Bael

In demonology, Bael, sometimes considered one and the same with Baal, is a king of hell that is considered to be the ruler of the east and commands 66 legions.

Overview
Bael comes in multiple forms: sometimes he takes the form of a cat, sometimes the form of a toad, sometimes the form of a man, or other times his form is a mixture of each. He has a rough-sounding, hoarse voice, and can teach people the ability to become invisible.

Etymology
Both the terms Bael and Baal derive from the term Ba'al, which was a title given to a multitude of pagan deities in the near east, which translates to English simply as "Lord." Most notably, this title often referred to the Canaanite deity Hadad, who was the chief rival of the Hebrew god Yahweh in the Old Testament.

Bael in Christian and Occult Demonologies
Throughout history multiple formalized classifications of demons have been proposed. None of them however are considered canon by modern mainstream Christian denominations. Instead, lists of formalized demonologies tend to remain popular in occult traditions.

Bael in the Pseudomonarchia Daemonum
The Pseudomonarchia daemonum, or False Monarchy of Demons, by the Dutch occultist Johann Weyer, was published as an appendix to his book titled De praestigiis daemonum, or On the Tricks of Demons, in 1577. The description of Bael from the Pseudomonarchia daemonum is as follows:


 * "Their first king (which is of the power of the east) is called Baëll who when he is conjured up, appeareth with three heads; the first, like a tode; the second, like a man; the third, like a cat. He speaketh with a hoarse voice, he maketh a man go invisible [and wise], he hath under his obedience and rule sixtie and six legions of divels."

Bael in the Lemegeton Clavicula Salomonis (Ars Goetia)
The Lemegeton Clavicula Salomonis or Lesser Key of Solomon is an anonymously written book of demonology that is believed to have been complied sometime during the 17th century CE. The work is divided into five books, the first of which, known as the Ars Goetia, lists seventy-two demons. The Ars Goetia is heavily based off of Johann Weyer's Pseudomonarchia daemonum. The Ars Goetia's passage on Bael is as follows:


 * "The First Principal Spirit is a King ruling in the East, called Bael. He maketh thee to go Invisible. He ruleth over 66 Legions of Infernal Spirits. He appeareth in divers shapes, sometimes like a Cat, sometimes like a Toad, and sometimes like a Man, and sometimes all these forms at once. He speaketh hoarsely. This is his character which is used to be worn as a Lamen before him who calleth him forth, or else he will not do thee homage."

Bael in the Dictionnaire Infernal
The Infernal Dictionary is a book of demonology written in 1818 by the French occultist Jacques Auguste Simon Collin de Plancy. The entry for Bael is as follows:


 * "Bael, demon cited in le Grand Grimoire, as the head of all infernal powers. It is also with him that Wierus begins the inventory of his famous Pseudomonarchia daemonum. He calls Bael the first king of hell; his estates are in the East. He is shown with three heads, of which one has the face of a toad, the other that of a man, the third that of a cat. His voice is raucous; but he is well formed. He repays those who invoke him with cunning and slyness and teaches them how to become invisible as needed. Sixty-six legions obey him. Is he the same as Baal?"

As seen in the quote above, de Plancy suggests that the demons Bael and Baal may be one and the same. The Dictionnaire Infernal also has a description of Baal, which goes as follows:


 * "Baal, grand duke whose domination is very extended to the underworld. Some demoniacs designate him as general-in-chief of the infernal armies. He was then worshiped by the Canaanites, Carthaginians, Chaldeans, Babylonians and Sidonians; it was also of the Israelites when they fell into idolatry. He was offered human victims. We see in Arnobius that his worshipers gave him no determined sex. Often in Asia it was taken for the sun."