Paimon

This article is about a demon in the Ars Goetia. For the video game character, see List of Genshin Impact characters § Non-playable characters.

For the Persian name, see Peyman.

"Labal" redirects here. For the village in Iran, see Labal, Iran.

Paimon is a spirit named in early grimoires. These include The Lesser Key of Solomon (in the Ars Goetia),^[1] Johann Weyer's Pseudomonarchia Daemonum,^[2] Collin de Plancy's Dictionnaire Infernal,^[3] the Livre des Esperitz (as "Poymon"),^[4] the Liber Officiorum Spirituum (as Paimon),^[5][6] The Book of Abramelin,^[7] and certain French editions of The Grimoire of Pope Honorius (as Bayemon);^[8][9] as well as British Library, Sloane MS 3824.^[10]

Sigil of Paimon

Paimon as depicted in Collin de Plancy's Dictionnaire Infernal, 1863 edition.

Status and rank

The Goetia and Weyer begin entries on King Paimon noting that he is quite obedient to Lucifer.^[1][2]

King Paimo(n) appears as the ninth spirit in the Ars Goetia,^[1] the 22nd spirit in the Pseudomonarchia Daemonum,^[2] and in the Dictionnaire Infernal.^[3] In the Liber Officiorum Spirituum, he is first listed as the sixth spirit^[5][6] and later as the third king.^[11][12]

The Goetia, Weyer, de Plancy, Livre des Esperitz, Liber Officiorum Spirituum, and Sloane MS 3824 all rank Paimon as a king.^{[1][2][3][4][10][5][6][11][12]} The Livre des Espiritz, Sloane MS 3824, and the Grimoire of Pope Honorius specify that King Paimon is king of the west.^{[4][10][8][9]} In the Book of Abramelin (where his appearance is given no description), he is instead one of the eight dukes.^[7]

Relationship to hierarchy

The Goetia, Weyer, and de Plancy warn that if King Paimon appears alone, a sacrifice must be made to summon Lebal (sometimes called Bebal),^[13] the most devoted to Lucifer, and Abalam, two kings who serve under him but do not always accompany him. These three sources state that he rules 200 legions of spirits, some of which are of the order of Angels and the rest Powers.^[1][2][3] The Livre des Esperitz, on the other hand, credits him with just 25 legions of spirits.^[4] Sloane MS 3824 mentions him as employing a "bishop" named Sperion, among other spirits.^[10]

Critical editions of the Lesser Key of Solomon list him as a former Dominion.^[1] Weyer notes a confusion over whether he was a former Dominion or Cherub.^[2] According to Thomas Rudd, King Paimon is opposed by the Shemhamphorasch angel Haziel.^[14]

Appearance

In the Goetia, Weyer, de Plancy, Livre des Esperitz, Liber Officiorum Spirituum, he is described as a man riding a Dromedary camel, preceded by men playing loud music (particularly trumpets), as well as cymbals.^{[10][11][12][13]} Sloane MS 3824 describes the camel as crowned,^[10] while the rest describe King Paimon himself as crowned.^[1][11][12] The Goetia itself makes no mention of King Paimon's face,^[1] while the rest describe him as having a beautiful face but still refer to him as male.^[6][11][12]

Possession

Sloane MS 3824 and the Liber Officiorum Spirituum describe him as having a "Hoarse Voice",^[10][5][12] and those works, Weyer, and the Goetia note that he must be commanded to speak plainly,^[1][11][12] with the Liber Officiorum Spirituum specifying that King Paimon will speak in his native language until commanded to converse in the summoner's own language.^[11][12]

Powers

The Goetia, Weyer, Livre des Esperitz, and the Liber Officiorum Spirituum all describe him as teaching science and answering other questions.^[1][11][12] The Goetia and Weyer specify that his knowledge includes all arts and "secret Things" [sic], such as knowledge regarding the Earth, its waters, and the winds.^[1][2] The Livre des Esperitz and the Liber Officiorum Spirituum broaden this to truthfully answering all questions asked of him,^[4][11][12] with the former source also claiming that he can reveal hidden treasures^[4] and the latter highlighting that he knows all the affairs of the world.^[11][12] The Goetia, Weyer, and the Livre des Esperitz also claim he has the ability to bestow dignities and lordships.^[1][2][4] The Goetia and Weyer credited him with granting familiars (who are likewise good at teaching).^[1][2] The Liber Officiorum Spirituum uniquely gives him command over fish.^[11][12] Sloane MS 3824 mentions Paimon in "An Experiment to Cause a Thief to Return".^[10]

In Abramelin, King Paimo(n)'s powers include^[15] knowledge of past and future events, clearing up doubts, making spirits appear, creating visions, acquiring and dismissing servant spirits, reanimating the dead for several years, flight, remaining underwater indefinitely, and general abilities to "make all kinds of things" (and) "all sorts of people and armor appear" at the behest of the magician.^[16]

In popular culture

• Paimon appears as a djinn in the manga and anime series Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic.
• Paimon appears as the unseen main antagonist of the film Hereditary.
• Paimon appears as the shapeshifting father of Stolas in the YouTube web series Helluva Boss.
• A female Paimon appears in the manga and anime Welcome to Demon School! Iruma-kun. She is a demon hero of the 13 crowns known as the lord of fairies.
• Paimon appears as a Boss in Infernax.
• Paimon's servant Abalam is claimed to be the alleged demon in The Last Exorcism.
• An unrelated Paimon appears as a character in Genshin Impact. Appearing as a small, floating, fairy-like girl, she is described as the main character's "companion", leading them around the world of Teyvat.

References

1. Peterson 2001, pp. 10–14.
2. Weyer 1563, par. 20-29.
3. de Plancy 1853, pp. 380–389.
4. Boudet 2003, par. 2, 25, 28, 24, 38.
5. Porter 2011, pp. 10–19.
6. Porter & Weston 2015, pp. 191–207.
7. von Worms 2006, p. 119.
8. Banner 1999, pp. 80–89.
9. Peterson 2007, p. Peterson, p.10, footnote 3.
10. Ashmole 2009, pp. 55, 59, 60, 162–172.
11. Porter 2011, pp. 30–39.
12. Porter & Weston 2015, pp. 208–215.
13. Peterson 2001, p. 11.
14. Rudd 2007, pp. 366–376.
15. von Worms 2006, p. 133.
16. von Worms 2006, pp. 145–149, 158, 165, 179, 180, 185.

Bibliography

• Ashmole, Elias (2009). Rankine, David (ed.). The Book of Treasure Spirits. Avalonia Books. ISBN 978-1-905297-27-6.
• Banner, James, ed. (1999). The Grimoire of Pope Honorius. Translated by Ch'ien, Kineta (first ed.). Seattle, Washington: Trident Books. ISBN 1879000091.
• Boudet, Jean-Patrice (2003). "Les who's who démonologiques de la Renaissance et leurs ancêtres médiévaux". Médiévales. Langues, Textes, Histoire. Médiévales (in French). Revues.org (44): 117–140. doi:10.4000/medievales.1019.
• Peterson, Joseph H., ed. (2001). Lemegeton Clavicula Salomonis: The Lesser Key of Solomon, Detailing the Ceremonial Art of Commanding Spirits Both Good and Evil. Maine: Weiser Books. ISBN 1-57863-220-X.
• Peterson, Joseph H., ed. (2007). Grimoirium Verum. CreateSpace Independent Publishing. ISBN 978-1434811165.
• de Plancy, Jacques Collin (1853). Dictionnaire infernal (in French). Paris: Sagnier et Bray.
• Porter, John (2011). Campbell, Colin D. (ed.). A Book of the Office of Spirits. Translated by Hockley, Frederick. Teitan Press. ISBN 978-0933429253.
• Porter, John; Weston, John (2015). Harms, Daniel; Clark, James R.; Peterson, Joseph H. (eds.). The Book of Oberon: A Sourcebook for Elizabethan Magic (first ed.). Llewellyn Publications. ISBN 978-0-7387-4334-9.
• Rudd, Thomas (2007). Skinner, Stephen; Rankine, David (eds.). The Goetia of Dr Rudd. Golden Hoard Press. ISBN 978-0738723556.
• Runyon, Carroll "Poke" (1996). The Book of Solomon's Magick. Church of Hermetic Sciences, Incorporated. ISBN 096548811X.
• Weyer, Johann (1563). Peterson, Joseph H. (ed.). Pseudomonarchia Daemonum (Liber officiorum spirituum). Twilit Grotto: Esoteric Archives (published 2000).
• von Worms, Abraham (2006). Dehn, Georg (ed.). The Book of Abramelin: A New Translation. Translated by Guth, Steven. Lake Worth, Florida: Ibis Press. ISBN 978-0-89254-127-0.