The Lesser Key of Solomon
The Lesser Key of Solomon, also known as the Lemegeton Clavicula Salomonis or Clavicula Salomonis Regis, is an anonymously authored 17th-century grimoire focused on the ritual evocation of demons, angels, and other spirits, pseudepigraphically attributed to the biblical King Solomon.[1][2] Compiled from earlier medieval and Renaissance sources dating back to the 14th century or older, the text draws on influences such as Johann Weyer's Pseudomonarchia Daemonum (1577) and Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa's works on occult philosophy, forming a handbook of ceremonial magic within the Western esoteric tradition.[1][2] The term "Lesser Key of Solomon" was coined in the 19th century by occultist A.E. Waite to distinguish it from the related Greater Key of Solomon (Clavicula Salomonis), though earlier manuscripts refer to it simply as the "little key of Solomon."[1] An English translation of its fifth book, Ars Notoria, appeared in 1657 by Robert Turner, based on a Latin manuscript from around 1607. The full grimoire was first published in English in 1904, edited by S.L. MacGregor Mathers with Aleister Crowley. Surviving manuscripts are preserved in collections like the British Library's Sloane and Harley collections.[2][1] The grimoire is structured into five distinct books, each addressing different categories of spirits and magical operations, emphasizing elaborate rituals, protective circles, sigils, and incantations to command supernatural entities.[1] The first book, Goetia, catalogs 72 demons with their ranks, appearances, powers, and seals for invocation, serving as a primary text in demonology.[1] The second, Theurgia-Goetia, describes 31 aerial spirits that are mixed in nature, both benevolent and malevolent, associated with the cardinal directions.[1] The third, Ars Paulina, details angels governing the 360 degrees of the zodiac and the 24 hours of the day, linked to planetary influences.[1] The fourth, Ars Almadel, outlines methods to contact 20 chief spirits through a wax altar called the Almadel, divided into four altitudes corresponding to the elements.[1] The fifth book, Ars Notoria, consists of orations, prayers, and notae (mystical figures) in Hebrew, Greek, and Latin to invoke angels for acquiring knowledge, enhancing memory, and mastering sciences; it is the oldest part, dating to the 13th century, though absent from some manuscripts and may derive from an independent medieval tradition.[2][1] As a foundational work in Solomonic magic, The Lesser Key of Solomon has profoundly influenced Western occultism, inspiring later editions such as Samuel Liddell Mathers and Aleister Crowley's 1904 publication and modern adaptations in ceremonial practices, while reflecting Christian demonological hierarchies blended with Kabbalistic and astrological elements.[1]Historical Background
Origins and Pseudepigraphy
The legends of King Solomon's magical prowess originate in biblical accounts of his unparalleled wisdom, which later traditions expanded to include dominion over supernatural forces. In the Hebrew Bible, Solomon is described as possessing wisdom granted by God, encompassing knowledge of nature and the ability to adjudicate disputes (1 Kings 4:29–34). Apocryphal texts further elaborate this into explicit magical control, particularly over demons, as seen in the pseudepigraphal Testament of Solomon, a Greek composite work likely composed between the 1st and 5th centuries CE. This text portrays Solomon receiving a divine ring engraved with a pentagram—the Seal of Solomon—from the archangel Michael, enabling him to summon, interrogate, and bind demons to labor on the Temple in Jerusalem.[3][4] These Solomonic motifs developed extensively in medieval pseudepigrapha across Jewish, Christian, and Islamic traditions, attributing grimoires to Solomon to lend authority to magical practices. In Jewish lore, the Babylonian Talmud (Gittin 68a–b) recounts Solomon capturing the demon Ashmedai (Asmodeus) using a chain inscribed with the divine name, compelling it to reveal secrets and aid in Temple construction, reflecting a blend of wisdom and sorcery. Christian traditions, influenced by Josephus (Antiquities 8.2.5) and early Church Fathers like Origen, positioned Solomon as a prototype exorcist whose powers prefigured Christ's, integrating these elements into Latin grimoires by the 13th–15th centuries. Islamic sources, drawing from the Quran (27:15–44; 34:12–13), depict Prophet Sulayman commanding jinn through God's permission, a narrative echoed in medieval Arabic magical texts like the Picatrix, which adapted Solomonic seals for spirit binding. This cross-cultural pseudepigraphy framed Solomon as a universal master of the occult, with motifs like the Seal serving as talismans to constrain spirits.[5][6] The Lesser Key of Solomon (Lemegeton) exemplifies this pseudepigraphal tradition, falsely attributed to Solomon despite being a 17th-century compilation of disparate medieval materials rather than an ancient unified work. Manuscripts such as British Library Sloane 2731 (dated 1687) and Sloane 3648 (ca. 1655) indicate its assembly around 1641, incorporating elements from earlier sources like the 13th-century Liber Iuratus Honorii, Johann Weyer's Pseudomonarchia Daemonum (1577), and the Ars Notoria. The attribution to Solomon enhanced its perceived authenticity and efficacy, aligning with the era's Renaissance interest in ancient authorities, though no evidence links it directly to Solomonic times. The text's five books represent later accretions to the broader Solomonic legend, synthesizing rituals for evoking spirits under divine sanction.[1]Compilation in the Renaissance
The compilation of The Lesser Key of Solomon, also known as the Lemegeton Clavicula Salomonis, emerged during the Renaissance as a synthesis of medieval magical traditions, drawing on earlier grimoires that detailed demonic and angelic evocations. A key precursor was the Munich Manual of Demonic Magic (c. 1400–1500), a Latin manuscript focused on necromantic rituals and spirit conjurations, which contributed to the evolving demonological frameworks adopted in later Solomonic texts by providing structured methods for summoning infernal entities.[7] Similarly, the Heptameron, attributed to Peter de Abano (c. 1250–1316) but likely composed in the late 15th century, influenced the ritual elements of the Lesser Key, particularly in its prescriptions for planetary hours, angelic invocations, and protective circles, which appear adapted in sections like the Ars Goetia and Ars Paulina.[8] Renaissance occultists played a pivotal role in shaping the Goetia portion through cataloging and systematizing demon hierarchies. Johann Weyer, a Dutch physician and demonologist, published his Pseudomonarchia Daemonum in 1577 as an appendix to the expanded edition of De praestigiis daemonum, listing 69 demons with their ranks, powers, and sigils, which directly informed the Goetia's roster of 72 spirits; this list was further disseminated in English via Reginald Scot's 1584 The Discoverie of Witchcraft, bridging continental and English magical traditions.[9] Weyer's work, skeptical of witchcraft yet detailed in spirit lore, provided a pseudepigraphal framework attributing demonic control to King Solomon, unifying disparate sources under Solomonic authority.[1] The Lesser Key likely reached its cohesive form in the mid-17th century, after 1641, assembled by an anonymous English compiler who integrated these influences into a five-book structure, as indicated by a date embedded in the text.[1] This compilation occurred amid a surge in English occult interest, possibly connected to broader hermetic circles, though the author's identity remains unknown. Transmission occurred primarily through anonymous manuscripts in Latin, French, and English across the 16th and 17th centuries, including key exemplars like British Library Sloane MS 3825 (mid-17th century, English) and Sloane MS 2731 (1687, English), which preserved and varied the text prior to printed editions.[1] These manuscripts reflect iterative copying and adaptation, ensuring the grimoire's survival in occult networks despite ecclesiastical prohibitions.Ars Goetia
Terminology and Structure
The term goetia, derived from the ancient Greek goēteía meaning "sorcery" or "witchcraft," denotes the art of invoking and compelling demons, typically viewed as low magic involving earthly or infernal entities.[10] This contrasts sharply with theurgia, which refers to high or divine magic focused on communing with angels and celestial forces through ritual purity and invocation.[11] In the Ars Goetia, the first book of the Lesser Key of Solomon, goetia manifests as a system for summoning and binding 72 demons to the magician's will, emphasizing command over these spirits via divine names and protective rituals.[12] The Ars Goetia organizes its content around detailed entries for each of the 72 spirits, including their physical manifestations, abilities, subordinate legions, unique sigils (seals) for identification and control, and step-by-step evocation procedures that stress timing, purity, and obedience oaths.[12] These spirits are arrayed in a feudal-like hierarchy that underscores their ranked authority within the infernal order, with classifications such as kings, dukes, princes, marquises, earls, presidents, and knights; for instance, there are 9 kings, 26 dukes, 7 princes, 15 marquises, 14 earls, 8 presidents, and 1 knight. Note that some spirits hold multiple ranks, resulting in 73 rank assignments for 72 unique spirits.[13] This structure draws from earlier demonological traditions, positioning the spirits under overarching rulers like the four cardinal kings (e.g., Amaymon in the east).[1] Many spirits bear planetary associations that dictate optimal conjuration times and seal materials, aligning their influences with astrological rulerships such as the Sun for kings or Venus for certain dukes.[13] Seals for kings, for example, are crafted in gold under solar hours, while those for dukes use copper during Venusian periods, enhancing the ritual's efficacy through sympathetic magic.[13] Central to the Ars Goetia's terminology are the ritual implements ensuring the magician's safety and dominance. The magic circle, a nine-foot-diameter boundary etched with potent divine names like Adonai and Tetragrammaton, forms a consecrated space where the operator stands protected from the summoned spirit's malice.[13] Adjacent to it lies the triangle of art, a three-foot equilateral figure placed two feet away, serving as the constrained locus for the spirit's visible appearance and interrogation.[13] The Solomon's seal, depicted as a hexagram or lamen inscribed on virgin parchment with blood or worn as a ring, functions as a binding emblem invoking the biblical king's authority to enforce the spirit's compliance and prevent deception.[1]| Rank | Number | Example Planetary Association (Metal) |
|---|---|---|
| Kings | 9 | Sun (gold) |
| Dukes | 26 | Venus (copper) |
| Princes | 7 | Varies (e.g., Moon/Jupiter) |
| Marquises | 15 | Moon (silver) |
| Earls | 14 | Venus/Moon (copper + silver) |
| Presidents | 8 | Jupiter/Mercury (tin/mercury) |
| Knights | 1 | Saturn (lead) |
Sources and Demonology
The Ars Goetia, the first section of The Lesser Key of Solomon, draws heavily from Johann Weyer's Pseudomonarchia Daemonum (1577), an appendix to his De praestigiis daemonum that lists 69 demons with their attributes and conjurations, adapted and expanded in the Goetia to include 72 spirits along with their seals and more elaborate rituals.[9] This integration is evident in the shared demon names, ranks, and legions, though the Goetia incorporates unique elements like protective seals not found in Weyer's simpler catalog, which was itself influenced by earlier medieval demonological traditions.[12] While the Ars Theurgia-Goetia shows direct parallels with Johannes Trithemius's Steganographia (written around 1500, published 1606), including shared spirit hierarchies and seals, the Ars Goetia primarily builds on Weyer's work rather than Trithemius's, using the latter's angelic frameworks only indirectly for broader Solomonic evocation principles.[14] In its demonology, the Ars Goetia portrays the spirits as fallen angels who rebelled with Lucifer, the chief fallen spirit, and were subsequently bound by King Solomon's divine authority derived from God's names, such as Adonai and the Tetragrammaton, emphasizing their subjugation to heavenly order rather than inherent malevolence.[12] These demons, organized into a pseudo-hierarchical monarchy under four cardinal kings (Amaymon in the East, Corson in the West, Ziminiar in the North, and Gaap in the South), are compelled through Solomonic rings and seals that invoke divine constraint, reflecting a Christianized view where Lucifer's fall cascades to his subordinates, who retain prelapsarian knowledge but serve human commands under duress.[12] This framework aligns with Renaissance demonology, where spirits like Belial—described as created immediately after Lucifer—are not bargained with but dominated via sacred invocations to prevent deception or harm.[15] Evocation procedures in the Ars Goetia prioritize ritual precision to ensure safety and efficacy, requiring the operator to wear a lamen bearing the demon's seal over the heart while standing within a protective magic circle inscribed with divine names.[12] Incense, tailored to the spirit's nature—such as a mixture of alum, raisins, dates, cedar, and lignum aloes for the Secret Seal—creates a fumigatory barrier to manifest the demon visibly in a separate triangle without allowing escape or contact.[12] Timing is governed by planetary hours, with higher-ranking demons like kings evoked only between 9 a.m. and noon or 3 p.m. to sunset on specific days, aligning the ritual with astrological influences to amplify Solomonic binding power.[12] Unlike grimoires such as the Grimorium Verum (18th century), which often involve pacts or offerings to secure demonic cooperation, the Ars Goetia stresses coercive constraint through repeated conjurations and threats of angelic punishment, underscoring the operator's role as a divine vicar rather than a supplicant.[12] This approach, rooted in the Testament of Solomon tradition, avoids mutual agreements to mitigate risks of infernal trickery, focusing instead on the unyielding authority of sacred names to command obedience.[16]The Seventy-Two Demons
The Ars Goetia describes 72 demons organized into a strict hierarchy of ranks, including kings, dukes, princes, marquises, earls, presidents, and knights, each commanding a specific number of infernal legions and possessing unique powers related to knowledge, transformation, destruction, or illusion. These entities are often tied to cardinal directions or planetary influences, such as the east under Lucifer or the south under Amaymon, reflecting the grimoire's integration of astrological and directional cosmology. Each demon is evoked using a personal sigil, typically worn as a lamen on the chest during rituals to ensure obedience and accurate manifestation. The standard catalog derives from 17th-century manuscripts like British Library Sloane MS 3825, as edited and translated in the Mathers edition, though minor variations in appearances and legion counts appear in earlier sources like Johann Weyer's Pseudomonarchia Daemonum. Some spirits hold multiple ranks.[12]- Bael (King): Commands 66 legions; appears as a cat, toad, or man (sometimes with multiple heads); grants invisibility and teaches wisdom; associated with the east.[12]
- Agares (Duke): Commands 31 legions; old man on a crocodile with a goshawk; teaches languages, retrieves runaways, and causes earthquakes; east.[12]
- Vassago (Prince): Commands 26 legions; of good nature; declares past and future, finds lost things.[12]
- Samigina (Marquis): Commands 30 legions; small horse or ass (transforms to man); teaches liberal sciences and accounts for souls of the drowned.[12]
- Marbas (President): Commands 36 legions; great lion (transforms to man); reveals/discloses secrets, causes/cures diseases, teaches mechanics; east.[12]
- Valefor (Duke): Commands 10 legions; lion with an ass's head; serves as a familiar but tempts theft.[12]
- Amon (Marquis): Commands 40 legions; wolf with serpent tail, vomiting fire (transforms to man with raven head and dog feet); reconciles friends, reveals past/future; east.[12]
- Barbatos (Duke): Commands 30 legions; accompanied by four kings and trumpets; understands animals, reveals treasures and past/future; east.[12]
- Paimon (King): Commands 200 legions; manifests as a crowned man on a dromedary with a noisy entourage; imparts arts, sciences, and familiars; linked to the northwest.[12]
- Buer (President): Commands 50 legions; Sagittarius form with crown, on fiery wheel; teaches philosophy, herbs, logic; heals sorrows.[12]
- Gusion (Duke): Commands 40 legions; blue-winged baboon or man; discloses past, present, future, and dignities.[12]
- Sitri (Prince): Commands 60 legions; leopard-headed prince with gryphon wings, transforming to beautiful man; enflames men and women with desire.[12]
- Beleth (King): Commands 85 legions; rides a pale horse amid trumpets; provokes love and desire.[12]
- Leraje (Marquis): Commands 30 legions; archer in green tunic; causes battles, puts arrows in wounds to prevent healing.[12]
- Eligos (Duke): Commands 60 legions; handsome knight with lance, banner, and pyramid; predicts wars, causes love, and reveals secrets; east.[12]
- Zepar (Duke): Commands 26 legions; red-armored soldier; incites love or sterility in women.[12]
- Botis (President and Earl): Commands 60 legions; viper (transforms to man with great teeth/horns, sword); reconciles friends, reveals past/future.[12]
- Bathin (Duke): Commands 30 legions; strong man with serpent tail; knows herbs, precious stones, and transports swiftly.[12]
- Saleos (Duke): Commands 30 legions; crowned soldier on a crocodile; promotes love between men and women.[12]
- Purson (King): Commands 22 legions; appears as a man with a lion's face on a bear, carrying a viper; reveals treasures, past, and future.[12]
- Morax (President and Earl): Commands 36 legions; bull with man's face; teaches astronomy, herbs, provides familiars.[12]
- Ipos (Prince and Earl): Commands 36 legions; angel with lion head, goose feet, hare tail on angel wings; makes men witty, bold, and reveals past/future.[12]
- Aim (Duke): Commands 26 legions; man with three heads (serpent, man, calf) riding a viper, carrying fire; sets cities aflame and answers truly.[12]
- Naberius (Marquis): Commands 19 legions; black crane fluttering about and croaking; restores lost dignities, teaches arts and rhetoric.[12]
- Glasya-Labolas (President and Earl): Commands 36 legions; winged dog with gryphon wings; teaches arts/sciences, incites bloodshed, invisible.[12]
- Buné (Duke): Commands 30 legions; dragon with three heads (man, dog, griffon) belching fire; grants riches, wisdom, and eloquence.[12]
- Ronove (Marquis and Earl): Commands 19 legions; monstrous form; teaches rhetoric, languages, provides familiars.[12]
- Berith (Duke): Commands 26 legions; red soldier on red horse with gold crown; transmutes metals to gold and reveals past/future; south.[12]
- Astaroth (Duke): Commands 40 legions; foul angel on dragon with viper, holding breath; teaches sciences, reveals secrets and treasures; south.[12]
- Forneus (Marquis): Commands 29 legions; great sea monster; teaches rhetoric, languages, makes friends of foes.[12]
- Foras (President): Commands 29 legions; strong man; teaches logic, ethics, herbs, stones; makes invisible and long-lived; south.[12]
- Asmoday (King): Commands 72 legions; three-headed (bull, man, ram) on a dragon with a serpent tail; teaches liberal sciences, crafts, and treasure locations; under Amaymon (south).[12]
- Gaap (Prince and President): Commands 66 legions; guides four kings; teaches philosophy, incites love or hate, makes invisible, transports.[12]
- Furfur (Earl): Commands 26 legions; hart with fiery tail and hoarse voice (transforms to angel); causes love, thunder, teaches secrets.[12]
- Marchosias (Marquis): Commands 30 legions; winged wolf with serpent tail vomiting fire (transforms to man); fierce fighter.[12]
- Stolas (Prince): Commands 26 legions; appears as a raven or a crowned owl; teaches astronomy and the properties of herbs and precious stones.[12]
- Phenex (Marquis): Commands 20 legions; phoenix with child's voice; sings sweetly, teaches poetry and sciences.[12]
- Halphas (Earl): Commands 26 legions; dove with hoarse voice (transforms to man); builds towers, provides munitions/warriors.[12]
- Malphas (President): Commands 40 legions; crow (transforms to man with hoarse voice); builds houses/towers, reveals enemies' thoughts; south.[12]
- Raum (Earl): Commands 30 legions; crow (transforms to man); steals treasures, destroys cities, reconciles enemies; west.[12]
- Focalor (Duke): Commands 30 legions; man with gryphon wings; drowns men and ships, commands winds.[12]
- Vepar (Duke): Commands 29 legions; mermaid; governs waters, causes storms or deadly wounds like fish.[12]
- Sabnock (Marquis): Commands 50 legions; armed soldier with lion head on pale horse; builds towers, provides familiars, wounds putrefying.[12]
- Shax (Marquis): Commands 30 legions; stork voice (transforms to dove with hoarse voice); steals sight/hearing/money, finds birds.[12]
- Vine (King and Earl): Commands 36 legions; lion riding a black horse holding a viper; discovers secrets, witches, and builds structures.[12]
- Bifrons (Earl): Commands 6 legions; monster (transforms to man); teaches astrology, geometry, herbs, stones; moves corpses.[12]
- Vual (Duke): Commands 37 legions; dromedary speaking Egyptian; incites love, friendship, and reveals secrets; west.[12]
- Haagenti (President): Commands 33 legions; bull with gryphon wings (transforms to man); makes men wise, transmutes metals/liquids.[12]
- Crocell (Duke): Commands 48 legions; angel with dark illumination; teaches geometry, liberal sciences, and warm waters; creates illusion of rushing waters.[12]
- Furcas (Knight): Commands 20 legions; cruel old man with long beard on pale horse, sharp weapon; teaches philosophy, astrology, pyromancy, rhetoric.[12]
- Balam (King): Commands 40 legions; three-headed (bull, man, ram) on a bear with flaming eyes; confers invisibility and wit.[12]
- Allocer (Duke): Commands 36 legions; fire-colored soldier on horse with lion face; teaches astronomy and liberal sciences.[12]
- Caacrinolaas (President): Commands 30 legions; thrush (transforms to man with sharp sword); understands birds/frogs, gives true answers.[12]
- Murmur (Duke and Earl): Commands 30 legions; warrior on gryphon with ducal crown, preceded by trumpets; teaches philosophy and constrains souls.[12]
- Orobas (Prince): Commands 20 legions; horse (transforms to man); reveals past/future, dignities, and divine questions without lies.[12]
- Gremory (Duke): Commands 26 legions; beautiful woman with duchess crown on camel; reveals treasures, procures love, tells past/future.[12]
- Ose (President): Commands 3 legions; leopard (transforms to man); makes men cunning in sciences, induces madness/delusions.[12]
- Amy (President): Commands 36 legions; flaming fire (transforms to man); teaches astrology, liberal sciences, provides familiars.[12]
- Orias (Marquis): Commands 30 legions; lion riding horse with serpent tail; teaches stars, transforms men, gives dignities.[12]
- Vapula (Duke): Commands 36 legions; winged lion; teaches crafts, philosophy, and sciences.[12]
- Zagan (King and President): Commands 33 legions; bull with gryphon wings transforming to man; transmutes metals, waters, and fools into wise men.[12]
- Valac (President): Commands 30 legions; child with angel wings on two-headed dragon; reveals treasures, finds serpents.[12]
- Andras (Marquis): Commands 30 legions; angel with raven head on winged black wolf, sword; sows discord and kills enemies.[12]
- Flauros (Duke): Commands 36 legions; terrifying leopard or man with fiery eyes; destroys enemies, reveals past/future and divinity.[12]
- Andrealphus (Marquis): Commands 30 legions; noisy peacock (transforms to man); teaches geometry, astronomy, transforms to bird.[12]
- Cimeies (Marquis): Commands 20 legions; warrior on black horse; teaches grammar, logic, rhetoric, finds lost things and treasures.[12]
- Amdusias (Duke): Commands 29 legions; unicorn (transforms to man); causes music without instruments and bends trees.[12]
- Belial (King): Commands 80 legions (50 in some variants); two beautiful angels in a fiery chariot; distributes senatorships and familiars, but demands sacrifices.[12]
- Decarabia (Marquis): Commands 30 legions; appears as a pentagram-shaped star, then as a man; teaches the virtues of herbs and precious stones, and can change into any bird to reveal their properties.[12]
- Seere (Prince): Commands 26 legions; appears as a beautiful man riding a winged horse; teaches true answers about past, present, and future; enables swift transportation and finds hidden treasures.[12]
- Dantalion (Duke): Commands 36 legions; man with many faces carrying a book; teaches arts, reveals thoughts, causes visions.[12]
- Andromalius (Earl): Commands 36 legions; man holding great serpent; procures stolen goods, punishes thieves.[12]
Ars Theurgia-Goetia
Aerial Spirits and Directions
The aerial spirits described in the Ars Theurgia-Goetia occupy an intermediate realm between the infernal demons of the Ars Goetia and the celestial angels of higher theurgic traditions, manifesting as entities of the air that can be either benevolent or malevolent depending on their individual natures. These spirits are not wholly demonic but possess dual aspects, with some inclined toward good and others toward evil, and they are compelled to obey the divine order established by God. Unlike the chthonic evocations in the Ars Goetia, which focus on commanding malevolent demons, the Ars Theurgia-Goetia emphasizes invoking these aerial beings through structured hierarchies tied to spatial orientations. Details vary across manuscripts, reflecting the text's composite nature.[14] The system classifies 31 chief spirits, often titled emperors or kings, each presiding over subordinate hierarchies that include great dukes, lesser dukes, and vast numbers of ministering servants, typically ranging from dozens to thousands per chief. This hierarchical structure underscores their ranked obedience to divine will, with chiefs commanding hundreds to thousands of great dukes and other subordinates, though the total retinues can extend into trillions conceptually to represent their immense scope. For instance, a chief like Carnesiel oversees 1,000 great dukes, 100 lesser dukes, and approximately 50 trillion ministering spirits, illustrating the layered command typical of the aerial domain. These spirits' natures vary; some, such as those under Pamersiel, are noted for their evil dispositions and unreliability in certain tasks, while others prove more compliant and useful for specific operations like banishing darker entities.[14] Directional correspondences form the core of their organization, aligning the 31 chiefs with specific points on the compass to facilitate precise evocation based on geographical orientation. Four primary emperors rule the cardinal directions: Carnesiel governs the east, Caspiel the south, Amenadiel the west, and Demoriel the north, each with extensive hierarchies suited to their quadrants. Additional chiefs are assigned to intermediate angles, such as east-northeast or south-southwest, dividing the full 360 degrees into 31 sectors for comprehensive coverage of the aerial realm. Complementing these are 11 wandering princes, who traverse the air without fixed directional ties, such as Geradiel with his 18,150 servants, adding mobility to the otherwise spatially anchored system. This directional framework reflects the grimoire's cosmological view of spirits as bound to the world's geometric order.[14]Sigils and Evocation Methods
In the Ars Theurgia-Goetia, sigils serve as essential identifiers for invoking aerial spirits, consisting of unique seals designed for each chief duke and their subordinate servants. These seals, often drawn on virgin parchment or crafted from metals such as gold or silver during specific planetary alignments like the Sun in Aries, are worn as lamens on the practitioner's chest to ensure the spirit's obedience and proper manifestation.[](https://jamesparsonslakebucket.s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/text/Peterson_Joseph_H_The_Lesser_Key_of_Solomon.pdf) Additional seals are placed upon a Table of Practice or Table of Art within the ritual circle, tailored to the spirit's hierarchy and the designated time or hour to facilitate communication. [](https://jamesparsonslakebucket.s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/text/Peterson_Joseph_H_The_Lesser_Key_of_Solomon.pdf)
Evocation rituals in this section emphasize theurgic purity and divine invocation over coercive binding, beginning with the consecration of tools such as a crystal stone (approximately four inches in diameter), a silver ring, or a hazel wand. Consecration involves reciting Psalms, the Lord's Prayer, and divine orations over four days, accompanied by frankincense and clean garments to purify the space and operator. [](https://jamesparsonslakebucket.s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/text/Peterson_Joseph_H_The_Lesser_Key_of_Solomon.pdf) Prayers invoke sacred names including Adonai, Tetragrammaton, and Jehovah to summon spirits into the crystal or circle, as in the conjuration: "I Invocate and conjure you spirit N... by the name of yr king," promoting cooperation rather than domination. [](https://jamesparsonslakebucket.s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/text/Peterson_Joseph_H_The_Lesser_Key_of_Solomon.pdf) Directional altars align with cardinal points under overseeing kings—such as Carnesiel in the East or Caspiel in the South—to channel the spirits' aerial natures, with the operator facing the appropriate quarter during the rite. [](https://jamesparsonslakebucket.s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/text/Peterson_Joseph_H_The_Lesser_Key_of_Solomon.pdf)
Unlike the Ars Goetia, which focuses on infernal demons requiring strict constraints, the Ars Theurgia-Goetia deals with mixed aerial spirits (partly good and partly evil) through rituals that stress intellectual arts, angelic hierarchies, and voluntary obedience, reflecting a theurgic rather than goetic approach. [](https://jamesparsonslakebucket.s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/text/Peterson_Joseph_H_The_Lesser_Key_of_Solomon.pdf) Preparations demand rigorous discipline, including three to four days of fasting on bread and water, a minimum of nine days of chastity, and almsgiving, conducted in a private, airy location to attune to the spirits' mobile essences. [](https://jamesparsonslakebucket.s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/text/Peterson_Joseph_H_The_Lesser_Key_of_Solomon.pdf) Timing is governed by planetary hours—for instance, invoking certain dukes in the first two hours of the day—and favorable moon phases (ages 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, or 14 days), with fumigations like mastic, cedar, or lignum aloes burned according to the spirit's directional affinity to purify the air and invite manifestation. [](https://jamesparsonslakebucket.s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/text/Peterson_Joseph_H_The_Lesser_Key_of_Solomon.pdf)