonted roarings heard, neither doth any groan from them sound in our ears, nor is there any sign of tears upon the face of any of them. O prince Satan, holder of the keys of hell, those thy riches which thou hadst gained by the tree of transgression and the losing of paradise, thou hast lost by the tree of the cross, and all thy gladness hath perished. When thou didst hang up Christ Jesus the King of glory thou wroughtest against thyself and against me. Henceforth thou shalt know what eternal torments and infinite pains thou art to suffer in my keeping for ever. O prince Satan, author of death and head of all pride, thou oughtest first to have sought out matter of evil in this Jesus: Wherefore didst thou adventure without cause to crucify him unjustly against whom thou foundest no blame, and to bring into our realm the innocent and righteous one, and to lose the guilty and the ungodly and unrighteous of the whole world? And when Hell had spoken thus unto Satan the prince, then said the King of glory unto Hell: Satan the prince shall be in thy power unto all ages in the stead of Adam and his children, even those that are my righteous ones" - Gospel of Nicodemus VII (XXIII)

As they were discussing the matter, a thunderous voice sounding like rushing winds proclaimed: 'Lift up your gates, O ye princes, and the King of Glory shall come in.' Terrified, Beelzebub pushed Satan away from the mouth of hell, and told him indignantly to fight Jesus by himself if he yearned for a divine conquest so much. Beelzebub then slammed the gates shut, and commanded the rest of the demons to bar the way with all the strength they could muster. But inside, the souls had heard Christ's booming voice and rushed forward, jostling the fiends,desperately trying to speak to the Saviour. Fear lent the demons enough strength to push the souls back and to barricade the gates even more tightly, but nothing could bar Jesus' way. He trampled over Satan, deprived Beelzebub of his powers, and with a single word, snapped the chains of the imprisoned souls. All the saints held captive in hell were released.

They joined hands and flew up to heaven. As Jesus was about to take leave of himself, he turned to Beelzebub and said: 'Satan the prince shall be in thy power unto all ages in the stead of Adam and his children, even those that are my righteous ones.' - Gospel of Nicodemus VII (XXIII) In medieval times Beelzebub also had great power. It was very difficult to get rid of him once the conjured demon had appeared. The nineteenth century scholar, MacGregor Mathers, remarked that: 'the invocation to make visible the appearance of such fearful potencies as Amaymon, Egyn, and Beelzebub would probably result in the death of the exorcist on the spot; such death presenting the symptoms of one arising from Epilepsy, Apoplexy, or Strangulation.' One of the spells used to conjure up Beelzebub was:

BELZEBUB
LUCIFER
MADILON
SOLYMO
SAROY
THEU
AMECLO
SAGRAEL
PRAREDUN
VENITE
BELZEBUTH.
Amen.

A manuscript containing another appeal to Beelzebub is housed in the British Museum. It says:

'I conjure bind and charge thee by Lucifer
Beelzebub, Sathanas, Jauconill, and by their power,
And by the homage thou owest unto them
And also I charge thee by the triple crown
Of Cerberus' head, by Styx and Phegiton,
By your fellow and private devil Baranter,
That you do torment and punish this disobedient
Demon until you make him come corporally
To my sight and obey my will and
Commandments in whatsoever I shall charge
Or command thee to do. Fiat, Fiat, Fiat.
Amen.'

At witches' sabbaths Beelzebub was lord and master over all the rites, and it was in his name that Jesus was denied. Eucharist was given with the seal of Beelzebub imprinted upon the pieces of bread instead of the symbol of Christ. The witches then chanted: 'Belsabub goity, Belsabub beyty' meaning 'Beelzebub above, Beelzebub below.' After forming a semicircle around the altar and lying flat on the ground, they swallowed 'two mouthfuls of an infernal medicine and brew, of so foul a flavour that they sweated to swallow it, and so cold it froze them.' Beelzebub then copulated with all the participants and this triggered the commencement of a frenzied orgy.

In the seventeenth century, Beelzebub along with a host of other demons possessed the nun, Sister Madeleine de Demandoix, of the Ursuline Convent near Aix-en-Provence. In his power, the wretched nun was compelled to writhe on the floor exposing her genitals. She also had gruesome visions of sodomy and cannibalism. Beelzebub was finally exorcised, never to return to that convent again.

Behemoth
The Apocryphal Book of Enoch gives the following description of this monster's origins: 'And that day will two monsters be parted, one monster, a female named Leviathan in order to dwell in the abyss of the ocean over the fountains of water; and (the other), a male called Behemoth, which holds his chest in an invisible desert whose name is Dundayin, east of the garden of Eden.' - 1 Enoch 60:7-8 According to the Islamic tradition, when God created the earth, he realized that it was not secure. To stabilize it, he placed under it first an angel, then a huge rock made of ruby, then a bull with four thousand eyes, ears, nostrils, mouths, tongues, and feet. But even the bull did not stand firm. So below it God placed Behemoth, who rested on water which was surrounded by darkness. Some authors have identified Behemoth with the Egyptian deity Taueret. She was a hippopotamus goddess with whom we are acquainted through the writings of the Greek historian, Herodotus. The most powerful description of Behemoth is found in the Book of Job (Job 40:15-24):

'Behold Behemoth,
which I made as I made you;
he eats grass like an ox.
Behold, his strength is in his loins,
and his power in the muscles of his belly.
He makes his tail stiff like a cedar;
the sinews of his thighs are knit together.
His bones are tubes of bronze,
his limbs like bars of iron.
He is the first of the works of God;
let him who made him bring near his sword!
For the mountains yield food for him
where all the wild beast play.
Under the lotus plant he lies,
in the covert of the reeds and in the marsh.
For his shade the lotus tree covers him
the willows of the brook surround him.
Behold, if the river is turbulent he is not frightened;
he is confident though Jordan rushes against his mough.
Can one take him with hooks,
or pierce his nose with a snare?'

The Rabbinical tradition has somewhat alleviated the fear of Behemoth by prophesying an end for the beast. He is described as the deadly enemy of Leviathan, and on the Day of Judgement, 'Behemoth will slay, and be slain by a gigantic whale. For his fate is to furnish the meat for the Messiah's feast, and this food the Lord will distribute among the faithful.' Behemoth is not mentioned in the most complete of the many medieval demonic hierarchies, the Pseudomonarchia Daemonum. Although the author, Johann Weyer, does talk about the monster in another work called De Praestigiorum Daemonum. In that book, Weyer speculates that Behemoth might very well be a representation of the vast powers of the archfiend Satan himself. But a number of medieval demonologists do place Behemoth in their infernal hierarchies; though they mostly describe him as an overweight and rather stupid demon, whose domains are gluttony and the pleasures of the belly. They add that in hell his functions correspond to those of a headwaiter, or the caretaker of wine cellars. Belancre, a renowned French demonologist, maintains that Behemoth is not a monstrous animal of evil, but rather a spirit who likes to take on the shapes of extremely large animals. According to the same authority, Behemoth is also able to disguise himself perfectly as a cat, a dog, a fox, or a wolf.

Beleth
A great king and terrible, riding on a pale horse, before whom go trumpets and all melodious music. He commands eighty-five legions. He is very furious when first summoned, and must be commanded into a triangle or circle with the hazel wand of the Magician pointed to the South-East. He must be received courteously and with homage, but a silver ring must be worn on the middle finger of the left hand, which must be held against the face. He procures love between man and woman, and is of the Order of the Powers.

Belial
'Never has Hell received a more dissolute, more heinous, more worthless spirit, or one more in love with vice for vice's sake!' The demon thus characterized by a medieval writer is Belial (Beliar is the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew), the demon of lies. His name is derived from the Hebrew 'beli ya'al,' meaning 'without worth.' He is said to have been created immediately after Lucifer himself, and was one of the first angels to revolt against God. This is why he was expelled from heaven. He was partly of the Order of the Virtues and partly of the Order of the Angels. Among certain sections of the Jews, Belial was considered the chief of all the devils.

In The War of the Sons of Light and the Sons of Darkness, one of the Dead Sea scrolls, Belial is the leader of the Sons of Darkness: 'But for corruption thou hast made Belial, an angel of hostility. All his dominions are in darkness, and his purpose is to bring about wickedness and guilt. All the spirits are associated with him are but angels of destruction.' Belial is also mentioned in the Fragments of a Zadokite Work, which states that at the time of the Antichrist, "Belial shall be let loose against Israel, as God spake through Isaiah the prophet." (6:9).

The Fragments also speak of "three nets of Belial" which are said to be fornication, wealth, and pollution of the sanctuary. (6:10-11) In this work, Belial is sometimes presented as an agent of divine punishment and sometimes as a rebel, as Mastema is. It was Belial who inspired the Egyptian sorcerers, Jochaneh and his brother, to oppose Moses and Aaron. The Fragments also say that anyone who is ruled by the spirits of Belial and speaks of rebellion should be condemned as a necromancer and wizard.

Belial is also mentioned in the Testament of the Twelve Patriarchs. The author of the work seems to be a dualist because he presents Belial as God's opponent, not as a servant, but does not mention how or why this came to be. Simeon 5:3 says that fornication separates man from God and brings him near to Beliar. Levi tells his children to choose between the Law of God and the works of Beliar (Levi 19:1) It also states that when the soul is constantly disturbed, the Lord departs from it and Beliar rules over it. Naphtali (2:6, 3:1) contrasts the Law and will of God with the purposes of Beliar. Also, in 20:2, Joseph prophesies that when Israel leaves Egypt, they will be with God in light while Beliar will remain in darkness with the Egyptians.

Finally, the Testament describes that when the Messiah comes, the angels will punish the spirits of deceit and Beliar (3:3) and that the Messiah will bind Beliar and give to his children the power to trample the evil spirits (18:12). In the Martyrdom of Isaiah, Belial is the angel of lawlessness and is the ruler of this world. "And Manasseh turned aside his heart to serve Beliar; for the angel of lawlessness, who is the ruler of this world, is Beliar, whose name is Matanbuchus." - Martyrdom of Isaiah 2:4 According to the medieval hierarchies, Belial was a king in hell, where he commanded eighty legions of demons. He appears in the form of a beautiful angel seated on a chariot of fire-belching dragons. To conjure Belial, one must make offerings and sacrifices to him. He answers in the most suave and pleasant of voices, but this is deceptive. Unless one keeps him in check by continually invoking the name of God, this Belial deceives all and sundry. To those successful in gaining his friendship, it is said that he distributes favours and preferences, and gives excellent familiars. Belial is also supposed to be the infernal ambassador to Turkey.
 

Belphegor
Belphegor was originally a Moabite deity called Baal-Peor, who was adored on Mount Phegor. For his generative and productive powers he was worshipped in the form of a phallus. In the Kabbalah, Belphegor is the archdemon of the Togarini, whose name means the 'wranglers.' MacGregor Mathers, in his book The Kabbalah Unveiled, lists him as the sixth of the evil Sephiroth, who were the demonic counterparts of the ten divine Sephiroth, or emanations of the substance of God.

A medieval legend tells how Belphegor set forth from hell to investigate rumours concerning the happiness and misery of married couples on earth. For a while he lived among men, imitating all the intimacies that men experienced. He is said to have fled back to hell in horror, happy that intercourse between men and women did not exist there. This is the reason why the name of Belphegor is sometimes applied to misogynists and licentious men. But his dislike of women seems to be contradicted by a number of demonologists who maintain that he usually appeared in the form of a beautiful young girl.

He was difficult to summon, though it was known that he distributed riches with great generosity, if the conjuror was agreeable to him. His gifts were also the power of discovery and ingenious invention. He was sometimes depicted as a naked woman and sometimes as a hideous demon with a gaping mouth, beard and with horns and painted nails. In the Dictionnaire Infernal, De Plancy mentions that several rabbis maintained that Belphegor was paid homage to sit on a 'pierced chair,' because excrement was the usual sacrificial offering to this demon.

Bensozia
According to Dom Jacques Martin (1684-1751) in his Religion de Gaulois (1727), "chief deviless" of a certain Sabbatic meeting held in France in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries. She was, he says, the Diana of the Ancient Gauls, and was also called Nocticula, Herodias, and "The Moon." One finds in the manuscripts of the church at Couserans that the ladies of the fourteenth century were said to go on horseback to nocturnal revelries of Bensozia. All of them were forced to inscribe their names in a Sabbatic catalog along with those sorcerers proper, and after this ceremony they believed themselves to be fairies. There was found at Montmorillin in Poitou, in the eighteenth century, a portion of an ancient temple, a bas-relief with the figure of a naked woman carved upon it, and it is not unlikely, according to J. Collin de Plancy (author of Dictionnaire infernal, 6th ed., 1803) that this figure was the original deity of the Bensozia cult.

Berith
According to the detailed description of the seventy-two major demons, as put forth in the Lemegeton, or the Lesser Key of Solomon, Berith takes his place among the truly powerful spirits. Weyer mentions that this demon was also called Beal, while certain necromancers knew him as Bofi or Bolfri. In hell, he was ranked as a duke having command over twenty-six legions of minor demons. He appears clad in a soldier's uniform, wears a golden crown and is mounted on a red horse. He can only be safely summoned with the help of magic rings, bearing his specific seal. Berith's voice is clear and persuasive, but he is a notorious liar. Anything he says must be weighed with great care, though he does reveal the past and the future. Berith also has the power to transmute all base metals into gold; thus he is sometimes known as the demon helper to the unscrupulous alchemists. Lured by a handsome reward, he will ensure that great public dignities and manifold riches are bestowed upon the conjuror. Finally, he possesses the rather singular power of lending clarity of sound and ease of elocution to the voices of singers. In books on magical recipes, Berith is associated with a method of conjuring him under a form resembling a mandragora. On a Monday night a black chicken is bled at a crossroads. One must say: 'Berith will do all my work for twenty years and I shall recompense him.' Or else one may write the spell on a piece of virgin parchment with the chicken's blood. The demon thus evoked will appear the same day, and put himself completely at the conjuror's disposal. But after twenty years, Berith will claim his reward for services rendered.

Beyreva
Indian demon, master of souls that roam through space after being changed into airy demons. It is said to have crooked nails with which it lopped off one of Brahma's heads.

Bhutamata
A Hindu demon goddess. She is a form of Parvati.

Biffant
A little-known demon, chief of a legion who was said to have entered the body of Denise de la Caille and who was obliged to sign with his claws the proces verbal of exorcisms.

Bifrons
He often takes the form of a man well versed in astrology and planetary influences. He excels in geometry, is acquainted with the virtues of herbs, precious stones and plants. He can transport corpses from one place to another. It is he who lights the strange corpse lights above the tombs of the dead. He commands twenty-six legions.

Bitru
Great Prince of Hell. He appears in the form of a leopard with the wings of a griffon. When adopting a human form, it is invariably one of great beauty. It is he who awakes lust in the human heart. He commands seventy legions. Also known as Sytry, or Sitri.

Blisargon
Known as the Grand Enticer of Thieves, he eventually leads all of his followers to destruction.

Bonifarce
One of the two demons said to have been successfully exorcised from Elisabeth Allier in 1639 by Francois Faconnet. The two demons who had possessed her for twenty years admitted that they had entered her body by means of a crust of bread which they had put into her mouth when she was seven. They fled from her body in the presence of the Holy Sacrament. The other demon's name was Orgeuil.

Botis
A great president and earl, who appears like a horrid viper, but when commanded, assumes a human shape, with large teeth and horns. He bears a sharp sword in his hand, discerns past, present and future, and reconciles friends and foes. One of the three demons in the service of Agaliarept.

Buer
A great president and demon of the second order. He has the form of a star, though sometimes depicted with the head of a lion and the feet of a goat. He is gifted with a knowledge of philosophy and of the virtues of medicinal herbs. He gives domestic felicity and health to the sick. He is in charge of fifteen legions. Also one of the three demons in service to Agaliarept. He appears when the Sun is in Sagittarius.

Bune
Grand Duke of the infernal regions. He speaks only by sign. His form is that of a man. He removes corpses, haunts cemeteries, and marshals the demons around tombs and the places of the dead. Commander of thirty infernal legions. He enriches and renders eloquent those who serve him. The demons under his authority are called Bunis, and regarded by the Tatars as exceedingly evil. Their power is great and their number immense. But their sorcerers are ever in communication with these demons by means of whom they carry on their dark practices. He has also been depicted as a three-headed dragon, the heads being respectively those of a dog, griffin and man.

Bushyasta
In Zoroastrian mythology, the yellow demon of lethargy and sloth. He is the evil genius which causes men to oversleep and to neglect their religious duties.

Buta
An evil demon in Indonesian mythology. A demon with hooked teeth is called Buta Cakil.

Buyasta
An ancient Persian demon of laziness who tries to prevent people from working. He is one of the Daevas.

C

Caacrinolaas
A high order demon, identified as the Grand President of Hell. He is figured in the shape of a god with the wings of a griffon. He is supposed to inspire knowledge of the liberal arts and to incite homicide. This fiend is said to be able to render people invisible. He commands thirty-six legions. He is also called Caasimolar or Glasya or Glasyalabolas.

Cacodaemons
Ancient deities of inferior rank, one of whom it was believed was attached to each mortal from his birth as a constant companion, capable of giving impulses and acting as a sort of messenger between the gods and men. The cacodaemons were of a hostile nature, as opposed to the agathodaemons who were friendly. It is said that one of the cacodaemons who appeared to Cassius was a man of large stature, and of a black hue. The belief in these daemons is probably traditional, and it is said that they were rebellious angels who were expelled from heaven for their crimes. They tried in vain to obtain a settlement in various parts of the universe and their final abode was believed to be all the space between the earth and the stars. There they abide, hated by all the elements, and finding their pleasure in revenge and injury. Their king was called Hades by the Greeks, Typhon by the Egyptians, and Ahrimanes by the Persians and Chaldeans. Early astrologers named the twelfth house of the sun "Cacodaemon" as its influence was regarded as evil.

Cacus
Originally a pre-Roman god of fire, who gradually became a fire-breathing demon. Cacus lived in a cave in the Aventine Hill from where he terrorized the countryside. When Heracles returned with the cattle of Geryon, he passed Cacus' cave and lay down to sleep in the vicinity. At night Cacus dragged some of the cattle to his cave backward by their tails, so that their tracks would point in the opposite direction. However, the lowing of the animals betrayed their presence in the cave to Heracles and he retrieved them and slew Cacus. Other sources claim that Cacus' sister told Heracles the location of his cave. On the place were Heracles slew Cacus he erected an altar, where later the Forum Boarium, the cattle market, was held.

Cambions
According to Bodin and De Lancre, the offspring of incubus and succubus. Some of these demons are said to be more kindly disposed to the human race than others. Luther said of them in his Colloquies that they show no sign of life before seven years of age. He stated that he saw one which cried when he touched it. In his Discours des Sorciers (Lyon, 1608), Henri Boguet quotes a story that a Galician mendicant was in the habit of exciting public pity by carrying about a Cambion. One day, a horseman observing him to be much hampered by the seeming infant in crossing a river, took the supposed child before him on his horse. But he was so heavy that the animal sank under the weight. Sometime afterwards the mendicant was taken and admitted that the child he habitually carried was a little demon whom he had trained so carefully that no one refused him alms whilst carrying it.

Carreau
Demonic prince of the Powers.

Catabolignes
Demons who bore men away, killed them, and had the power to break and crush them. The sixteenth century theologian L. Campester described how these demons treated their agents, the magicians and sorcerers.

Caym
Grand Master of Hell, commander of thirty legions. He is said to be the cleverest sophist in Hell , and can, through astuteness of his arguments, make the most skilled logician despair. He understands the songs of birds, the bellowing of Oxen, the barking of dogs and the sound of the waves. He knows the future and was once numbered among the Order of Angels. He is depicted as an elegant man with the head and wings of a blackbird.

Chagrin
(or Cagrino). An evil spirit believed in by European gypsies. It was said to have the form of a hedgehog, yellow in colour, about a foot and a half in length and a span in breadth. Heinrich von Wlislocki stated: "I am certain, that this creature is none other than the equally demoniac being called Harginn, still believed in by the inhabitants of Northwestern India. Horses were the special prey of the Chagrin, who rode them into a state of exhaustion, like the Guecubu of Chile." The next day they appear sick and weary, with tangled manes and bathed in sweat. When this is observed they are tethered to a stake which has been rubbed with garlic juice, then a red thread is laid on the ground in the form of a cross, or else some of the hair of the animal is mixed with salt, meal and the blood of a bat and cooked to bread, with which the hoof of the horse is smeared. The empty vessel which contained the mixture is put in the trunk of a high tree while these words are uttered:

"Tarry, pipkin, in this tree,
Till such time as full ye be."

Charun
The Etruscan demon of death who torments the souls of the deceased in the underworld. He also guards the entrance to the underworld. He is similar to the Greek Charon. Charun is portrayed with the nose of a vulture, pointed ears and is usually winged. His attribute is the hammer, with which he finished off his victims.

Chemosh
A Moabite demon.

Chevaliers de l'Enfer
These demons are more powerful than those of no rank, but less powerful than titled demons. They may be evoked from dawn to sunrise and from sunset to dark.

Chiton
A Burmese demon.

Cimeries
A powerful marquis, he appears like a valiant soldier on a black horse. He rules the spirits in the parts of Africa; he teaches grammar, logic, and rhetoric, discovers hidden treasures and things lost and hidden; he can make a man appear like a soldier of his own kind.

Ciupipiltin
Vampire demons of ancient Mexico.

Clisthert
A demon said to be able to change day to night and night to day.

D

Daevas
The Daevas were a class of demons in Zoroastrianism. They were the spirits that chose to follow Angra Mainya. The Gathas mentions three daevas, Aka Manah, Druj, and Aeshma. Aka Manah ('Evil Mind') was created by Angra Mainya to oppose Vohu Manah ('Good Mind.') He is second in command, next to his father, Angra Mainya, in the host of demons. Aka Manah was said to have supported the demon Buiti when he attacked Zarathustra. In the final conflict of this present cycle, he will be overcome by Vohu Manah, and Angra Mainya will become powerless and flee away. Druj ('liar' or 'deceiver') is the female personification of wickedness, and who is the great opponent of Asha.

She appears in both the Gothic and in the later period. In the later period, the idea is pluralized, and the Druj becomes the embodiment of the Evil Spirit through whom Ahriman works. In later Avestan texts, the term refers to a class of female demons, and the name is also applied to later demons or even wicked people. The demon Buiti is called a Druj. In the Vendidad, uncleanness of body is also personified as Druj Nasu and is said to spread corruption in the world. Druj Nasu dwells in the mountain, Aresura, in the northern region. As soon as a soul leaves a body, she flies down from the mountain in the shape of a fly, and seizes the corpse. This demon can be driven away by specific holy spells, or the gaze of 'a yellow dog with four eyes, or the white dog with yellow ears.' (Vend. viii.16-18) Aeshma is known as the 'fiend of the wounding spear,' (Yasht xi.15) and is the demon of wrath and fury. Sraosha is his greatest opponent.

According to Darmesteter, he was originally the leader of the Dryvants, or 'storm-fiends,' but was later converted into the principle of 'the demon of rage and anger,' and became an expression for all moral wickedness. It is thought that Aeshma became Asmodeus ('the evil demon') in the Book of Tobit. Azi Dahaka ('fiendish snake') is conceived of as partly demonic and partly human. He was probably originally the 'snake' of the storm-cloud who was a counterpart of the Vedic Ahi or Vrita. In the Yasht, he is described as struggling for the Hvareno, or Kingly Glory, against Atar (Fire). In the Shah Namah, he appears as a man with two snakes springing from his shoulders. These snakes were have said to have grown from a kiss bestowed by Ahriman. At the renovation, Azi Dahaka will be put in chains on Mount Demavand; but in the end, he will break loose from the bonds and return to disturb creation.

Dahaka
An ancient Persian god of death and demon of deceit and mendacity. He loves destroying life. Dahaka is usually depicted with three heads, while scorpions and lizards crawl all over his body.

Daityas
The Daityas were a race of giants and demons, descendants of Diiti by Kasyapa, who were gods involved with the creation of the world, according to Hindu mythology. The Danavas were a very similar race of demons, associated so closely with the Daityas that for all practical reasons they have become indistinguishable. During the Krita Yuga, that is the first age of the cosmos, these demons had become so powerful, and were so well armed, that the gods could no longer defeat them. With the enormous dragon-serpent, Vritra, on their side acting as their commander-in-chief, the Daityas battled against the gods and overcame them. The gods, horrified at being homeless and scattered all over the universe, knew that the only way to regain their celestial territory was to kill Vritra.

In anguish and desperation they turned to Brahma, the Supreme Being, for advice. He told them that the only way to conquer the Daityas was to obtain a 'demon-slaying weapon' from the sage Rishi. When the gods approached Rishi, the sage said: 'O ye gods, I will renounce my body for your benefit' and out of Rishi's bones the gods built a weapon called Vajra. Carrying this new weapon, Indra lead the gods into battle, and soon they came face to face with the serpent Vritra, surrounded by hordes of titanic demons.

A mighty battle ensued, the gods finally slayed Vritra, and the terrorized Daityas were chased down into the depths of the ocean where Varuna, king of the sea, was given the task of keeping a watchful eye on them. They were condemned to live in the watery kingdom of Patala, side by side with the serpent-demons, the Nagas. There, according to the Mahabharata the great epic poem of the Hindus, the Daityas are to remain massed together, forever plotting their revenge on the gods. During that first age the gods made a temporary peace with the Daityas. They needed the demons' co-operation in churning the ocean, so as to eventually bring up everything solid out of the water, especially the cup containing the sacred potion Amrita, which bestowed immortality on all who tasted it. The gods wrenched a large mountain from the earth and threw it into the ocean.

They asked the gigantic snake, Vasuki, to twine around the mountain and act as a churning cord. The gods were to pull one side of the serpent, while the demons were to pull the other. Just as everybody was ready to begin the labour, the Daityas who were at the tail end of the snake, refused to help. They considered that part of the snake's body as ignoble. The gods, grumbling, gave in to their demands and after some difficulty, the task was accomplished. Another incident in which the demons, who once again had obtained temporary ascendancy over the gods but were in the end outsmarted, is the story of Bali, one of the most dreaded titans, and of his pact with Vishnu, the Heavenly Father.

During Treta Yuga, the second age of the cosmos, after the demon hordes regained control over the universe, Vishnu set out to remedy this situation. He appeared in Patala, disguised as a dwarf, acting as if in quest of a place to live. He approached Bali, a leader among demons, and asked him if he could have as much territory as he could cover in three paces. Smirking, Bali consented to the dwarf's desire, at which point Vishnu transformed himself into a giant whose three steps covered the ocean, the earth and the heavens. Because a demon was bound to his word as much as a god was, the gods once more won back the universe from the forces of evil. The Daityas were renowned for their refusal to offer sacrifices to the gods, and for their habit of interfering with everybody who did so. This characteristic earned them the name of Kratu-dvishas, 'enemies of sacrifices.'

The Bhagavad-Gita related the following incident as an example illustrating this habit, which was in ancient times considered one of the most heinous crimes. A renowned Daitya, Hiranya-Kasipu, desired to be worshipped as a god. He tried to prevent his own son from making sacrifices to Vishnu, but the son refused to comply with his father's wish, saying that: "worship was due only to Hari, the omniscient and omnipresent god." The enraged Hiranya-Kasipu struck a pillar saying: "Let him come forth from this pillar if he is everywhere!" Hari promptly appeared in the form of a half-man and half-lion with eyes ablaze, and "red as gold burnished in the fire, his face whose size was increased by a thick and bristling mane...Like a snake seizing a rat, Hari seized his adversary...and, laying him back over his thigh, as if it were child's play, with his nails he tore the skin that thunderbolts could not pierce...Shooting out looks of insupportable fury, licking the corners of his wide mouth with his tongue...Hari shaking his mane dripping with blood, made a garland for himself with his enemy's entrails."

Dalhan
A demon riding an ostrich in the desert. It devours travellers.

Dantalian
A mighty duke, appears in the form of a man with many faces of men and women, and has a book in his right hand. He teaches all arts and sciences, declares all secret counsels, for all human thoughts, and can change them at his will. He kindles love, and shows the similitude of any person in a vision, wheresoever they may be. A.k.a Dantalion.

Decarabia
A marquis, comes in the form of a star in a pentacle, but puts on the image of man at command. He discovers the virtues of herbs and precious stones, makes birds seem to fly before the exorcist, and remain with him as familiars, singing and eating like other birds.

Deumas
Devil worshipped by the inhabitants of Calicut in Malabar. He has a crown, four horns on his head, and four crooked teeth in his enormous mouth. He has a sharp, crooked nose, feet like a rooster, and holds in his claws a soul he is about to devour.

Dev
In Persian mythology, a demon of enormous power, a ruthless and immoral god of war.

Druj
An ancient Iranian female demon, the representation of the lie. Together with horny men she causes much evil. She is the eternal opponent of Asha Vahishta. Also Drug or Drauga.

E

Eblis
The "Satan" of the Mohammedans. It was said that he was an inmate of Azaze, the heaven nearest God, and when the angels were commanded to bow down before the first man, Eblis was the chief of those who rebelled. They were cast out of Azaze, and Eblis and his followers were sentenced to suffer in hell for a long time. It is supposed that he was composed of the elements of fire, and that he succeeded the peris (fairy-like nature spirits) in the government of the world. Also called Iblis.

Egestes
The Roman personification of poverty. Virgil mentioned her later as a demon in the underworld.

Eligor
A great duke, appearing as a goodly knight carrying a lance, pennant and sceptre. He discovers hidden things, causes war, marshalls armies, kindles love and lust.

Eurynome
Demon belonging to a higher order, Prince of Death. He has enormous, long teeth, a hideous body covered with sores and fox-skin clothing.

Ewah
Ewah is a demon. The very sight of Ewah causes permanent irreversible insanity. The Ewah was destroyed by an Indian woman named Running Deer.

F

Fene
A Hungarian demon, and the opposite of Isten, the god of light. Fene is also the name of the place where demons roam.

Flauros
Grand General and Duke of Hell. He appears in the shape of a terrible leopard. When he assumes a human shape, he has a frightful face and blood-red eyes. He knows the past, present and future, but unless commanded into the triangle he will deceive the exorcist. He incites demons or spirits against his enemies the exorcists, and he commands twenty legions. He converses gladly of divinity and the creation of the world, as also of the fall of spirits, his own included.

Fleuretty
A lieutenant general of the infernal armies.

Focalor
A strong duke, appears in the form of a man with the wings of a griffin. He drowns men, sinks warships, and has power over the winds and the sea, but he will not hurt any one if commanded to forbear by the exorcist. He hopes to return to the Seventh Thrones in 1050 years.

Fomors
The Fomors were an ancient tribe of Celtic sub-aquatic monsters. Their ancestry and lifestyle have been described in detail in books that date as far back as the eleventh century. One such book is The Book of the Dun Cow, written about the year one thousand and ninety, and it contains a section entitled the History of Monsters or the Fomorians and Dwarfs. There the Fomors are said to be the offspring of Noah's son, Ham, and are depicted as 'men with goat's heads.' Other legends say that they were born before all other gods, and were children of Chaos and Old Night. Their name means the 'dark of the sea,' and they were thought to encompass the antithesis of all that is good in the world. They lived mainly on an underwater island, known as Lochlan. From there they issued forth, terrorizing the coast of Donegal with their titanic appearance. Each Fomor looked different from the others, although they were in general of gigantic stature and had deformed limbs. One of these weird beasts had 'one hand out of his chest, one leg out of his haunch, and one eye in the front of his face.' Some were covered with a thick layer of metallic feathers, while others had three animal heads. The most cruel and treacherous of the Fomors was one named Balor of the Evil Eye, who, though he had two eyes, kept one perpetually shut. Balor had once by accident peered through the window of a sorcerer's house in which a cauldron of poisonous brew was bubbling over the fire. The smoke of the concoction had blown into one of his eyes, and from then on, one glance from that eye could kill anybody instantly.

Foras
Grand President and Knight of Hell, commander of twenty-nine legions. He knows the properties of herbs and precious stones. He teaches logic, esthetics, chiromancy, pyromancy and rhetoric. He can make a man invisible, inventive and adept in the use of words. He can locate lost objects and find hidden treasure. He is depicted as an old man with white hair and a long white beard.

Forau
One of the demons who serves Sargatanas, a brigadier general of the infernal legions.

Forneus
A great marquis, appears as a sea-monster. He teaches all arts and sciences, gives a good reputation and the knowledge of tongues, and causes men to be loved by their enemies even as by their friends.

Fujin
The Japanese god of the wind and one of the eldest Shinto gods. He was present at the creation of the world and when he first let the winds out of his bag, they cleared the morning mists and filled the space between heaven and earth so the sun shone. He is portrayed as a terrifying dark demon wearing a leopard skin, carrying a large bag of winds on his shoulders.

Furcas
A great duke, appears in the form of a cruel old man, with a long beard and hoary hair. He is settled on a pale horse, and has a sharp spear in his hand. He teaches philosophy, rhetoric, astronomy, logic, chiromancy, and pyromancy, perfectly in all their parts.He has twenty legions at his command.

Furfur
A great earl, appears in the form of a hart with a fiery tail, and will not speak until compelled within the triangle. He then assumes the form of an angel, speaking with a hoarse voice. He causes love between man and wife, raises thunder, lightning, and great winds, gives true answers about secret and divine things. He is the commander of twenty-six legions.

G

Gaap
A great president and prince, appears when the sun is in the southern signs, coming in a human shape, and preceded by four powerful kings. He teaches philosophy and the liberal sciences, excites love and hatred, makes men insensible, gives instruction in the consecration of things which belong to the divination of Amaymon, his king, delivers familiars out of the custody of Magicians, gives true answers as to past, present and future, transports men speedily from place to place at the will of the exorcist. According to Weyer, he will speak outside the triangle, but what he says will be false.

Galla
From Kur, the Sumerian underworld, came seven demons called Galla. They were the attendants and messengers of Ereshkigal, the goddess of death and gloom, who sat naked on a throne in her dark lapis lazuli palace, surrounded by seven great walls. The central rule of the Sumerian hell stated that no one, neither a mortal nor a god, who entered her dark domain, could ever leave Kur again. To this the Galla were an exception, for they could roam the world to relentlessly terrorize men and haul them back to the dark abode. Gods and humans alike, on earth or in hell, needed food and drink. But not the Galla who, to quote an ancient Sumerian poem:

'Touched no food,
Drank no water,
Did not taste the sprinkled flour,
Did not know the sacred wine.
No bribe mollified the Galla,
Nor did they satisfy a woman's body
But hated children
And tore them from their parents' lap.'
The goddess, Innana, having failed in her attempt to over throw her sister, Ereshkigal, who had imprisoned her in Kur, managed to escape from the underworld. But the seven Galla followed, threatening to drag her back if she could not find another deity to take her place. When Innana found the shepherd Dumuzi, her lover, celebrating instead of mourning her departure, she cast the eye of death on him. He was delivered into the demons' hands:
'The seven demons grip his thighs,
They bite and tear his face,
They slash at his body with an axe,
They turn his face into the face
Of agony.'

Gamygyn
A great marquis, appearing in the form of a small horse or ass, but afterwards in human shape. He speaks hoarsly teaching the liberal sciences, and giving news of souls who have died in sin. According to Weyer, he summons into the presence of the exorcist the souls of drowned men, and of those detained in Purgatory, called magickally Cartagra - that is, the affliction of souls. They assume an aerial body, are visible to sight, and reply to questions.

Ghaddar
A demon (possible female) in the deserts of the Red Sea countries. It catches travelers and tortures them by devouring their genitals.

Ghul
In Muslim folklore, the ghoul is a female demon of the desert that is able to assume the shape of an animal. It is an evil spirit that robs graves and feeds on the flesh of the dead. They also lure travelers into the desert, sometimes beguiling them by prostituting themselves, and then devouring them.

Goap
Prince of the western region of Hell.

Gomory
A powerful duke, appears like a beautiful woman, wearing a ducal crown. He discovers past, present, and future, as also the whereabouts of hidden treasures; he procures the love of women, and especially of girls.

Gong Gong </