Solomonic Cycle Magic Collection

72 Spirits from Weyer and

The Goetia of Solomon the King

These spirits are arranged much as they appear in the works of Johann Weyer original: "Weyer"; a 16th-century physician and occultist, including the spirit Pruslas, who was mistakenly omitted from the works of Reginald Scot and the Goetia. Astaroth has been promoted from the list of seventy-two princes to the rank of Chief, as seen in the Grimorium Verum original: "Verum"; a 18th-century handbook of magic and other sources; additionally, the extra spirits from The Goetia of Solomon have been included.

The names of the Four Kings, along with the elements and directions assigned to them, are taken from the writings of Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa. Not only was Agrippa the mentor of Weyer, but his system also provides the most consistent and trustworthy correspondences, even though they do not fully explain every variation found in Goetic literature term: "Goetic literature"; texts concerning the invocation of demons or spirits.

Some of the difficulties in reconciling these various grimoires term: "grimoires"; textbooks of magic can likely be explained by the widespread use of two different systems of classification: the Zodiacal system provided here, and a more physical classification "to the four winds." In this alternative system, East is associated with Air, South with Fire, West with Water, and North with Earth. Thus, for example, in Weyer’s text, the spirit Paimon is said to be "obedient unto Lucifer," which matches this table, while the reference to his association with the North is consistent with the alternative system of assigning elements to directions.