Camio (also Caim, Caym) appears in Ars Goetia, the first part of Lesser Key of Solomon as a Great President of Hell, ruling over thirty legions of demons.
Overview[]
He is a good disputer, gives men the understanding of the voices of birds, bullocks, dogs, and other creatures, and of the noise of the waters too, and gives true answers concerning things to come.
He is depicted in 19th and 20th century occultist illustrations as appearing in the form of the black bird called a thrush, but soon he changes his shape into a man that has a sharp sword in his hand. When answering questions he seems to stand on burning ashes or coals.
Caim 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 Caim from the Pseudomonarchia daemonum is as follows:
| “ | Caim [*Caym] is a great president, taking the forme of a thrush [*blackbird], but when he putteth on man's shape, he answereth in burning ashes, carrieng in his hand a most sharpe swoord, he maketh the best disputers, he giveth men the understanding of all birds, of the lowing of bullocks, and barking of dogs, and also of the sound and noise of waters, he answereth best of things to come, he was of the order of angels, and ruleth thirtie legions <of divels>.[1] | ” |
Caim 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 Caim from the 1904 version is as follows:
| “ | CAMIO or CAIM. - The Fifty-third Spirit is Camio, or Caim. He is a Great President, and appeareth in the Form of the Bird called a Thrush at first, but afterwards he putteth on the Shape of a Man carrying in his Hand a Sharp Sword. He seemeth to answer in Burning Ashes, or in Coals of Fire. He is a Good Disputer. His Office is to give unto Men the Understanding of all Birds, Lowing of Bullocks, Barking of Dogs, and other Creatures; and also of the Voice of the Waters. He giveth True Answers of Things to Come. He was of the Order of Angels, but now ruleth over 30 Legions of Spirits Infernal. His Seal is this, which wear thou, etc.[2] | ” |
Caim 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 Caim is as follows:
| “ | Caym, a demon of the upper class, great president of hell; he usually appears in the form of a blackbird. When he appears in human form, he answers from the middle of a burning brazier; he carries a sharp saber in his hand. He is, it is said, the most skillful sophist of hell; and he can, by the cunning of his arguments, drive the most seasoned logician to despair. It is withhim that Luther had this famous argument of which he preserved the circumstances for us. Caym gives the intelligence of the song of the birds, of the lowing of oxen, the barking of dogs and the sound of the waves. He knows the future. Sometimes he has shown himself as a man wearing an aigrette and adorned with a peacock's tail. This demon, who was once of the order of angels, now commands thirty legions in hell.[3] | ” |
Gallery[]
_-_Dictionnaire_Infernal.jpg "Caym (alt) - Dictionnaire Infernal.jpg (347 KB)")
| The 72 Demons of The Ars Goetia | |
|---|---|
| Kings | Asmodeus • Bael • Balam • Beleth • Belial • Paimon • Purson • Vine • Zagan |
| Dukes | Abigor • Aim • Agares • Allocer • Amduscias • Astaroth • Barbatos • Bathin • Bune • Berith • Crocell • Dantalion • Flauros • Focalor • Gremory • Gusion • Murmur • Sallos • Valefor • Vapula • Vepar • Vual • Zepar |
| Princes | Gaap • Ipos • Orobas • Seere • Stolas • Sytry • Vassago |
| Marquises | Amon • Andrealphus • Andras • Cimejes • Decarabia • Forneus • Gamigin • Leraje • Marchosias • Nebiros • Orias • Phenex • Ronové • Sabnock • Shax |
| Counts | Andromalius • Bifrons • Furfur • Halphas • Raum |
| Knights | Furcas |
| Presidents | Buer • Botis • Foras • Glasya-Labolas • Marbas • Morax |
| Great Presidents | Amy • Camio • Haagenti • Malphas • Ose • Volac |
| List of Angels | |
|---|---|
| Seraphim | Agiel • Gabriel • Yahoel • Matriel • Raphael • Seraphiel • Uriel |
| Cherubim | Azazel • Gabriel • Gadreel • Gamaliel • Kerubiel • Lucifer • Michael • Ophaniel • Paimon • Rikbiel • Sachiel |
| Thrones | Abaddon • Mitzrael • Murmur • Ophaniel • Pahaliah • Raum |
| Dominons | Balam • Camael • Marchosias • Muriel • Paimon • Vasiariah |
| Virtues | Agares • Barbatos |
| Powers | Amy • Crocell • Gaap • Vual |
| Principalities | Cambiel • Hahasiah • Imamiah • Mebahiah • Nanael • Nithael • Poyel • Vehuel |
| Archangels | Abaddon • Adriel • Agiel • Arakiel • Ariel • Azazel • Azrael • Barachiel • Baraqiel • Barbiel • Beburos • Camael • Cambiel • Cassiel • Chamuel • Dadrail • Gabriel • Gamaliel • Hamaliel • Haniel • Hofniel • Israfil • Jegudiel • Jerahmeel • Jophiel • Kadkadael • Kepharel • Kundaliel • Matriel • Metatron • Michael • Mitzrael • Phanuel • Pravuil • Raguel • Ramiel • Raphael • Raziel • Sabriel • Sachiel • Sahaquiel • Samael • Sandalphon • Sarathiel • Sariel • Selaphiel • Shamnail • Tawûsî Melek • Turail • Uriel • Uziel • Verchiel • Zachariel • Zadkiel • Zagagel • Zaphkiel • Zephaniel • Zuriel |
| Angels | Amy • Caim • Hutriel • Kushiel • Mastema |
| Watchers | Abaddon • Ananiel • Arakiel • Armaros • Asbeel • Azazel • Baraqiel • Bezaliel • Chazaqiel • Daniel • Gadreel • Jequn • Kokabiel • Penemue • Ramiel • Samyaza • Sariel • Sathariel • Shamsiel • Tamiel • Turiel • Yomiel • Zaqiel |
| Fallen Angels | Agares • Amy • Asbeel • Azazel • Balam • Belial • Caim • Crocell • Gaap • Harut • Lucifer • Marchosias • Marut • Mastema • Murmur • Paimon • Ramiel • Raum • Samael • Satan • Tamiel • Vual • Xaphan |
| Miscellaneous | Chalkydri • Naphil |