Bathin

Bathin is a demon listed as the eighteenth spirit in the Ars Goetia, the first section of the 17th-century grimoire The Lesser Key of Solomon, where he is depicted as a mighty and strong duke commanding thirty legions of lesser spirits.^[1]^[2] He appears in the form of a robust man with the tail of a serpent, seated upon a pale-colored horse.^[1]^[2] Bathin's primary attributes center on practical knowledge and supernatural transport: he possesses expertise in the virtues and properties of herbs and precious stones, making him a figure invoked in occult traditions for medicinal or alchemical purposes.^[1]^[2] Additionally, he can instantaneously carry people from one country to another, a power that underscores themes of swift travel and boundary-crossing in demonological lore.^[1]^[2] The description of Bathin derives from manuscript traditions, including the Sloane MS 2731, an early 17th-century English compilation that preserves one of the oldest extant versions of the Goetia.^[2] Variations in later editions, such as S.L. MacGregor Mathers' 1904 translation, maintain core elements while standardizing the text for modern occult study.^[1] As part of the seventy-two demons attributed to King Solomon's legendary control, Bathin exemplifies the Ars Goetia's blend of infernal hierarchy, esoteric wisdom, and ritual evocation.^[2]^[1]

Overview

Introduction

Bathin is the eighteenth spirit among the seventy-two demons cataloged in the Ars Goetia, the first book of the seventeenth-century grimoire The Lesser Key of Solomon, which details entities purportedly bound and commanded by the biblical King Solomon.^[3] This text positions Bathin within a hierarchical system of infernal beings, emphasizing their roles in occult practices of the period.^[4] Classified as a great duke of Hell, Bathin commands thirty legions of spirits according to both The Lesser Key of Solomon and Johann Weyer's Pseudomonarchia Daemonum (1577), though some variants, such as the Livre des Esperitz, attribute thirty-seven legions to a corresponding figure named Machin.^[3]^[4] His name has been given a Hebrew form as באתין in some sources, though its etymology remains unclear.^[5] Bathin emerged in the context of sixteenth- and seventeenth-century European demonology, a period marked by the Renaissance occult revival that synthesized classical, kabbalistic, and medieval traditions amid intellectual ferment and religious upheaval. He appears as a strong man with a serpent's tail upon a pale horse, possessing knowledge of herbs and stones alongside the ability to transport individuals rapidly.^[3]

Role in the Ars Goetia

Bathin holds the position of the eighteenth spirit in the catalog of 72 demons described in the Ars Goetia, positioned sequentially after Valefor and before Saleos.^[2] Within the hierarchical structure of Solomonic demonology, he serves as a duke, a rank denoting mid-level authority subordinate to the four cardinal kings—Amaymon, Corson, Ziminiar, and Gaap—who oversee the infernal legions.^[2] This arrangement integrates Bathin into the broader framework of Goetic evocation, where demons are organized under these kings aligned with the cardinal directions, with some traditional arrangements placing certain dukes, including Bathin, under the southern king Gaap.^[2] As a duke, Bathin commands 30 legions of spirits, as detailed in the Mathers and Crowley edition of the Ars Goetia.^[2] This number aligns with Johann Weyer's earlier Pseudomonarchia Daemonum, which describes him as a great duke ruling the same number of legions, emphasizing consistency across key sources in the Goetic tradition.^[4] A variant appears in the 15th- or 16th-century French grimoire Livre des Esperitz, where he is named Machin and commands 37 legions, reflecting minor divergences in medieval demonological catalogs.^[6] In the practice of Solomonic magic, Bathin's role centers on evocation for utilitarian and instructional purposes, providing knowledge of herbal virtues and facilitating rapid transportation across distances, rather than engaging in malevolent or destructive acts that characterize spirits like Astaroth or Belial.^[2] This functional emphasis positions him as a spirit of practical utility within the Ars Goetia, aiding magicians in acquiring specialized, non-harmful insights. Later astrological interpretations of Goetic ranks have linked dukes like Bathin to planetary influences such as Jupiter, symbolizing expansion and wisdom, or Saturn, evoking structure and hidden knowledge, though primary texts do not specify such attributions.^[2]

Attributes

Appearance

Bathin is traditionally depicted in demonological texts as a strong man with the tail of a serpent and hands burning like fire, seated upon a pale horse. This form emphasizes his imposing physical presence combined with serpentine features, as described in the Ars Goetia section of The Lesser Key of Solomon.^[7] The pale horse beneath him evokes themes of death or transition, while the serpent tail represents wisdom or forbidden knowledge, highlighting a duality of brute force and subtle intellect.^[8]^[9] The sigil of Bathin, essential for his evocation in rituals, is a complex geometric design composed of intersecting lines, loops, and circles, forming a distinctive emblem that binds the spirit during conjuration. Historical illustrations of this seal appear in the 1904 edition translated by S. L. MacGregor Mathers, where it is presented as Figure 18 for use by the exorcist.^[7] This symbol encapsulates Bathin's infernal essence and is typically inscribed on a plate or worn as a lamen to facilitate communication.^[10]

Powers and Abilities

Bathin possesses extensive expertise in the virtues of herbs and precious stones, providing detailed insights into their properties for applications in medicine, alchemy, and magic, such as identifying healing remedies or elements suitable for enchantments. This knowledge allows for the discernment of therapeutic effects, protective qualities, or transformative potentials inherent in natural substances, making him a valuable spirit for those seeking practical guidance in herbalism and gemmology.^[1]^[4] A hallmark of Bathin's abilities is his power to instantaneously transport individuals from one country or region to another, enabling swift and secure relocation without apparent physical or temporal constraints. This capability is described as reliable for crossing vast distances, often invoked for purposes of travel, evasion, or strategic movement, and is symbolically linked to his equestrian form for emphasizing speed and stability.^[1]^[4] As a great duke, Bathin commands thirty legions of subordinate spirits, which he can direct toward tasks aligned with his expertise, such as procuring rare herbs, verifying the authenticity of stones, or supporting transportation endeavors through collective infernal assistance. This hierarchical authority underscores his utility in evocations where coordinated spectral aid amplifies the effectiveness of his primary domains, rather than focusing on destructive or combative applications.^[1]^[4] In the context of Goetic demonology, Bathin's powers are accessed through precise ritual protocols, including the use of his seal as a lamen, to ensure compliance and mitigate risks of deception or uncontrolled manifestations common to infernal evocations. Unlike certain demons associated with curses or sterility, Bathin's attributes lean toward facilitative and informative roles, emphasizing utility over inherent malevolence when properly summoned.^[1]^[4]

Historical Sources

The Lesser Key of Solomon

The Lesser Key of Solomon, also known as the Lemegeton Clavicula Salomonis, is a grimoire compiled in the mid-17th century from earlier ritual magic materials dating back to at least the 14th century, with roots in Solomonic traditions influenced by Hebrew and Arabic sources that trace to ancient Chaldean and Greek translations.^[11] The text's Ars Goetia section, which describes Bathin, draws heavily from Johann Weyer's Pseudomonarchia Daemonum, first printed in 1577 as a catalog of demons, serving as a key precursor to the structured hierarchy of spirits in the Lemegeton.^[11] Within the Ars Goetia, Bathin appears as the eighteenth spirit, positioned among other dukes such as Agares (the second) and Valefor (the first), emphasizing recurring Goetic themes of esoteric knowledge—such as virtues of herbs and stones—and rapid mobility across distances in the infernal hierarchy of ranks and legions.^[1] The original description of Bathin in the Ars Goetia, from the 1904 English translation edited by S.L. MacGregor Mathers and Aleister Crowley, portrays him as "a Mighty and Strong Duke," followed by a detailed account: "The Eighteenth Spirit is Bathin. He is a Mighty and Strong Duke, and appeareth like a Strong Man with the tail of a Serpent, sitting upon a Pale-Coloured Horse. He knoweth the Virtues of Herbs and Precious Stones, and can transport men suddenly from one country to another. He ruleth over 30 Legions of Spirits. His Seal is this which is to be worn as aforesaid."^[1] This phrasing underscores Bathin's authoritative status as a duke commanding significant forces while highlighting his truthful revelations and practical abilities. Evocation instructions in the Lesser Key specify the use of Bathin's seal, to be worn by the magician during the ritual. Dukes like Bathin can be bound from sunrise to noon in clear weather, aligning with the duke's rank in the Goetic system.^[2] Bathin's core powers, as outlined, center on revealing hidden knowledge of natural substances and facilitating swift transportation and social influence.^[1]

Other Grimoires and Texts

In Johann Weyer's Pseudomonarchia Daemonum (1577), Bathin is referred to as "Bathym" (or "Mathim"), described as a great and strong duke who appears as a robust man with a serpent's tail, seated upon a pale horse.^[4] This text attributes to Bathym knowledge of the virtues of herbs and precious stones, the ability to transport individuals swiftly from one region to another, and command over thirty legions of spirits, closely mirroring later accounts while emphasizing regional conveyance over instantaneous global movement.^[4] Collin de Plancy's Dictionnaire Infernal (1818, with expanded editions through 1863) features an illustrated entry on Bathin, portraying him as a tall, strong duke with the form of a robust man bearing a serpent's tail, mounted on a livid pale horse.^[12] The description reiterates his expertise in herbs and precious stones and his power to rapidly transport people between countries, commanding thirty legions, but includes moralistic warnings added in later editions after de Plancy's conversion to Catholicism, cautioning readers on the deceptive nature of demonic pacts and their illusory promises.^[12] The Grand Grimoire (circa 1521, published 19th century) alludes briefly to Bathin (as "Bathim" or "Bathsin") without a full profile, listing him as a subordinate spirit under the lieutenant-general Fleurety in rituals involving infernal hierarchies.^[13] These references appear in contexts of evocation spells, where Bathim is capable of performing any labor desired during the night and causing hailstones in specified locations, though lacking detailed attributes or legions.^[13]

Variations

Name Variations

Bathin appears under several variant spellings in key demonological texts, reflecting inconsistencies in transcription across languages and eras. In Johann Weyer's Pseudomonarchia Daemonum (1577), the spirit is named Bathym (as the 10th spirit), with alternative forms such as Marthim or Mathim appearing in related manuscripts.^[4] Reginald Scot's The Discoverie of Witchcraft (1584) uses Bathin but notes it is sometimes called Mathim.^[14] Other variations include Bathsin, Bathim, and Machin, as documented in later editions and compilations of Goetic texts. These orthographic variations evolved from 16th-century Latin manuscripts, where scribal errors and regional pronunciations introduced shifts—such as the interchange of "y" and "i" or "th" and "t"—persisting into 19th-century printed editions. For instance, Jacques Collin de Plancy's Dictionnaire Infernal (1863 edition) employs Marthim, aligning with French phonetic conventions that softened intervocalic consonants. Such inconsistencies arose from hand-copied grimoires prone to misreadings of faded script or dialectical differences between Latin, English, and French sources. As a duke within the Ars Goetia hierarchy, these name forms underscore its consistent rank across sources, appearing as the 18th spirit in the Lesser Key of Solomon despite differing positions in precursor texts like Weyer's list of 69 spirits.

Depictions Across Sources

In non-primary texts, Bathin's visual depiction maintains core elements from the Ars Goetia—a strong man with a serpent's tail riding a pale horse—but exhibits subtle artistic shifts. In Jacques Collin de Plancy's Dictionnaire Infernal (1863 edition), the illustration portrays him in this equestrian form.^[15] Twentieth-century occult art further adapts these features, often rendering Bathin's serpentine tail as more integrated into a humanoid silhouette for dramatic effect, as seen in illustrations accompanying modern editions of goetic texts that blend traditional iconography with symbolic abstraction to highlight his dual nature as traveler and knower of natural virtues. Scholarly analyses in the 20th century, such as those in Joseph H. Peterson's critical edition of The Lesser Key of Solomon (2001), note the consistency of these traits across manuscripts.^[16]

Modern Interpretations

In Occult Practices

In contemporary esoteric traditions, Bathin is evoked through adaptations in Aleister Crowley's edition of the Goetia, which incorporates Thelemic principles and translates conjurations into Enochian to facilitate integration with modern magical systems like Thelema. These rituals leverage Bathin's traditional expertise in herbs and precious stones for practical applications, such as herbalism spells in chaos magic paradigms, where his sigil serves as a focal point for intention-setting and manifestation.^[17] Lon Milo DuQuette's annotations in The Illustrated Goetia provide guidance for 21st-century practitioners, framing evocations as psychological and alchemical explorations rather than literal summonings, often using simplified sigil meditation to access Bathin's insights on natural virtues.

In Popular Culture

Bathin, the eighteenth spirit of the Ars Goetia, has found representation primarily in video games inspired by demonology, where its attributes of swift transportation and knowledge of natural elements are often adapted into gameplay mechanics. In the Megami Tensei franchise, Bathin appears as a recruitable demon in Devil Children: Black/Red/White Book, classified under the Akuma race at level 27. It possesses skills that echo its Goetic lore, including Traport, which allows teleportation to map entrances, symbolizing instant travel, and Mazan, a multi-target wood-element attack akin to poison infliction tied to its serpentine depiction. Other abilities like Life Drain for HP/MP recovery and Magnus for earth-based damage further emphasize its dominion over herbs and stones.^[18] Bathin features as a boss in Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night, encountered in the Underground Sorcery Lab, where it employs high-speed dashes exceeding sound barriers and teleportation to evade attacks while firing reflector rays and homing projectiles. This design highlights its pale horse-riding speed and evasive prowess from demonological texts. It reprises this role in the prequel Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon, maintaining its agile, demonic combat style.^[19]^[20] In Shadow Hearts: Covenant, Bathin manifests as the Bathin Crest, one of 72 magical artifacts drawn from the *Lesser Key of Solomon*. Equippable by characters, it enables fusion spells invoking Goetic powers, such as healing or edge enhancements, aligning with Bathin's herbal wisdom without direct summoning.^[21]