Equitas: The Abrahamic Inversion

What follows is the record of a renaming: how Equitas came to stand in the catalogues as Eligos. Never invoke the Gods by the names Their slanderers gave Them. Equitas is approached as Equitas, under the name that has always been Hers.

Before the Ars Goetia fixed the name Eligos (also Eligor and Abigor), the Daemon behind it already had a long history. The oldest source of information available today for him comes from Algor, mentioned in Berengar Ganell’s Summa Sacre Magice compiled in 1346. Joseph H. Peterson's comparison of the spirit catalogues identifies the Algor in the eventual Weyer line of Eligor or Abigor^1,2

Therefore, it is clear that neither Abigor nor Eligos is the oldest written version of the name associated with this demon. Rather, there exists a group of variants of the name whose consonants have remained relatively consistent throughout generations of transcription including Algor, Alugor, Abugor, Eligor, Abigor, and Eligos. The functions attached to the name likewise show continuity: noble or military appearance, knowledge of hidden matters and future conflict, and the ability to obtain the favur of rulers or soldiers.^1,2

The second historical reference to this demon is found in what is referred to as the “Munich Manual of Demonic Magic”, a manuscript created during the mid-15th century. In this manual, the fifth spirit listed is Alugor, described as a great duke. Kieckhefer published an edition of this manual and Boudet used Kieckhefer’s work along with her own cataloging project to identify Alugor as belonging to the same family as Weyer’s Eligor or Abigor. ^3,4

Alugor is already essentially the military duke known from the later tradition. He appears as a splendid soldier or knight bearing a lance, a banner and a sceptre. He gives truthful answers concerning hidden matters and future conflicts, provides assistance involving soldiers, and grants favor with kings, marquises and military men.^3,4

One feature does change dramatically: the Munich catalog gives Alugor only a very small legionary command compared with later texts. By the time of Weyer the number has swollen to sixty legions.^3,4

Abugor in the Livre des esperitz

Le livre des esperitz , a Middle-French manuscript housed at Cambridge University (Trinity College O.8.29), serves as a critical link to the name Abigor. Within Le livre des esperitz , the fifth spirit is named Abugor, and he is described as a great duke who manifests himself in the form of a beautiful knight. The manuscript was dated to around the fifteenth century by Jean-Patrice Boudet but with many older materials. Boudet further connected Abugor to Alugor in Munich Clm 849 and Weyer’s Eligor alias Abigor..⁵

Abugor est ung grant duc qui apert en semblance dun beau chevalier...

The French entry is much less militarised as Abugor gives true answers to questions, reveals things hidden in the earth, obtains favor with kings and other lords, and commands twenty-seven legions.⁵

Johann Weyer provided the first known printed record of the dual naming convention for this spirit using the name Eligor alias Abigor in his 1577 fifth edition of De Praestigiis Daemonum . Weyer synthesized attributes seen in previous manuscript witnesses and increased the number of legions controlled by this spirit.⁶

Eligor, alias Abigor, Dux magnus, apparet ut miles pulcherrimus, lanceam, vexillum & sceptrum portans.

According to Weyer, Eligor alias Abigor manifests himself as a handsome knight armed with a lance, standard and or sceptre. He possesses complete knowledge of hidden matters and war. He knows future events, he advises commanders on how to arrange encounters with their enemies, he secures favor from lords and knights and he commands sixty legions. Content-wise, Weyer’s description of Eligor alias Abigor bears a strong resemblance to that of Alugor; whereas Weyer’s use of the alias Abigor represents a step closer towards the French spelling Abugor.⁶

The Latin phrase quomodo milites occurrere debeant is broader than a simple prediction of who will win a battle. It concerns how soldiers ought to meet, encounter or engage. Later English renderings helped turn this into the familiar formula about knowing wars and how soldiers "shall meet," but the underlying idea is practical military foresight and arrangement. Reginald Scot reproduces Weyer into English verbatim.⁶

Seventeenth-century English office manuscripts contain forms such as Allogor and Algor from the V.b.26 at the Folger Library, perhaps most commonly referenced due to its inclusion in The Book Of Oberon. It includes entries for both Algor and Allogor in two close listings. One Algor appears as a fair knight armed with a spear and shield, has authority over obtaining secrets, granting favor from kings, princes and lords, perhaps functioning metaphorically for Aequitas.⁸

These versions show that new forms like Eligior existed alongside older ones like Algor.⁸

This demon becomes number 15 in the Ars Goetica. There are variations regarding the spelling in manuscripts such as Eligior vs. Eligos, but Peterson reports that Sloane 3658 and other similar documents do refer to this demon as Eligos while another major manuscript spells out Eligior and actually mentions Eligos in parentheses. Therefore, it seems reasonable that Eligos represents a specific variation utilized within Goetic manuscripts.⁹

Dr. Rudd: Eligos and Hariel

In the angelological system preserved in the manuscripts edited as The Goetia of Dr Rudd, the fifteenth Goetic spirit is paired with the fifteenth Shem-ha-Mephorash angel, Hariel.

Lazare Lenain gives Hariel's fuller profile in 1823. He calls Hariel the fifteenth genius and interprets the name as Dieu créateur, "Creator God." Hariel corresponds to the divine names Idio or Iddio according to the Italian language, governs degrees 71 through 75, belongs to the eighth decan with the genius Ouêrê, and is placed under the influence of Mars. The invocation period is 4:40 to 5:00 in the morning.¹¹

Lenain assigns Hariel the twenty-second verse of Psalm 94:22. The verse makes the deity a refuge and rock of protection. Hariel is invoked against impiety; he governs sciences and arts, useful discoveries and new methods. The contrary genius governs schisms, religious wars, impiety and the propagation of dangerous sects.^11,12

COn the other hand Collin de Plancy preserves Abigor as his primary demonic name listing for the sixth edition of his Dictionnaire Infernal (1863). De Plancy writes that Abigor is a grand duke of the infernal monarchic court with 60 legions, manifesting himself as a handsome mounted horseman bearing lance, banners or scepters. He knows the mysteries of war and future events, instructing commanders on gaining loyalty from their soldiers. De Plancy cites Weyer but modifies some wording from previous accounts such that prior references to favor now emphasize a commander's capacity to inspire loyalty among their troops.¹³