Above is my illustration of King Solomon, standing inside a ceremonial magic circle etched onto a stone floor, with glowing sigils. He is reciting an invocation.
The Lesser Key of Solomon, also known as Lemegeton Clavicula Salomonis, stands as one of the most influential grimoires in Western occult tradition. Compiled during the seventeenth century and drawing upon far older sources, the text is a fascinating synthesis of ritual magic, medieval demonology, angelic invocations, and ceremonial instructions.
Over the centuries, its mysterious aura and vivid depictions of spirits have made it both feared and revered by scholars, occultists, and the curious alike. In this article, we will delve into the origin and structure of the grimoire, unpack its content across the five books, examine its influence on modern occultism, and reflect on the broader cultural significance of this enigmatic text.
Origins and Historical Context
The grimoire was assembled from varied materials, many of which are traceable to medieval and Renaissance sources. While the exact author(s) remain unknown, the work emerged during an era marked by fascination with Solomonic legends and magical traditions. Its name was popularized by occultists like A. E. Waite, who distinguished it from the Key of Solomon, a related but earlier text.
Scholars recognize that the Lesser Key of Solomon is distinct from the earlier Key of Solomon, which dates to the 14th or 15th century Italian Renaissance. The latter is more concerned with talismans, cleansing rituals, and confessions before magical work, rather than demonology. The Lesser Key likely draws on earlier traditions, potentially including the French Livre des Esperitz (15th–16th century) and the Byzantine Magical Treatise of Solomon (Hygromanteia).
Esoteric Lineage
Magical Treatise of Solomon – A Byzantine‑era grimoire in medieval Greek, dating from the 13th–15th centuries, that includes conjurations, astrological talismans, angelic and demonic hierarchies, and ritual tools. This text served as a bridge between Greco‑Roman magical traditions and later European grimoires
Livre des Esperitz – A French grimoire listing demonic hierarchies (without ritual instructions), influential on later works such as Pseudomonarchia Daemonum and the Lesser Key
These texts illustrate how medieval and early modern occult authors synthesized fragmented sources into a more comprehensive magical system.
Structure of the Grimoire
The Lesser Key of Solomon is divided into five distinct books, each focusing on different forms of magical operation:
1. Ars Goetia
Arguably the most famous section, the Ars Goetia catalogs 72 demons supposedly bound by King Solomon and sealed within a brass vessel. Each entry contains:
- The name of the spirit
- Its rank (king, duke, prince, marquis, etc.)
- A description of its appearance and powers
- The sigil or seal needed to summon and bind the spirit
The Ars Goetia also provides detailed ceremonial instructions, including the construction of protective circles, robes, incense, and conjurations. It insists that the operator maintain spiritual purity and call upon the Names of God to subdue the demons. While popular culture often portrays demonic evocation as diabolic, the text emphasizes command and control, not worship.
2. Ars Theurgia-Goetia
This section blends Goetic demonology with theurgic angelic magic. Instead of listing only infernal spirits, it catalogues 31 aerial spirits and the foursfold hierarchy of kings ruling over them. These spirits are tied to the directions and sub-directions of the heavens, reflecting medieval cosmology. Many are not explicitly evil; they can be commanded for knowledge of hidden things, revelation of treasures, or manipulation of elemental energies.
3. Ars Paulina
The Ars Paulina is attributed (spuriously) to Paul the Apostle and focuses on angelic invocations. This section is divided into two parts:
- The first part attributes specific guardian angels to each hour of the day and night
- The second assigns angels to the 360 degrees of the zodiac, thus linking the practice to astrology
Unlike the Goetic demons, these angels are invoked with reverence, not coercion, showing how the grimoire blends demonic and divine magic under a unified system.
4. Ars Almadel
One of the most mystical and complex parts of the manuscript, the Ars Almadel describes how to fabricate a wax tablet called an Almadel, inscribed with sacred names and mounted upon wax candles. Using this device, the operator may contact four hierarchical orders of angels associated with the cardinal directions, who reveal divine mysteries and grant spiritual wisdom. The ritual’s geometry suggests heavy influence from Kabbalistic angel lore.
5. Ars Notoria
The final section comprises a series of orations, prayers, and meditative techniques intended to grant the practitioner divine wisdom, eloquence, and memory. It is less concerned with summoning spirits and more with cultivating spiritual clarity. Historically, clergy and scholars used these orations to accelerate learning and theological insight.
Demonology and Ritual Practice
Ars Goetia and Demon Catalog
The Ars Goetia stands as the most famous—and infamous—section. It meticulously catalogs 72 demons, each with a unique name, rank, appearance, and sphere of activity, paired with their corresponding sigils and prescriptive ritual procedures. For instance:
- Corson, a cardinal spirit (king) of one of the four directions, is not to be conjured lightly.
- Leraie (also Leraje or Leriac), a mighty marquis in Hell commanding 30 legions, causes battles and gangrene wounds, and is opposed by the angel Mehahel.
These elaborate depictions reflect medieval and early modern understandings of demon hierarchies and cosmology.
Rituals and Psychology
Ritual instructions include constructing the magical circle, the triangle of evocation, incantations, and protective devices like the Solomonic ring, wands, and talismans. Practitioners were advised to purify themselves and prepare astrology‑aligned implements before engaging in conjurations.
Modern esoteric thinkers suggest that these rituals serve psychological or symbolic functions. One recent analysis posits that the interplay of sensory elements—sight, sound, smell, and ritual context—might facilitate altered states of consciousness or unlock inner psychological forces.
Influence on Modern Occultism
The Lesser Key of Solomon gained renewed popularity in the 19th century during the occult revival, particularly among members of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, which incorporated its sigils and evocations into its ritual system. A. E. Waite and S. L. MacGregor Mathers published one of the most influential English translations in 1904, making the text more widely accessible.
In the 20th century, prominent occultists like Aleister Crowley adapted Goetic practices into their own systems of ceremonial magic. Crowley’s Goetia emphasizes personal transformation and psychological integration—interpreting demons as parts of the unconscious mind rather than literal external entities. In modern chaos magic, Goetic evocation is sometimes approached in a psychological or symbolic manner, viewing the spirits as archetypes rather than beings.
Today, the Lesser Key remains a foundational reference for ceremonial magicians and occultists, influencing ritual design, terminology, and spiritual cosmology. Its sigils appear in everything from occult literature to heavy metal album covers, cementing its role in popular culture.
Academic Editions
Several annotated editions serve as the standard text for both scholarly and occult study:
Joseph H. Peterson’s edition (Weiser Books, 2001) is widely regarded as the authoritative version.
Older editions by Waite (1898) and de Laurence are considered less reliable—Waite introduced the “Lesser Key” term, and de Laurence’s edition was largely plagiarized from S.L. MacGregor Mathers and Aleister Crowley.
Cross-Textual Comparisons
Scholars note how the Lesser Key synthesizes earlier demonological works like Johann Weyer’s Pseudomonarchia Daemonum, though Weyer’s demon list differs in order and substance, suggesting derivative but independent evolution.
Cultural Significance
Beyond its practical use in magic, the Lesser Key offers a revealing portrait of early modern views about the unseen world. It reflects a time when science, magic, and religion were not distinct categories but overlapping ways of comprehending the cosmos. The systematic classification of spirits mirrors contemporary taxonomies of plants and animals. Likewise, the reliance on divine authority to command demons underscores a worldview in which even evil must bend to higher law.
In popular imagination, the Lesser Key of Solomon has inspired a wide range of artistic works—from horror films and occult fiction to fantasy role-playing games and visual art. While often sensationalized, the text still speaks to a deep human fascination with the unseen, the forbidden, and the possibility of spiritual domination.
Ethical and Critical Reflections
The Lesser Key of Solomon raises ethical questions. Its demon‑summoning rituals are frequently described as dangerous—psychologically or spiritually—and many occultists counsel caution or symbolic interpretation over literal performance. The historical context of grimoires also reveals a tension between sanctioned forms of magic (like theurgy or natural magic) and practices deemed heretical (like goetia).
Conclusion
The Lesser Key of Solomon is far more than a quaint relic of medieval superstition. It is a structured, symbolic system that expresses how early practitioners believed the divine, celestial, and infernal realms interacted with human consciousness. Whether regarded as a literal manual for summoning spirits or as a metaphor for psychological integration, its enduring influence is undeniable.
From the ordered legions of Goetic demons to the exalted hierarchies of zodiacal angels, the Lesser Key invites the reader into a universe where symbols hold real power and the veil between worlds can be pierced—if one dares to follow the instructions.