Ars Goetia - Definition and Overview

The Ars Goetia (Latin: "The Howling Art"), sometimes called The Goetia, is the first section of the 17th century grimoire Lemegeton Clavicula Salomonis, or The Lesser Key of Solomon. Much of the text appeared earlier, with some material dating to the 14th century or earlier.

It contains descriptions of the seventy-two demons that King Solomon is said to have evoked and confined in a bronze vessel sealed by magick symbols, and that he obliged to work for him. It gives instructions on constructing a similar bronze vessel, and using the proper magic formulae to safely call up those demons. The operation given is complex, and includes many details. The 'howling' of the title refers to the incantations made by the conjuror. The Ars Goetica differs from other goetic texts in that the entities summoned are to be compelled into obedience, rather than asked for favors.

The Ars Goetia assigns a rank and a title of nobility to each member of the infernal hierarchy, and gives the demons' 'personal signatures', or seals. The entities named include Semitic gods and demons, and those of several European pre-Christian religions, although many are obscure or invented, and no allusion is made to an explicitly female entity.

The lists of entities in the Ars Goetia correspond (to high but varying degree, often according to edition) with those in the Steganographia of Trithemius, circa 1500, and John Wier's De Praestigiis Daemonumand, of 1563.

A revised English edition of the Ars Goetia was published in 1904 by magician Aleister Crowley, and it serves as a key component of his popular and highly influential system of magick.

The demons' names (given below) are spelled differently in different extant copies of the Ars Goetia, as is common in texts of the period. Other spellings of the names are given in the articles concerning them.

1. Baal
2. Agares
3. Vassago
4. Gamigin
5. Marbas
6. Valefar
7. Aamon
8. Barbatos
9. Paimon
10. Buer
11. Gusion
12. Sitri
13. Beleth
14. Leraje
15. Eligos
16. Zepar
17. Botis
18. Bathin
19. Saleos
20. Purson
21. Morax
22. Ipos
23. Aim
24. Naberius
25. Glasya-Labolas
26. Bune
27. Ronove
28. Berith
29. Astaroth
30. Forneus
31. Foras
32. Asmodai
33. Gaap
34. Furfur
35. Marchosias
36. Stolas
37. Phenex
38. Malthus
39. Malphas
40. Raum
41. Focalor
42. Vepar
43. Sabnock
44. Shax
45. Vine
46. Bifrons
47. Vual
48. Haagenti
49. Procell
50. Furcas
51. Balam
52. Allocer
53. Caim
54. Murmur
55. Orobas
56. Gremory
57. Ose
58. Amy
59. Orias
60. Vapula
61. Zagan
62. Valac
63. Andras
64. Flauros
65. Andrealphus
66. Kimaris
67. Amdukias
68. Belial
69. Decarabia
70. Seir
71. Dantalion
72. Andromalius