The Testament of Solomon

And I commanded another demon to appear to me. And the thirty-six elements came before me. Their heads were like shapeless dogs. Among them were human-formed, bull-formed, beast-faced, dragon-formed, sphinx-faced, bird-faced.

And I, Solomon, seeing these, questioned them, saying, “And who are you?” And they said together with one voice, “We are the thirty-six elements, the world-rulers of the darkness of this age.”

“But you cannot harm or confine us, O king. But since God has given you authority over all airy, earthly, and subterranean spirits, behold, we stand before you as the rest of the spirits.”

And I, Solomon, having called one spirit, said to it, “Who are you?” And it said to me, “I am the first decan of the zodiacal circle, who is called Ryax.”

“I cause men's heads to ache and shake their temples. As soon as I hear, ‘Michael, confine Ryax,’ I immediately withdraw.”

The second said, “I am called Barsaphael. I cause hemicrania in men who are in my hour. As soon as I hear, ‘Gabriel, confine Barsaphael,’ I immediately withdraw.”

The third said, “I am called Artosael. I greatly harm the eyes. As soon as I hear, ‘Uriel, confine Artosael,’ I immediately withdraw.”

The fourth said, “I am called Horopel. I send upon throats quinsy and putrefaction. As soon as I hear, ‘Raphael, confine Horopel,’ I immediately withdraw.”

The fifth said, “I am called Kairoxanonadal. I cause blockages of the ears. But if I hear, ‘Orouel, confine Kairoxanonadal,’ I immediately withdraw.”

The sixth said, “I am called Sphendonael. I produce parotid swelling and opisthotonus. But if I hear, ‘Sabael, confine Sphendonael,’ I immediately withdraw.”

The seventh said, “I am called Sphandor. I reduce the strength of shoulders and paralyze the nerves of hands, and I weary limbs. But if I hear, ‘Arael, confine Sphandor,’ I immediately withdraw.”

The eighth said, “I am called Belbel. I pervert the hearts and minds of men . . . But if I hear, ‘Carael, confine Belbel,’ I immediately withdraw.”

The ninth said, “I am called Kourtarel. I send internal gripes. But if I hear, ‘Iaoth, confine Kourtarel,’ I immediately withdraw.”

The tenth said, “I am called Metathiax. I cause pains in the kidneys. But if I hear, ‘Adonael, confine Metathiax,’ I immediately withdraw.”

The eleventh said, “I am called Katanikotaēl. I send strife and arrogance into houses. If anyone wishes to live in peace, let him write on seven laurel leaves the names that nullify me: ‘Angel; Iaē; Ieō; Sabaōth; imprison Katanikotaēl,’ and having washed the laurel leaves, let him sprinkle his house with the water, and I will immediately withdraw.”

The twelfth said, “I am called Sapthoraēl. I cast dissension among people and I rejoice in causing them to stumble. If anyone writes these things: ‘Iaē; Ieō; sons of Sabaōth,’ and wears it around his neck, I immediately withdraw.”

The thirteenth said, “I am called Phobothēl. I cause nerve relaxations. But if I hear ‘Adōnaï,’ I immediately withdraw.”

The fourteenth said, “I am called Lerōēl. I inflict chills and shivers and stomach pain. If I hear, ‘Iaz, do not remain, do not warm, for Solomon is better than eleven fathers,’ I immediately withdraw.”

The fifteenth said, “I am called Soubelti. I send shivering and numbness. But if I hear, ‘Rhizōēl, imprison Soubelti,’ I immediately withdraw.”

The sixteenth said, “I am called Katrax. I inflict incurable fevers on people. Whoever wishes to become healthy, let him grind coriander and anoint his lips, saying, ‘I adjure you by Dan, depart from the creature of God,’ and I immediately withdraw.”

The seventeenth said, “I am called Ieropa. I sit on a person’s stomach and cause greetings in the bathhouse; and on the road, I find the person and make him fall. But whoever says into the right ear of the sufferer, three times, ‘Iouda zizabou,’ behold, he makes me withdraw.”

The eighteenth said, “I am called Modebēl. I separate wife from husband. If anyone writes the names of the eight fathers and places it in the doorways, I immediately withdraw.”

The nineteenth said, “I am called Marderaō. I inflict incurable fevers; and in whatever house you write my name, I immediately withdraw.”

The twentieth said, “I am called Rhux Nathōth. I sit on people’s knees. If anyone writes on paper, ‘Phnounēbiēl,’ I immediately withdraw.”

The twenty-first said, “I am called Rhux Alath. I cause shortness of breath in infants. If anyone writes, ‘Rarideris,’ and carries it, I immediately withdraw.”

The twenty-second said, “I am called Rhux Audameōth. I send heart pain. If anyone writes, ‘Raiouōth,’ I immediately withdraw.”

The twenty-third said, “I am called Rhux Manthadō. I cause kidneys to ache. If anyone writes, ‘Iaōth, Ouriēl,’ I immediately withdraw.”

The twenty-fourth said, “I am called Rhux Aktonmē. I cause ribs to ache. If anyone writes on wood from a failed ship, ‘Aeriou Marmaraōth,’ I immediately withdraw.”

The twenty-fifth said, “I am called Rhux Anatreth. I cause boils and fiery sensations to rise in the intestines. If I hear, ‘Arara ararē,’ I immediately withdraw.”

The twenty-sixth said, “I am called Rhux ho Enautha. I steal wits and alter hearts. If anyone writes, ‘Kalazaēl,’ I immediately withdraw.”

The twenty-seventh said, “I am called Rhux Axēsbouth. I make people consumptive and hemorrhaging. If anyone adjures me into pure wine and gives it to the sufferer, I immediately withdraw.”

The twenty-eighth said, “I am called Rhux Hapai. I send sleeplessness. If anyone writes, ‘Kok; pnēdismos,’ and binds it to his temples, I immediately withdraw.”

The twenty-ninth said, “I am called Rhux Anostēr. I send uterine madness and cause pains in the bladder. If anyone, after grinding three laurel berries into pure oil, anoints while saying, ‘I adjure you by Marmaraōth,’ I immediately withdraw.”

The thirtieth said, “I am called Rhux Physikoreth. I cause chronic illness. If anyone puts salt into oil and anoints the sick person, saying, ‘Cherubim, Seraphim, help,’ I immediately withdraw.”

The thirty-first said, “I am called Rhux Aleurēth. Swallowing fish bones; if anyone places a fish bone on the breasts of the sufferer, I immediately withdraw.”

The thirty-second said, “I am called Rhux Ichthyon. I paralyze nerves. But if I hear, ‘Adōnaï malthē,’ I immediately withdraw.”

The thirty-third said, “I am called Rhux Achoneōth. I cause pain in the throat and tonsils. If anyone writes on ivy leaves, ‘Leikourgos, botrydon anachōris,’ I immediately withdraw.”

The thirty-fourth said, “I am called Rhux Autōth. I cause envies among friends and strife. But I am nullified by the first and second written.”

The thirty-fifth said, “I am called Rhux Phtheneōth. I bewitch every person, but I am nullified by the much-suffering eye being engraved.”

The thirty-sixth said, “I am called Rhux Mianeth. I am envious of the body; I lay waste to houses; I destroy flesh. If anyone writes in the doorways of the house thus: ‘Melpō ardad anaath,’ I flee from the place.”

And when I, Solomon, heard these things, I glorified the God of heaven and earth, and I commanded them to bring water.

And I prayed to God that the thirty-six demons who hinder humanity would come to the temple of God.