Asmodeus

Asmodeus
Image of Asmodeus from the Dictionnaire Infernal by Louis Le Breton (1863 CE), based off of engravings by M. Jarrault.
Kings of Hell
Aliases	Asmoday
Ranking	Great King
Commander	72 Legions
General Information
Species	Demon
Form	Humaniod Hybrid (Bull, Ram, Human, Serpent, Goose)
Domain	Giving the Ring of Virtues, Arithmetic, Astronomy, Geometry, Handicrafts, Invincibility, Answering Questions, Finding Buried Treasure
Powers	Fire Breath Granting invisibility
Mount	Dragon

Asmodeus is a king of demons from Hebrew mythology. Not found in the Hebrew bible, he is mostly known from the deuterocanonical Book of Tobit, in which he is the primary antagonist. The demon is also mentioned in some Talmudic legends, such as in the story of the construction of the Temple of Solomon.

Asmodeus would later become a prominent figure in demonology and the occult as one of the seven princes of Hell. In Binsfeld's classification of demons, Asmodeus is the demon of lust and is therefore responsible for twisting people's sexual desires.

In the Lesser Key of Solomon he "is strong, powerful and appears with three heads; the first is like a bull, the second like a man, and the third like a ram; the tail of a serpent, and from his mouth issue flames of fire." Also, he sits upon an infernal dragon, holds a lance with a banner and, amongst the Legions of Amaymon, Asmoday governs seventy two legions of inferior spirits.

Etymology

The name "Asmodeus" in English is derived from the Latin name "Asmodæus," which in turn was derived from the Greek name " Asmodaîos," which in turn derived from the Hebrew name "Ashmeday," which in turn was derived from the Avestan "Aeshma-dæva."

The term "Aeshma" translates to English as "anger" and is itself derived from the Proto-Indo-European term "*eismo-," which through it's root (*eis-) is etymologically related to terms in English such as "ire."

The word "dæva" which is derived from the Proto-Indo-European "deiwos" meaning "god" and who's root "*dyeu-" means "to shine." Despite the origin of the term "dæva," it took on a negative connotation in Zoroastrian scripture, becoming synonymous with "demon," while maintaining it's positive connotation in other cultures.

Asmodeus in the Book of Tobit

The Book of Tobit was a religious text, in the form of a religious novel, that was written some time around the second century BCE. The book itself is named after the one of it's main characters, Tobit, who was a Northern Israelite living in exile in Nineveh, Assyria sometime around 722 or 721 BCE. This story was popular in both Jewish and early Christian communities, and is considered to be canon within Christian Orthodox and Catholic traditions, but non-canonical within Protestant traditions, thus making it a deuterocanonical text.

In the story, the wealthy and elderly Tobit is suffering from blindness and prays for death. At the same time, a young woman by the name of Sarah in the far-off land of Media (Northwestern Iran) is also praying for death because she'd been married seven times, with each of her husbands being killed by Asmodeus, the "King of Demons," on her wedding night.

As a result of God's intervention, Tobit remembers he has a large sum of money stored away in Media, and sends his son Tobiah to retrieve the money, with God sending the archangel Raphael to accompany Tobiah. While on his travels Tobiah reaches the Tigris River, where he's attacked by a large fish. Raphael orders Tobiah to kill the fish and harvest it's organs for use as medicine.

Later in the story, Tobiah meets Sarah and, with Raphael's insistence, marries her. On their wedding night Tobiah is attacked by Asmodeus, but following the instructions that were given to him by Raphael, he was able to use the fish's heart and liver to repulse Asmodeus, who retreated to upper Egypt, where he was captured and bound by Raphael. Afterwards Tobiah returns to Nineveh with both Sarah and his father's large sum of money, and uses the fish's gall to cure his father's blindness.

Asmodeus 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.

Asmodeus 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 Asmodeus from the Pseudomonarchia daemonum is as follows:

“

Asmoday, a great king, strong and mightie, he is seene with three heads, whereof the first is like a bull, the second like a man, the third like a ram, he hath a serpents taile, he belcheth flames out of his mouth, he hath feete like a goose, he sitteth on an infernall dragon, he carrieth a lance and a flag in his hand, he goeth before others, which are under the power of Amaymon. When the conjuror exerciseth this office, let him be abroad, let him be warie and standing on his feete; if his cap be on his head, he will cause all his dooings to be bewraied, which if he doo not, the exorcist shalbe deceived by Amaymon in everie thing. But so soone as he seeth him in the forme aforesaid, he shall call him by his name, saieng; Thou art Asmoday; he will not denie it, and by and by he boweth downe to the ground; he giveth the ring of vertues, he absolutelie teacheth geometrie, arythmetike, astronomie, and handicrafts. To all demands he answereth fullie and trulie, he maketh a man invisible, he sheweth the places where treasure lieth, and gardeth it, if it be among the legions of Amaymon, he hath under his power seventie two legions.

”

Asmodeus 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.

In 1904, the British occultist and founder of the religion of Thelema, Aleister Crowley, published a version of the Lesser Key of Solomon which was translated by another British occultist, Samuel Liddell MacGregor Mathers, and contained additional invocations added by Crowley. The Ars Goetia's passage on Asmodeus from the 1904 version is as follows:

“

The Thirty-second Spirit is Asmoday, or Asmodai. He is a Great King, Strong, and Powerful. He appeareth with Three Heads, whereof the first is like a Bull, the second like a Man, and the third like a Ram; he hath also the tail of a Serpent, and from his mouth issue Flames of Fire. His Feet are webbed like those of a Goose. He sitteth upon an Infernal Dragon, and beareth in his hand a Lance with a Banner. He is first and choicest under the Power of AMAYMON, he goeth before all other. When the Exorcist hath a mind to call him, let it be abroad, and let him stand on his feet all the time of action, with his Cap or Headdress off; for if it be on, AMAYMON will deceive him and call all his actions to be bewrayed. But as soon as the Exorcist seeth Asmoday in the shape aforesaid, he shall call him by his Name, saying: “Art thou Asmoday?” and he will not deny it, and by-and-by he will bow down unto the ground. He giveth the Ring of Virtues; he teacheth the Arts of Arithmetic, Astronomy, Geometry, and all handicrafts absolutely. He giveth true and full answers unto thy demands. He maketh one Invincible. He showeth the place where Treasures lie, and guardeth it. He, amongst the Legions of AMAYMON governeth 72 Legions of Spirits Inferior. His Seal is this which thou must wear as a Lamen upon thy breast, etc.

”

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Asmodeus 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 Asmodeus is as follows:

“

Asmodeus, destructive demon, the same as Samael, following some rabbis. He is superintendent of gambling houses. He sows dissipation and error. — The rabbis are satisfied that he once dethroned Solomon; but soon Solomon put irons on him, and compelled him to help him build the temple in Jerusalem. — Tobit, according to the same rabbis, having expelled him, with the smoke of the gall of a fish, from the body of the young Sara whom he possessed, the angel Raphael imprisoned him at the extremities of Egypt. Paul Lucas says he saw it on one of his trips. We had fun with him about it; however, we have been able to read in the Courrier de l'Egypte that the people of this country still adore the serpent Asmodeus, which there is a temple in the desert of Ryanneh. It is added that this snake is cut into pieces, and that a moment later it does not appear there. Voy. Haridi. This Asmodeus is, in the opinion of some, the ancient serpent who seduced Eve. The Jews, who call him Asmodai, made him the prince of demons, as seen in the Chaldaic paraphrase. It is in the underworld, in Wierus, a strong and powerful king, who has three heads: the first resembles that of a bull, the second like that of a man, the third like that of a ram. He has a serpent's tail, goose feet, and inflamed breath. He shows himself astride a dragon, carrying in his hand a dart and a spear. He is however submitted, by the infernal hierarchy, to King Amoymon. When you exorcise him, you have to be firm on your feet, and call him by his name. It gives starry rings; he teaches men to make themselves invisible and teaches them geometry, arithmetic, astronomy and the mechanical arts. He also knows treasures, which he can be forced to discover; seventy-two legions obey him. It is still called Chammadai and Sydonai. Asmodeus was one of the demons who possessed Madeleine Ravent. Le Sage made Asmodeus the hero of one of his novels (The Lame Devil).

”

Asmodeus in Islam

In Islamic lore, Asmodeus manages to take over the kingdom of King Solomon the Wise. Once Solomon was able to regain his kingdom, he banished Asmodeus into a rock and then threw the rock into the bottom of the sea. Because of this legend, Asmodeus is known as Sakhr (Arabic: صخر‎ "The Rock" or "The Stony One").

Gallery

Image gallery of Asmodeus