Goetia

(Revision as of 14:19, 20 Oct 2004)

In occultism and demonology, Goetia (from the Greek 'goeteia' meaning witchcraft) is the art of evoking demons or other spirits and obliging them to do the conjurer's will, without falling under their power.

The Ars Goetia, first part of The Lesser Key of Solomon, is a good example of treatise on this subject, but it was already known and explained in earlier times, in the Key of Solomon and other mediaeval grimoires.

The book, "The Goetia - The Lesser Key of Solomon the King (Clavicula Salomonis Regis)" was translated by Samuel Liddell MacGregor Mathers, with an introduction by Aleister Crowley. It includes the Bornless Ritual, the seals of the spirits, their physical descriptions and actions. There are drawings done by Crowley for some of them.

Many of the so-called demons have their roots in earlier pagan Gods from the Sumerian and Mesopotamian pantheons, among others. There is also evidence that the texts were highly influenced by Islamic Alchemy, although the main structure is firmly rooted in Kabbalah.

References

• Wikipedia (2004). Goetia (http://www.wikipedia.org/Goetia). Retrieved Oct. 19, 2004.