Myth and Folklore Wiki

Myths and Folklore Wiki needs help being translated into other languages, if interested view here.

READ MORE

Myth and Folklore Wiki




Bifrons (also Bifrovs, Bifröus, Bifronze) is a demon, Count of Hell, with six legions of demons under his command. He appears as a monster, but then changes his shape into that of a man.

He teaches sciences and arts, the virtues of the gems and woods, herbs, and changes corpses from their original grave into other places, sometimes putting magick lights on the graves that seem candles.


Bifrons 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 Bifrons from the Pseudomonarchia daemonum is as follows:

Bifrons is seene in the similitude of a monster, when he taketh the image of a man, he maketh one woonderfull cunning in astrologie, absolutelie declaring the mansions of the planets, he dooth the like in geometrie, and other admesurements, he perfectlie understandeth the strength and vertue of hearbs, pretious stones, and woods, he changeth dead bodies from place to place, he seemeth to light candles upon the sepulchres of the dead, and hath under him six and twentie legions.[1]

Bifrons 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 72 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 Bifrons from the 1904 version is as follows:

BIFRONS. - The Forty-sixth Spirit is called Bifrons, or Bifrous, or Bifrovs. He is an Earl, and appeareth in the Form of a Monster; but after a while, at the Command of the Exorcist, he putteth on the shape of a Man. His Office is to make one knowing in Astrology, Geometry, and other Arts and Sciences. He teacheth the Virtues of Precious Stones and Woods. He changeth Dead Bodies, and putteth them in another place; also he lighteth seeming Candles upon the Graves of the Dead. He hath under his Command 6 Legions of Spirits. His Seal is this, which he will own and submit unto, etc.[2]

Bifrons 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 Bifrons is as follows:

Bifrons, a demon who appears with the figure of a monster. When he takes human form, he makes man learned in astrology, and teaches him to know the influences of the planets; he excels in geometry; he knows the virtues of herbs, precious stones and plants; he transports corpses from one place to another. He has also been seen lighting torches on the tombs of the dead. He has twenty-six legions at his command.[3]

Gallery[]