Brihaspati: The Abrahamic Inversion

In the Temple's reading, the king Paimon of the medieval catalogues is Brihaspati. That name belongs to the slander against the Original Gods, and no God is to be called by it; Brihaspati is approached by His legitimate and eternal name.

The Four Directional Kings

The history of Paimon begins rather early and seems to go to the root of the demonological corpus. William of Auvergne, the bishop of Paris, described a necromantic work named the Major Circulus that seemed to possess four kings of the demons for each quadrant of the world. The demons were, accordngly, accompanied by a multitude of musicians. The name Paimon at this point is not alluded to, however.¹

convenire quatuor Reges demonum a quatuor partibus mundi …
[four kings of demons come from the four parts of the world …]

Paymon in Cecco d'Ascoli: the Earliest Secure Named Attestation

The next century is where the name is first put into writing. Cecco d'Ascoli (Francesco degli Stabili), an encyclopedist, astrologer and mathematician of some note in medieval Italy, mentions four extremely high spirits as Oriens, Amaymon, Paymon and Egim, all of which have twenty-five legions and work directionally. Cecco claims the authority for Paymon's existence is connected to Zoroaster and the Persian corpus of literaure. For inserting this discussion, he was condemned by the Papal authorities in 1324, being forced to fast and pay a large fine.

Cecco made many enemies in medieval Italy in questioning the scientific models of the spheres, venomous invectives on other cultural figures like Dante, for criticising the church and for speaking on the use of demons, along with possible plagiarism. He was burned at the stake for impiety in 1327.^2,3

Nearly twenty years later, the western orientation of Paymon was identified specifically. The Summa sacre magice of Berengar Gannell, compiled in 1346 but possibly of older materials, states that Paymon is the king of the western quarter, its most powerful king. The manuscript tradition spells the name both Paimon and Paymon.^4,5

O tu, Paimon vel Paymon, occidentalis plage rex fortissime …
O you, Paimon or Paymon, most mighty king of the western quarter …

The Medieval Solomonic Tradition

The arrangement of these four offices appears throughout many other medieval Solomonic texts. A specific example of this is found in the De quatuor annulis or Ydea Salomonis complex. This complex contains the three offices of the eastern (Oriens), southern (Amaymon) and northern (Egin or related spellings) quarters. The western realm is occupied by Paimon and his fellow spirits.⁶

A fifteenth-century Munich manuscript, Bayerische Staatsbibliothek Clm 10085 has a rex Paymon within an exorcistic context. This conjures a spirit as either being one of many kings such as Farfax, Marimon or Paymon. Although this section does not specifically reference which direction is for King Paymon, it provides additional information about King Paymon being referenced and utilized ritually beyond the confines of the post-demonological catalogs.⁷

sive es rex Farfax sive es rex Marimon sive rex Paymon …

Like all previous examples, the Clavicula Salomonis also references the four directional kings. Like the Solomonic family traditions discussed above, the Latin roots of this tradition date back to at least the fourteenth century. A significant Italian version of this work of Paris, Bibliothèque nationale de France MS ital. 1524, can be dated to 1446. Additionally, like the previously mentioned Solomonic family traditions, Paymon's inclusion among the traditional four directional kings, Oriens, Paymon, Amaymon and Egyn, or its northward counterpart, indicates that this arrangement was passed down from medieval ritual practices directly.⁸

1494: the Detailed Paimon and the Northern Habitation

In addition to the previously described history of Paimon, Biblioteca Medicea Laurenziana (Florence) MS Plut. 89 Sup. 38 from January 4th 1494 includes a very full and descriptive account of Paimon that was largely retained when Weyer published it later. The author of this work describes Paimon as a king who obeys Lucifer much quicker than do the other kings. Paimon is described to appear before the operator while riding a camel or dromedary. On top of his head Paimon wears a magnificent crown. Before Paimon arrives, a large noise-making procession precedes him. These noises include trumpets, drums, and other music.⁹

The account states that Paimon speaks so unclearly during the initial part of the operation that it requires some effort for the operator to finally hear what he is saying. Once he begins to speak clearly, Paimon will teach the operator how to learn and study philosophy, paralleling the use of sound. He will reveal secrets and explain how the universe, earth and all of its supporting elements were created. Paimon will explain how the waters and abyss were formed along with the origin of the winds and many other natural phenomena. Additionally, Paimon may consecrate books and other objects that belong to the operator. He can grant the operator new titles and/or dignities. Paimon can humiliate his opponent(s). He can also provide the operator with good familiar spirits. Finally, he will provide the operator with an understanding about the nature of birds.⁹

This text also presents a well-developed angelology. The writer states that Paimon represents a prior celestial order which is sometimes referred to as either Dominions or Cherubim. As such, he commands forty legions in the Florence text. If called by himself, an offering or sacrifice is necessary for him to arrive but he will come with two great kings: Belial and Basaam, and a greater entourage. According to this account, twenty-five legions follow Paimon everywhere he goes although they do not always attend.⁹

Most notably, this catalogue text advises the operator to stand facing north because Paimon has a "habitatio" or abode located there. Although this does not eliminate the older western Kingship, this demonstrates that by 1494 both concepts could exist side-by-side.⁹

… contra Aquilonem, quia ibi est habitatio …
… toward the North, because there is his habitation …

Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa retains the same four fold structure used in the medieval period in De occulta Philosophia, which was printed complete in 1533. Agrippa classifies and lists the four rulers under the categories of scales andsSpirits. They are Oriens, Paymon, Egyn and Amaymon. Paymon is specifically identified as being the ruler of the West. Therefore, Agrippa carried the medieval Western kingship into one of the most widely read and influential works of Renaissance occult philosophy.¹⁰

The Livre des esperitz, preserved in Cambridge, Trinity College MS O.8.29 and copied in the middle of the sixteenth century, gives one of the clearest pre-Weyer descriptions. Its directional list has Orient in the east, Poymon in the west, Amoymon in the south and Equi or a related northern form. Poymon himself appears as a radiant crowned woman and rides what the manuscript calls a dramagdonere, evidently a corrupt or unusual form in the dromedary tradition.^3,11

Poymon appiert en semblance de feme coronnee, moult resplendissante …
[Poymon appears in the likeness of a crowned woman, very resplendent …]

TPoymon tells the truth about what is asked, teaches all sciences, manifests hidden things, gives dignities and great lordships, and brings the operator's enemies or ill-wishers to submission or mercy. He commands twenty-five legions. The French text is thus a crucial bridge: it combines the old western orientation with the crown, mount, knowledge, dignity and subjugation functions that become central to the later Paimon.¹¹

Celuy qui le contrainct doibt avoir son visaige vers occident …

The 1567 English Experiments

The magical experiments associated with Humphrey Gilbert and John Davis in British Library Additional MS 36674, dated to 1567, again know the four great kings as Oriens, Amaimon, Paymon and Aegyn. One directional annotation in this English material differs from the older standard arrangement and places Paimon toward the north. This is further evidence that the cardinal assignments were not mechanically stable in every working manuscript even before Weyer.¹²

Weyer, 1577: the Great Catalogue Paimon

Johann Weyer printed the most influential sixteenth century rendition of the catalog in his Pseudomonarchia daemonum appended to the fifth edition of De praestigiis daemonum in 1577. Weyer describes Paymon as a great king, extremely loyal to Lucifer. He has appeared in human form sitting atop a dromedary wearing a crown of brilliance and a female face. A host precedes him playing trumpets, cymbals and many types of instruments. He speaks in his first voice with a loud thunderous sound. His words must be forced into an understandable format.¹³

Weyer retains the powers seen in the encyclopedic listings present since 1494. Paymon provides knowledge of philosophy, science and secrets; explains the nature of the earth, water, void and wind; bestows and verifies dignities; will subdue enemies; will provide good familiars and teach art. Weyer expands upon the previous amount of power given to Paymon from two hundred legions. The legions derived their strength partially from angels and partially from powers or potencies. If called independently then Paimon needs to receive an offering or sacrifice and is accompanied by two lesser kings, Bebal and Abalam, along with several other spirits; twenty five legions make up his common retinue¹³

Weyer also instructs the summoner to point to the North as this is where Paymon dwells. ¹³

Aquilonem versus … quæ ibi hujus sit hospitium.
[Toward the North … because there is his dwelling.]

English manuscript based works of demonology did not lose sight of the Western tradition. Portions of the Folger Shakespeare Library MS V.b.26 (created around 1577-1583 and currently being published as The Book of Oberon) lists the four Kings of Air as Orience in the East, Paymon in the West, Amaymon in the South and Egine in the North. The detailed Paymon is once again a royal crowned figure riding a dromedary amidst an array of music players. He can tell you about how the world is doing and has the ability to command large armies of spirits. ¹⁴

The English Office of Spirits tradition also emphasizes his strange first language: he may speak in his own or an unintelligible tongue until commanded to answer in a language the operator understands. The coexistence of this western four-king list with the northern catalogue direction is one of the clearest demonstrations that Paimon's medieval cardinal office and his later evocation instructions are related but not identical categories.¹⁴

Reginald Scot translated Weyer's compendium into English in The Discoverie of Witchcraft in 1584. His Paymon keeps the dromedary, crown, musical procession, sciences, cosmological knowledge, dignities, familiars, two hundred legions and the two attendant kings, but Scot alters the direction to the northwest, claiming this is Paymon's house; perhaps a need to combine the two traditions.¹⁵

Paimon has a second pre-Ars Goetia hierarchical position found in The Book of Abramelin. The oldest known German manuscripts appear circa 1608 instead of circa fifteen century when per the book’s narrative. Within Abramelin's hierarchy, Paimon is one of eight sub-princes under four primary spirits alongside Astarto, Magoto, Asmodei, Belzebub, Oriens, Ariton and Amaimon, Paimon is listed among these eight. Four times, Oriens, Paimon, Ariton and Amaimon repeat themselves and share multiple subordinate spirits.¹⁶

The Ars Goetia: a Compilation of Older Paimon Traditions

Paimon is the ninth spirit of the seventeenth century's Ars Goetia. The description is predominantly borrowed from Weyer and Scot. A few of the manuscript readings preserve the northwest orientation, while others possess the western orientation.¹⁷

In the angelological system attributed to Thomas Rudd, the ninth Goetic spirit Paimon is restrained or opposed by the ninth Shem-ha-Mephorash angel named Haziel.¹⁸

The spelling Bayemon, which is also spelled Baymon, is particularly prevalent within the French versions of the Grimoire du Pape Honorius. Within this latter group there exists a quaternity. Magoa or Magoth rules the east, Bayemon the west, Egym the south and Amaymon the north. When invoking Bayemon he is addressed as "the powerful King ruling in the Western Quarter." As stated previously, this represents a continuation of the older Paymon/Western Tradition. ¹⁹

Lazare Lenain's 1823 shows Haziel as the ninth good genius, “God of Mercy,” associated with mercy, friendship, reconciliation, promises and the favor of powerful people. The relevant psalmic indication is Psalm 25:6 in most modern English Bibles. This material belongs to Haziel's independent angelic cabala and was later used alongside the Rudd pairing with Paimon.²⁰

Papus later repeats the Lenain-style angelic table in his cabalistic synthesis, preserving Haziel's name, degree-sector and practical correspondences. These nineteenth- and twentieth-century tables are useful for the later reception of the Paimon-Haziel pairing, but they must not be projected backward into Paimon's medieval history.^21,22

Paimon is also one of the spirits most maligned in popular culture and in exorcist materials, where he is often portrayed as an evil demon who demands sacrifices for wealth. This is not consistent with the directional or Goetic understanding beyond his supreme rank.