Asmoday

The 32nd Spirit of the Ars Goetia

**Asmoday** is the 32nd Demon spirit of the Ars Goetia and a strong and powerful Great King of Hell. He is the child of Asmodeus and serves under his father and the Archdemon Amaymon.

## Overview

As the 32nd spirit of the Ars Goetia, Asmoday is a great king, strong and powerful. He governs 72 legions of inferior spirits. According to the Hebrews, he is the son of Naamah and Shamdon. Sometimes he is said to be the offspring of Lilith and Adam.

While Asmodeus and Asmoday are usually treated as the same demon, they both have separate origin with one being born as an Angel (Asmodeus) and the other born as a Demon (Asmoday).

## Appearance

He appears with three heads, the first like a bull, the second like a man, and the third like a ram. He also appears with a serpent's tail, belching or breathing fire out of his mouth and his feet are webbed like a goose. He sits on an infernal dragon carrying a lance and flag in his hands; all of these creatures being associated with either lascivity, lust or revenge.

## Powers and Abilities

He is first and foremost under the power of Amaymon and when summoned the summoner must be standing with his cap off, for if it is on he will deceive them and reveal all of their doings to others. He teaches the art of arithmetic, geometry, astronomy, and other handicrafts. He also gives full and true answers to your commands and can render a man invisible, along with showing the place where treasures lie.

## History

Asmoday is taken into the presence of King Solomon by Beelzebub and his father Asmodeus. Sullen, arrogant, and defiant, he tells the king he was born of a human mother and an angel father. He also says that Solomon will have only a temporary hold over the Demons; his kingdom eventually will be divided, and Demons will go out again among men and will be worshipped as gods because humans will not know the names of the angels who thwart the Demons.

He admits that he is afraid of water. Solomon binds Asmoday with care. He orders the Demon to be flogged and orders him to state his activities. Afterwards, Solomon puts him in Iron chains and surrounds him with 10 jars full of water, which make the Demon complain bitterly. Asmoday is forced to make clay vessels for the temple. Solomon also burns the liver and gall of a fish and a branch of storax beneath the Demon, quelling his nasty tongue.

Solomon uses his magic ring to force Asmoday and other Demons to build his magnificent temple. After its completion, Solomon tells Asmoday that he cannot understand why Demons are so powerful when he, their leader, could be so easily chained. Asmoday says he will prove his greatness if Solomon will remove his chains and lend him the magical ring. Solomon does so, only to be hurled far away from Jerusalem.

Asmoday steals the ring, forces Solomon into exile, and becomes king himself. He throws the ring into the sea. But Solomon’s lover, the Ammonite Namah, finds the ring in a fish belly, and the king regains his power. He is immediately transported to Jerusalem when he puts on the ring. As punishment, he puts Asmoday in a jar.

## Myths and Legends

The figure of Ashmedai in the Talmud is less malign in character than the Asmodeus of Tobit. In the former, he appears repeatedly in the light of a good-natured and humorous fellow. But besides that, there is one feature in which he parallels Asmodeus, in as much as his desires turn upon Bathsheba and later Solomon's wives.

Another Talmudic legend has King Solomon tricking Asmodai into collaborating in the construction of the Temple of Jerusalem. Another legend depicts Asmodai throwing King Solomon over 400 leagues away from the capital by putting one wing on the ground and the other stretched skyward. He then changed places for some years with King Solomon. When King Solomon returned, Asmodai fled from his wrath.

In the Testament of Solomon, a 1st–3rd century text, the king invokes Asmoday to aid in the construction of the Temple. The demon appears and predicts Solomon's kingdom will one day be divided. He admits that he is afraid of water. Solomon binds Asmodeus with care. He orders the Demon to be flogged and orders him to state his activities.

## Quotes

* *"Is always hatching plots against newlyweds; I mar the beauty of virgins and cause their hearts to grow cold."* - Asmoday, Testament of Solomon 5:7.

* *"Asmoday is the 32nd spirit of the Ars Goetia, an old collection of demons who were enslaved by King Solomon the Wise. He is the oldest and first-born son of Asmodeus, and lead his brothers, the Asmodai demons, into battles against the heavenly forces."* - Matt Wright.

## Trivia

* One rumor is that Asmoday's conception came to be by accident when King Solomon made a mistake while summoning Asmodeus, a piece of the demon fell off and became Asmoday.
* The Archbishop of Paris approved his portrait in the Dictionnaire Infernal.

## Image Sources

* (32 asmoday.jpg) Asmodai by IzFact
* (32-Asmoday seal.png) Asmoday's seal from the Lesser Key of Solomon
* (Matias-tapia-asmodai.jpg) Asmodai by Matias Tapia
* (Asmoday.jpg) Asmoday by smilingdemon
* (Asmoday Occult.jpg) Asmoday from Occult World