1.
Testament of Solomon, son of David, who was king in Jerusalem, and mastered
and controlled all spirits of the air, on the earth, and under the earth.
By means of them also he wrought all the transcendent works of he Temple.
Telling also of the authorities they wield against men, and by what angels
these demons are brought to naught.
Of the sage
Solomon.
Blessed
art thou, O Lord God, who didst give Solomon such authority. Glory to thee
and might unto the ages. Amen.
2. And behold,
when the Temple of the city of Jerusalem was being builded, and the artificers
were working thereat, Ornias the demon came among them toward sunset; and
he took away half of the pay of the chief-deviser's little boy, as well
as half his food. He also continued to suck the thumb of his right hand
every day. And the child grew thin, although he was very much loved by
the king.
3. So King
Solomon called the boy one day, and questioned him, saying: "Do I not love
thee more than all the artisans who are working in the Temple of God? Do
I not give thee double wages and a double supply of food? How is it that
day by day and hour bt hour thow growest thinner?"
4. But the
child said to the king: "I pray thee, O king. Listen to what has befallen
all that thy child hath. After we are all released from our work on the
Temple of God, after sunset, when I lie down to rest, one of the evil demons
comes and takes away from me one half of my pay and one half of my food.
Then he also takes hold of my right hand and sucks my thumb. And lo, my
soul is opressed, and so my body waxes thinner every day."
5. Now when
I Solomon heard this, I entered the Temple of God, and prayed with all
my soul, night and day, that the demon might be delivered into my hands,
and that I might gain authority over him. And it came about through my
prayer that grace was given to me from the Lord Sabaoth by Michael his
archangel. [He brought me] a little ring, having a seal consisting of an
engraved stone, and said to me: "Take, O Solomon, king, son of David, the
gift which the Lord God has sent thee, the highest Sabaoth. With it thou
shalt lock up all demons of the earth, male and female; and with their
help thou shalt build up Jerusalem. Thou wear this seal of God. And
this engraving of the seal of the ring sent thee is a Pentalpha."
6. And I
Solomon was overjoyed, and praised and glorified the God of heaven and
earth. And on the morrow I called the boy, and gave him the ring, and said
to him: "take this, and at the hour in which the demon shall come unto
thee, throw this ring at the chest of the demon, and say to him: 'In the
name of God, King Solomon calls thee hither.' And then do thou come running
to me, without having any misgivings or fear in respect of aught thou mayest
hear on the part of the demon."
7. So the
child took the ring, and went off; and behold, at the customary hour Ornias,
the fierce demon, came like a burning fire to take the pay from the child.
But the child according to the instructions received from the king, threw
the ring at the chest of the demon, and said: "King Solomon calls thee
hither." And then he went off at a run to the king. But the demon cried
out aloud, saying: "Child, why hast thou done this to me? Take the ring
off me, and I will render to thee the gold of the earth. Only take this
off me, and forbear to lead me away to Solomon."
8. But the
child said to the demon: "As the Lord God of Israel liveth, I will not
brook thee. So come hither." And the child came at a run, rejoicing, to
the king, and said: "I have brought the demon, O king, as thou didst command
me, O my master. And behold, he stands before the gates of the court of
thy palace, crying out, and supplicating with a loud voice; offering me
the silver and gold of the earth if I will only bring him unto thee."
9. And when
Solomon heard this, he rose up from his throne, and went outside into the
vestibule of the court of his palace; and there he saw the demon, shuddering
and trembling. And he said to him: "Who art thou?" And the demon answered:
"I am called Ornias."
10. And
Solomon said to him: "Tell me, O demon, to what zodiacal sign thou art
subject." And he answered: "To thw Water-pourer. And those who are consumed
with desire for the noble virgins upon earth . . . . . [there appears to
be a lacuna here], these I strangle. But in case there is no disposition
to sleep, I am changed into three forms. Whenever men come to be enamoured
of women, I metamorphose myself into a comely female; and I take hold of
the men in their sleep, and play with them. And after a while I again take
to my wings, and hie me to the heavenly regions. I also appear as a lion,
and I am commanded by all the demons. I am offspring of the archangel Uriel,
the power of God."
11. I Solomon,
having heard the name of the archangel, prayed and glorified God, the Lord
of heaven and earth. And I sealed the demon and set him to work at stone-cutting,
so that he might cut the stones in the Temple, which, lying along the shore,
had been brought by the Sea of Arabia. But he, fearful of the iron, continued
and said to me: "I pray thee, King Solomon, let me go free; and I will
bring you all the demons." And as he was not willing to be subject to me,
I prayed the archangel Uriel to come and succour me; and I forthwith beheld
the archangel Uriel coming down to me from the heavens.
12. And
the angel bade the whales of the sea come out of the abyss. And he cast
his destiny upon the ground, and that [destiny] made subject [to him] the
great demon. And he commanded the great demon and bold Ornias, to cut stones
at the Temple. And accordingly I Solomon glorified the God of heaven and
Maker of the earth. And he bade Ornias come with his destiny, and gave
him the seal, saying: "Away with thee, and bring me hither the prince of
all the demons."
13. So Ornias
took the finger-ring, and went off to Beelzeboul, who has kingship over
the demons. He said to him: "Hither! Solomon calls thee." But Beelzeboul,
having heard, said to him: "Tell me, who is this Solomon of whom thou speakest
to me?" Then Ornias threw the ring at the chest of Beelzeboul, saying:
"Solomon the king calls thee." But Beelzeboul cried aloud with a mighty
voice, and shot out a great burning flame of fire; and he arose, and followed
Ornias, and came to Solomon.
14. And
when I saw the prince of demons, I glorified the Lord God, Maker of heaven
and earth, and I said: "Blessed art thou, Lord God Almighty, who hast given
to Solomon thy servant wisdom, the assessor of the wise, and hast subjected
unto me all the power of he devil."
15. And
I questioned him, and said: "Who art thou?" The demon replied: "I am Beelzebub,
the exarch of the demons. And all the demons have their chief seats close
to me. And I it is who make manifest the apparition of each demon." And
he promised to bring to me in bonds all the unclean spirits. And I again
glorified the God of heaven and earth, as I do always give thanks to him.
16. I then
asked of the demon if there were females among them. And when he told me
that there were, I said that I desired to see them. So Beelzeboul went
off at high speed, and brought unto me Onoskelis, that had a very pretty
shape, and the skin of a fair-hued woman; and she tossed her head.
17. And
when she was come, I said to her: "Tell me who art thou?'' But she said
to me: "I am called Onoskelis, a spirit wrought ...[?shabtai/Saturn?],
lurking upon the earth. There is a golden cave where I lie. But I have
a place that ever shifts. At one time I strangle men with a noose; at another,
I creep up from the nature to the arms [in marg: "worms"]. But my most
frequent dwelling-places are the precipices, caves, ravines. Oftentimes,
however, do I consort with men in the semblance of a woman, and above all
with those of a dark skin. For they share my star with me; since they it
is who privily or openly worship my star, without knowing that they harm
themselves, and but whet my appetite for further mischief. For they wish
to provide money by means of memory (commemoration?), but I supply a little
to those who worship me fairly."
18.
And I Solomon questioned her about her birth, and she replied: "I was born
of a voice untimely, the so-called echo of a man's ordure [1]dropped
in a wood."
19. And
I said to her: "Under what star dost thou pass?" And she answered me: "Under
the star of the full moon, for the reason that the moon travels over most
things." Then I said to her: "And what angel is it that frustrates thee?"
And she said to me: "He that in thee [or "through thee" is reigning." And
I thought that she mocked me, and bade a soldier strike her. But she cried
aloud, and said: "I am [subjected] to thee, O king, by the wisdom of God
given to thee, and by the angel Joel."
20. So I
commanded her to spin the hemp for the ropes used in the building of the
house of God; and accordingly, when I had sealed and bound her, she was
so overcome and brought to naught as to stand night and day spinning the
hemp.
21. And
I at once bade another demon to be led unto me; and instantly there approached
me the demon Asmodeus, bound, and I asked him: "Who art thou ?'' But he
shot on me a glance of anger and rage, and said: "And who art thou?'' And
I said to him: "Thus punished as thou art, answerest thou me?" But he,
with rage, said to me: "But how shall I answer thee, for thou art a son
of man; whereas I was born an angel's seed by a daughter of man, so that
no word of our heavenly kind addressed to the earth-born can be overweening.
Wherefore also my star is bright in heaven, and men call it, some the Wain,
and some the dragon's child. I keep near unto this star. So ask me not
many things; for thy kingdom also after a little time is to be disrupted,
and thy glory is but for a season. And short will be thy tyranny over us;
and then we shall again have free range over mankind, so as that they shall
revere us as if we were gods, not knowing, men that they are, the names
of the angels set over us."
22. And
I Solomon, on hearing this, bound him more carefully, and ordered him to
be flogged with thongs of ox-hide, and to tell me humbly what was his name
and what his business. And he answered me thus: "I am called Asmodeus among
mortals, and my business is to plot against the newly wedded, so that they
may not know one another. And I sever them utterly by many calamities,
and I waste away the beauty of virgin women, and estrange their hearts."
23. And
I said to him: "Is this thy only business?" And he answered me: "I transport
men into fits of madness and desire, when they have wives of their own,
so that they leave them, and go off by night and day to others that belong
to other men; with the result that they commit sin, and fall into murderous
deeds."
24. And
I adjured him by the name of the Lord Sabaôth, saying: "Fear God,
Asmodeus, and tell me by what angel thou art frustrated." But he said:
"By Raphael, the archangel that stands before the throne of God. But the
liver and gall of a fish put me to flight, when smoked over ashes of the
tamarisk." I again asked him, and said: "Hide not aught from me. For I
am Solomon, son of David, King of Israel. Tell me the name of the fish
which thou reverest." And he answered: "It is the Glanos by name, and is
found in the rivers of Assyria; wherefore it is that I roam about in those
parts."
25. And
I said to him: "Hast thou nothing else about thee, Asmodeus?" And he answered:
"The power of God knoweth, which hath bound me with the indissoluble bonds
of yonder one's seal, that whatever I have told thee is true. I pray thee,
King Solomon, condemn me not to [go into] water." But I smiled, and said
to him: "As the Lord God of my fathers liveth, I will lay iron on thee
to wear. But thou shalt also make the clay for the entire construction
of the Temple, treading it down with thy feet." And I ordered them to give
him ten water-jars to carry water in. And the demon groaned terribly, and
did the work I ordered him to do. And this I did, because that fierce demon
Asmodeus knew even the future. And I Solomon glorified God, who gave wisdom
to me Solomon his servant. And the liver of the fish and its gall I hung
on the spike of a reed, and burned it over Asmodeus because of his being
so strong, and his unbearable malice was thus frustrated.
26. And
I summoned again to stand before me Beelzeboul, the prince of demons, and
I sat him down on a raised seat of honour, and said to him: "Why art thou
alone, prince of the demons?" And he said to me: "Because I alone am left
of the angels of heaven that came down. For I was first angel in the first
heaven being entitled Beelzeboul. And now I control all those who are bound
in Tartarus. But I too have a child, and he haunts the Red Sea. And on
any suitable occasion he comes up to me again, being subject to me; and
reveals to me what he has done, and I support him.
27.
I Solomon said unto him: "Beelzeboul, what is thy employment?" And he answered
me: "I destroy kings. I ally myself with foreign tyrants. And my own demons
I set on to men, in order that the latter may believe in them and be lost.
And the chosen servants of God, priests and faithful men, I excite unto
desires for wicked sins, and evil heresies, and lawless deeds; and they
obey me, and I bear them on to destruction. And I inspire men with envy,
and [desire for] murder, and for wars and sodomy, and other evil things.
And I will destroy the world."
28. So I
said to him: "Bring to me thy child, who is, as thou sayest, in the Red
Sea." But he said to me: "I will not bring him to thee. But there shall
come to me another demon called Ephippas. Him will I bind, and he will
bring him up from the deep unto me." And I said to him: "How comes thy
son to be in the depth of the sea, and what is his name? "And he answered
me: "Ask me not, for thou canst not learn from me. However, he will come
to thee by any command, and will tell thee openly."
29.
I said to him: "Tell me by what angel thou art frustrated." And he answered:
"By the holy and precious name of the Almighty God, called by the Hebrews
by a row of numbers, of which the sum is 644, and among the Greeks it is
Emmanuel [1]. And if one of the Romans adjure me by
the great name of the power Eleéth, I disappear at once."
30.
I Solomon was astounded when I heard this; and I ordered him to saw up
Theban [1] marbles. And when he began to saw the marbles,
the other demons cried out with a loud voice, howling because of their
king Beelzeboul.
31.
But I Solomon questioned him, saying: "If thou wouldst gain a respite,
discourse to me about the things in heaven." And Beelzeboul said: "Hear,
O king, if thou burn gum, and incense, and bulb of the sea [1],
with nard and saffron, and light seven lamps in an earthquake [2],
thou wilt firmly fix thy house. And if, being pure [3],
thou light them at dawn in the sun alight, then wilt thou see the heavenly
dragons, how they wind themselves along and drag the chariot of the sun."
32.
And I Solomon, having heard this, rebuked him, and said: "Silence for this
present , and continue to saw the marbles as I commanded thee." And I Solomon
praised God, and commanded another demon to present [1]
himself to me. And one came before me who carried his face high up in the
air, but the rest of the spirit curled away like a snail. And it broke
through the few soldiers, and raised also a terrible dust on the ground,
and carried it upwards; and then again hurled it back to frighten us, and
asked what questions I could ask as a rule. And I stood up, and spat [2]
on the ground in that spot, and sealed with the ring of God. And forthwith
the dust-wind stopped. Then I asked him, saying: "Who art thou, O wind?"
Then he once more shook up a dust, and answered me: "What wouldst thou
have, King Solomon?" I answered him: "Tell me what thou art called, and
I would fain ask thee a question. But so far I give thanks to God who has
made me wise to answer their evil plots."
33.
But [the demon] answered me: "I am the spirit of the ashes (Tephras)."
And I said to him: "What is thy pursuit?" And he said: "I bring darkness
on men, and set fire to fields; and I bring homesteads to naught. But most
busy am I in summer. However, when I get an opportunity, I creep into corners
of the wall, by night and day. For I am offspring of the great one, and
nothing less." Accordingly I said to him: "Under what star dost thou lie?"
And he answered: "In the very tip of the moon's horn, when it is found
in the south. There is my star. For I have been bidden to restrain the
convulsions of the hemitertian fever; and this is why many men pray to
the hemitertian fever, using these three names: Bultala, Thallal, Melchal.
And I heal them." And I said to him: "I am Solomon; when therefore thou
wouldst do harm, by whose aid dost thou do it?" But he said to me: "By
the angel's, by whom also the third day's fever is lulled to rest." So
I questioned him, and said: "And by what name [1]?"
And he answered: "That of the archangel Azael." And I summoned the archangel
Azael, and set a seal on the demon, and commanded him to seize great stones,
and toss them up to the workmen on the higher parts of the Temple. And,
being compelled, the demon began to do what he was bidden to do.
34.
And I glorified God afresh who gave me this authority, and ordered another
demon to come before me. And there came seven spirits [1]
, females, bound and woven together, fair in appearance and comely. And
I Solomon, seeing them, questioned them and said: "Who are ye?" But they,
with one accord, said with one voice [2]:
"We are of the thirty-three elements of the cosmic ruler of the darkness
[3]." And the first said: "I am Deception."
The second said: "I am Strife." The third: "I am Klothod, which is battle."
The fourth: "I am Jealousy." The fifth: "I am Power." The sixth: "I am
Error." The seventh: "I am the worst of all, and our stars are in heaven.
Seven stars humble in sheen, and all together. And we are called as it
were goddesses. We change our place all and together, and together we live,
sometimes in Lydia, sometimes in Olympus, sometimes in a great mountain."
35. So I
Solomon questioned them one by one, beginning with the first, and going
down to the seventh. The first said: "I am Deception, I deceive and weave
snares here and there. I whet and excite heresies. But I have an angel
who frustrates me, Lamechalal."
36. Likewise
also the second said: "I am Strife, strife of strifes. I bring timbers,
stones, hangers, my weapons on the spot. But I have an angel who frustrates
me, Baruchiachel."
37.
Likewise also the third said: "I am called Klothod [1],
which is Battle, and I cause the well-behaved to scatter and fall foul
one of the other. And why do I say so much? I have an angel that frustrates
me: "Marmarath."
38. Likewise
also the fourth said: "I cause men to forget their sobriety and moderation.
I part them and split them into parties; for Strife follows me hand in
hand. I rend the husband from the sharer of his bed, and children from
parents, and brothers from sisters. But why tell so much to my despite?
I have an angel that frustrates me, the great Balthial."
39. Likewise
also the fifth said: "I am Power. By power I raise up tyrants and tear
down kings. To all rebels I furnish power. I have an angel that frustrates
me, Asteraôth."
40.
Likewise also the sixth said: "I am Error [1], O King
Solomon. And I will make thee to err, as I have before made thee to err,
when I caused thee to slay thy own brother [2]. I will
lead you into error, so as to pry into graves [3];
and 1 teach them that dig, and I lead errant souls away from all piety,
and many other evil traits are mine. But I have an angel that frustrates
me, Uriel."
41.
Likewise also the seventh said: "I am the worst, and I make thee worse
off than thou wast; because I will impose the bonds of Artemis. But the
locust [1] will set me free, for by means thereof is
it fated that thou shalt achieve my desire . . . . . . . . . . . .. . .
. . For if one were wise, he would not turn his steps toward me."
42. So I
Solomon, having heard and wondered, sealed them with my ring; and since
they were so considerable, I bade them dig the foundations of the Temple
of God. For the length of it was 250 cubits. And I bade them be industrious,
and with one murmur of joint protest they began to perform the tasks enjoined.
43. But
I Solomon glorified the Lord, and bade another demon come before me. And
there was brought to me a demon having all the limbs of a man, but without
a head. And I, seeing him, said to him: "Tell me, who art thou?'' And he
answered: "I am a demon." So I said to him: "Which?" And he answered me:
"I am called Envy. For I delight to devour heads, being desirous to secure
for myself a head; but I do not eat enough, but am anxious to have such
a head as thou hast."
44.
I Solomon, on hearing this, sealed him, stretching out my hand against
his chest. Whereon the demon leapt up, and threw himself down, and gave
a groan, saying: "Woe is me! where am I come to? O traitor Ornias, I cannot
see!" So I said to him: "I am Solomon. Tell me then how thou dost manage
to see." And he answered me: "By means of my feelings." I then, Solomon,
having heard his voice come up to me, asked him how he managed to speak.
And he answered me: "I, O King Solomon, am wholly voice, for I have inherited
the voices of many men. For in the case of all men who are called dumb,
I it is who smashed their heads, when they were children and had reached
their eighth day. Then when a child is crying in the night, I become a
spirit, and glide by means of his voice. . . . In the crossways [1]
also I have many services to render, and my encounter is fraught with harm.
For I grasp in all instant a man's head, and with my hands, as with a sword,
I cut it off, and put it on to myself. And in this way, by means of the
fire which is in me, through my neck it is swallowed up. I it is that sends
grave mutilations and incurable on men's feet, and inflict sores."
45.
And I Solomon, on hearing this, said to him: "Tell me how thou dost discharge
forth the fire? Out of what sources dost thou emit it?" And the spirit
said to me: "From the Day-star [1]. For here hath not
yet been found that Elburion, to whom men offer prayers and kindle lights.
And his name is invoked by the seven demons before me. And he cherishes
them."
46.
But I said to him: "Tell me his name." But he answered: "I cannot tell
thee. For if I tell his name, I render myself incurable. But he will come
in response to his name." And on hearing this, I Solomon said to him: "Tell
me then, by what angel thou art frustrated?" And he answered: "By the fiery
flash of lightning." And I bowed myself before the Lord God of Israel,
and bade him remain in the keeping of Beelzeboul until Iax [1]
should come.
47.
Then I ordered another demon to come before me, and there came into my
presence a hound, having a very large shape, and it spoke with a loud voice,
and said, "Hail, Lord, King Solomon!" And I Solomon was astounded. I said
to it: Who art thou, O hound?" And it answered: "I do indeed seem to thee
to be a hound, but before thou wast, O King Solomon, I was a man that wrought
many unholy deeds on earth. I was surpassingly learned in letters, and
was so mighty that I could hold the stars of heaven back. And many divine
works did I prepare. For I do harm to men who follow after our star, and
turn them to . . . . [1] And I seize the frenzied men
by the larynx, and so destroy them."
48. And
I Solomon said to him: "What is thy name?" And he answered: ''Staff" (Rabdos).
And I said to him: "What is thine employment? And what results canst thou
achieve?" And he replied: ''Give me thy man, and I will lead him away into
a mountainous spot, and will show him a green stone tossed to and fro,
with which thou mayest adorn the temple of the Lord God."
49.
And I Solomon, on hearing this, ordered my servant to set off with him,
and to take the finger-ring bearing the seal of God with him. And I said
to him: "Whoever shall show thee the green stone, seal him with this finger-ring.
And mark the spot with care, and bring me the demon hither. And the demon
showed him the green stone, and he sealed it, and brought the demon to
me. And I Solomon decided to confine with my seal on my right hand the
two, the headless demon, likewise the hound, that was so huge [1];
he should be bound as well. And I bade the hound keep safe the fiery spirit
so that lamps as it were might by day and night cast their light through
its maw on the artisans at work.
50.
And I Solomon took from the mine of that stone 200 shekels for the supports
of the table of incense, which was similar in appearance. And I Solomon
glorified the Lord God, and then closed round the treasure of that stone.
And I ordered afresh the demons to cut marble for the construction of the
house of God. And I Solomon prayed to the Lord, and asked the hound, saying:
"By what angel art thou frustrated?" And the demon replied: "By the great
Brieus [1]."
51.
And I praised the Lord God of heaven and earth, and bade another demon
come forward to me; and there came before me one in the form of a lion
roaring. And he stood and answered me saying: "O king, in the form which
I have, I am a spirit quite incapable of being perceived. Upon all men
who lie prostrate with sickness I leap, coming stealthily along; and I
render the man weak, so that his habit of body is enfeebled. But I have
also another glory, O king. I cast out demons, and I have legions under
my control. And I am capable of being received [1]
in my dwelling-places, along with all the demons belonging to the legions
under me." But I Solomon, on hearing this, asked him: "What is thy name?"
But he answered: "Lion-bearer, Rath [2] in kind." And
I said to him: "How art thou to be frustrated along with thy legions? What
angel is it that frustrates thee?" And he answered: "If I tell thee my
name, I bind not myself alone, but also the legions of demons under me."
52.
So I said to him: "I adjure thee in the name of the God Sabaoth, to tell
me by what name thou art frustrated along with thy host." And the spirit
answered me: "The 'great among men,' who is to suffer many things at the
hands of men, whose name is the figure 644, which is Emmanuel; he it is
who has bound us, and who will then come and plunge us from the steep [1]
under water. He is noised abroad in the three letters which bring him down
[2]."
53. And
I Solomon, on hearing this, glorified God, and condemned his legion to
carry wood from the thicket. And I condemned the lion-shaped one himself
to saw up the wood small with his teeth, for burning in the unquenchable
furnace for the Temple of God.
54.
And I worshipped the Lord God of Israel, and bade another demon come forward.
And there came before me a dragon, three-headed, of fearful hue. And I
questioned him: "Who art thou?" And he answered me: "I am a caltrop-like
spirit [1], whose activity in three lines. But I blind
children in women's wombs, and twirl their ears round. And I make them
deaf [2] and mute. And I have again in my third head
means of slipping in [3]. And I smite men in the limbless
part of the body, and cause them to fall down, and foam, and grind their
teeth. But I have my own way of being frustrated, Jerusalem being signified
in writing, unto the place called 'of the head [4]."
For there is fore-appointed the angel of the great counsel, and now he
will openly dwell on the cross. He doth frustrate me, and to him am I subject."
55.
"But in the place where thou sittest, O King Solomon, standeth a column
in the air, of purple... [1] The demon called Ephippas
hath brought [it] up from the Red Sea, from inner Arabia. He it is that
shall be shut up in a skin-bottle and brought before thee. But at the entrance
of the Temple, which thou hast begun to build, O King Solomon, lies stored
much gold, which dig thou up and carry off." And I Solomon sent my servant,
and found it to be as the demon told me. And I sealed him with my ring,
and praised the Lord God."
56. So I
said to him: "What art thou called?" And the demon said: "I am the crest
of dragons." And I bade him make bricks in the Temple. He had human hands.
57.
And I adored the Lord God of Israel, and bade another demon present himself.
And there came before me a spirit in woman's form, that had a head without
any limbs [1], and her hair was dishevelled. And I
said to her: "Who art thou?" But she answered: "Nay, who art thou? And
why dost thou want to hear concerning me? But, as thou wouldst learn,
here I stand bound before thy face. Go then into thy royal storehouses
and wash thy hands. Then sit down afresh before thy tribunal, and ask me
questions; and thou shalt learn, O king, who I am."
58.
And I Solomon did as she enjoined me, and restrained myself because of
the wisdom dwelling in me [1]; in order that I might
hear of her deeds, and reprehend them, and manifest them to men. And I
sat down, and said to the demon: "What art thou?" And she said: "I am called
among men Obizuth; and by night I sleep not, but go my rounds over all
the world, and visit women in childbirth. And divining the hour I take
my stand [2]; and if I am lucky, I strangle the child.
But if not, I retire to another place. For I cannot for a single night
retire unsuccessful. For I am a fierce [3] spirit,
of myriad names and many shapes. And now hither, now thither I roam. And
to westering parts I go my rounds. But as it now is, though thou hast sealed
me round with the ring of God, thou hast done nothing. I am not standing
before thee, and thou wilt not be able to command me. For I have no work
other than the destruction of children, and the making their ears to be
deaf, and the working of evil to their eyes, and the binding their mouths
with a bond, and the ruin of their minds, and paining of their bodies."
59.
When I Solomon heard this, I marvelled at her appearance, for I beheld
all her body to be in darkness. But her glance was altogether bright and
greeny, and her hair was tossed wildly like a dragon's; and the whole of
her limbs were invisible. And her voice was very clear as it came to me.
And I cunningly said: "Tell me by what angel thou art frustrated, O evil
spirit?" By she answered me: "By the angel of God called Afarôt,
which is interpreted Raphael, by whom I am frustrated now and for all time.
His name, if any man know it, and write the same on a woman in childbirth,
then I shall not be able to enter her. Of this name the number is 640 [1]."
And I Solomon having heard this, and having glorified the Lord, ordered
her hair to be bound, and that she should be hung up in front of the Temple
of God; that all the children of Israel, as they passed, might see it,
and glorify the Lord God of Israel, who had given me this authority, with
wisdom and power from God, by means of this signet.
60. And
I again ordered another demon to come before me. And the came, rolling
itself along, one in appearance like to a dragon, but having the face and
hands of a man. And all its limbs, except the feet, were those of a dragon;
and it had wings on its back. And when I beheld it, I was astonied, and
said: "Who art thou, demon, and what art thou called? And whence hast thou
come? Tell me."
61.
And the spirit answered and said: "This is the first time I have stood
before the, O King Solomon. I am a spirit made into a god among men, but
now brought to naught by the ring and wisdom vouchsafed to thee by God.
Now I am the so-called winged dragon [1], and I chamber
not with many women, but only with a few that are of fair shape, which
possess the name of xuli, of this star. And I pair with them in the guise
of a spirit winged in form, coitum habens per nates. And she on whom I
have leapt goes heavy with child, and that which is born of her becomes
eros. But since such offspring cannot be carried by men, the woman in question
breaks wind. Such is my role. Supposed then only that I am satisfied, and
all the other demons molested and disturbed by thee will speak the whole
truth. But those composed of fire [2] will cause to
be burned up by fire the material of the logs which is to be collected
by them for the building in the Temple."
62. And
as the demon said this, I saw the spirit going forth from his mouth, and
it consumed the wood of the frankincense-tree, and burned up all the logs
which we had placed in the Temple of God. And I Solomon saw what the spirit
had done, and I marvelled.
63. And,
having glorified God, I asked the dragon-shaped demon, and said: "Tell
me, by what angel art thou frustrated?" And he answered: "By the great
angel which has its seat in the second heaven, which is called in Hebrew
Bazazeth. And I Solomon, having heard this, and having invoked his angel,
condemned him to saw up marbles for the building of the Temple of God;
and I praised God, and commanded another demon to come before me.
64.
And there came before my face another spirit, as it were a woman in the
form she had. But on her shoulders she had two other heads with hands.
And I asked her, and said: "Tell me, who art thou?" And she said to me:
"I am Enêpsigos, who also have a myriad names." And I said her: "By
what angel art thou frustrated?" But she said to me: "What seekest, what
askest thou? I undergo changes, like the goddess I am called. And I change
again, and pass into possession of another shape. And be not desirous therefore
to know all that concerns me. But since thou art before me for this much,
hearken. I have my abode in the moon, and for that reason I possess three
forms. At times I am magically [1] invoked by the wise
as Kronos. At other times, in connexion with those who bring me down, I
come down and appear in another shape. The measure of the element [2]
is inexplicable and indefinable, and not to be frustrated. I then, changing
into these three forms, come down and become such as thou seest me; but
I am frustrated by the angel Rathanael, who sits in the third heaven. This
then is why I speak to thee. Yonder temple cannot contain me."
65.
I therefore Solomon prayed to my God, and I invoked the angel of whom Enépsigos
spoke to me, and used my seal. And I sealed her with a triple chain, and
(placed) beneath her the fastening of the chain. I used the seal of God,
and the spirit prophesied to me, saying: "This is what thou, King Solomon,
doest to us. But after a time thy kingdom shall be broken, and again in
season this Temple shall be riven asunder [1]; and
all Jerusalem shall be undone by the King of the Persians and Medes and
Chaldaeans. And the vessels of this Temple, which thou makest, shall be
put to servile uses of the gods; and along with them all the jars, in which
thou dost shut us up, shall be broken by the hands of men. And then we
shall go forth in great power hither and thither, and be disseminated all
over the world. And we shall lead astray the inhabited world for a long
season, until the Son of God is stretched upon the cross. For never before
doth arise a king like unto him, one frustrating us all, whose mother shall
not have contact with man. Who else can receive such authority over spirits,
except he, whom the first devil will seek to tempt, but will not prevail
over? The number of his name is 644 [2], which is Emmanuel.
Wherefore, O King Solomon, thy time is evil, and thy years short and evil,
and to thy servant shall thy kingdom be given [3]."
66. And
I Solomon, having heard this, glorified God. And though I marvelled at
the apology of the demons, I did not credit it until it came true. And
I did not believe their words; but when they were realized, then I understood,
and at my death I wrote this Testament to the children of Israel, and gave
it to them, so that they might know the powers of the demons and their
shapes, and the names of their angels, by which these angels are frustrated.
And I glorified the Lord God of Israel, and commanded the spirits to be
bound with bonds indissoluble.
67.
And having praised God, I commanded another spirit to come before me; and
there came before my face another demon, having in front the shape of a
horse, but behind of a fish. And he had a mighty voice, and said to me:
"O King Solomon, I am a fierce spirit of the sea, and I am greedy of gold
and silver. I am such a spirit as rounds itself and comes over the expanses
of the water of the sea, and I trip up the men who sail thereon. For I
round myself into a wave [1], and transform myself,
and then throw myself on ships and come right in on them. And that is my
business, and my way of getting hold of money and men. For I take the men,
and whirl them round with myself, and hurl the men out of the sea. For
I am not covetous of men's bodies, but cast them up out of the sea so far.
But since Beelzeboul, ruler of the spirits of air and of those under the
earth, and lord of earthly ones, hath a joint kingship with us in respect
of the deeds of each one of us, therefore I went up from the sea, to get
a certain outlook [2] in his company.
68.
"But I also have another character and role. I metamorphose myself into
waves, and come up from the sea. And I show myself to men, so that those
on earth call me Kuno[s]paston [1], because I assume
the human form. And my name is a true one. For by my passage up into men,
I send forth a certain nausea. I came then to take counsel with the prince
Beelzeboul; and he bound me and delivered me into thy hands. And I am here
before thee because of this seal, and thou dost now torment me [2].
Behold now, in two or three days the spirit that converseth with thee will
fail, because I shall have no water."
69.
And I said to him: "Tell me by what angel thou art frustrated." And he
answered: "By Iameth." And I glorified God. I commanded the spirit to be
thrown into a phial along with ten jugs of sea-water of two measures each
[1]. And I sealed them round above the marbles and
asphalt and pitch in the mouth of the vessel. And having sealed it with
my ring, I ordered it to be deposited in the Temple of God. And I ordered
another spirit to come before me.
70. And
there came before my face another enslaved spirit, having obscurely the
form of a man, with gleaming eyes, and bearing in his hand a blade. And
I asked: "Who art thou? But he answered: "I am a lascivious spirit, engendered
of a giant man who dies in the massacre in the time of the giants." I said
to him: "Tell me what thou art employed on upon earth, and where thou hast
thy dwelling."
71.
And he said: "My dwelling is in fruitful places, but my procedure is this.
I seat myself beside the men who pass along among the tombs, and in untimely
season I assume the form of the dead; and if I catch any one, I at once
destroy him with my sword. But if I cannot destroy him, I cause him to
be possessed with a demon, and to devour his own flesh, and the hair to
fall off his chin." But I said to him: "Do thou then be in fear of the
God of heaven and of earth, and tell me by angel thou art frustrated."
And he answered: "He destroys me who is to become Saviour, a man whose
number, if any one shall write it on his forehead [1],
he will defeat me, and in fear I shall quickly retreat. And, indeed, if
any one write this sign on him, I shall be in fear." And I Solomon, on
hearing this, and having glorified the Lord God, shut up this demon like
the rest.
72.
And I commanded another demon to come before me. And there came before
my face thirty-six spirits, their heads shapeless like dogs, but in themselves
they were human in form; with faces of asses, faces of oxen, and faces
of birds. And I Solomon, on hearing and seeing them, wondered, and I asked
them and said: "Who are you?" But they, of one accord with one voice, said
[1]: "We are the thirty-six elements, the world-rulers
[2] of this darkness. But, O King Solomon, thou wilt
not wrong us nor imprison us, nor lay command on us; but since the Lord
God has given thee authority over every spirit, in the air, and on the
earth, and under the earth, therefore do we also present ourselves before
thee like the other spirits, from ram and bull, from both twin and crab,
lion and virgin, scales and scorpion, archer, goat-horned, water-pourer,
and fish.
73. Then
I Solomon invoked the name of the Lord Sabaoth, and questioned each in
turn as to what was its character. And I bade each one come forward and
tell of its actions. Then the first one came forward, and said: "I am the
first decans of the zodiacal circle, and I am called the ram, and with
me are these two." So I put to them the question: "Who are ye called?"
The first said: "I, O Lord, am called Ruax, and I cause the heads of men
to be idle, and I pillage their brows. But let me only hear the words,
'Michael, imprison Ruax,' and at once I retreat."
74. And
the second said: "I am called Barsafael, and I cause those who are subject
to my hour to feel the pain of migraine. If only I hear the words, 'Gabriel,
imprison Barsafael,' at once I retreat."
75.
The third said: "I am called Arôtosael. I do harm to eyes, and grievously
injure them. Only let me hear the words, 'Uriel, imprison Aratosael' (sic),
at once I retreat . . . . . [1]"
76. The
fifth said: "I am called Iudal, and I bring about a block in the ears and
deafness of hearing. If I hear, 'Uruel Iudal,' I at once retreat."
77.
The sixth said: "I am called Sphendonaêl. I cause tumours of the
parotid gland, and inflammations of the tonsils, and tetanic recurvation
[1]. If I hear, 'Sabrael, imprison Sphendonaêl,'
at once I retreat.''
78. And
the Seventh said: "I am called Sphandôr, and I weaken the strength
of the shoulders, and cause them to tremble; and I paralyze the nerves
of the hands, and I break and bruise the bones of the neck. And I, I suck
out the marrow. But if I hear the words, 'Araêl, imprison Sphandôr,'
I at once retreat."
79. And
the eight said: "I am called Belbel. I distort the hearts and minds of
men. If I hear the words, 'Araêl, imprison Belbel,' I at once retreat."
80. And
the ninth said: "I am called Kurtaêl. I send colics in the bowels.
I induce pains. If I hear the words, 'Iaôth, imprison Kurtaêl,'
I at once retreat."
81. The
tenth said: "I am called Metathiax. I cause the reins to ache. If I hear
the words, 'Adônaêl, imprison Metathiax,' I at once retreat."
82. The
eleventh said: "I am called Katanikotaêl. I create strife and wrongs
in men's homes, and send on them hard temper. If any one would be at peace
in his home, let him write on seven leaves of laurel the name of the angel
that frustrates me, along with these names: Iae, Ieô, sons of Sabaôth,
in the name of the great God let him shut up Katanikotaêl. Then let
him wash the laurel-leaves in water, and sprinkle his house with the water,
from within to the outside. And at once I retreat."
83. The
twelfth said: "I am called Saphathoraél, and I inspire partisanship
in men, and delight in causing them to stumble. If any one will write on
paper these names of angels, Iacô, Iealô, Iôelet, Sabaôth,
Ithoth, Bae, and having folded it up, wear it round his neck or against
his ear, I at once retreat and dissipate the drunken fit."
84. The
thirteenth said: "I am called Bobêl (sic), and I cause nervous illness
by my assaults. If I hear the name of the great 'Adonaêl, imprison
Bothothêl,' I at once retreat."
85. The
fourteenth said: "I am called Kumeatêl, and I inflict shivering fits
and torpor. If only I hear the words: 'Zôrôêl, imprison
Kumentaêl,' I at once retreat."
86. The
fifteenth said: "I am called Roêlêd. I cause cold and frost
and pain in the stomach. Let me only hear the words: 'Iax, bide not, be
not warmed, for Solomon is fairer than eleven fathers,' I at [once] retreat."
87.
The sixteenth said: "I am called Atrax. I inflict upon men fevers, irremediable
and harmful. If you would imprison me, chop up coriander [1]
and smear it on the lips, reciting the following charm: 'The fever which
is from dirt. I exorcise thee by the throne of the most high God, retreat
from dirt and retreat from the creature fashioned by God.' And at once
I retreat."
88. The
seventeenth said: "I am called Ieropaêl. On the stomach of men I
sit, and cause convulsions in the bath and in the road; and wherever I
be found, or find a man, I throw him down. But if any one will say to the
afflicted into their ear these names, three times over, into the right
ear: 'Iudarizê, Sabunê, Denôê,' I at once retreat."
89. The
eighteenth said: "I am called Buldumêch. I separate wife from husband
and bring about a grudge between them. If any one write down the names
of thy sires, Solomon, on paper and place it in the ante-chamber of his
house, I retreat thence. And the legend written shall be as follows: 'The
God of Abram, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob commands thee
-- retire from this house in peace.' And I at once retire."
90. The
nineteenth said: "I am called Naôth, and I take my seat on the knees
of men. If any one write on paper: 'Phnunoboêol, depart Nathath,
and touch thou not the neck,' I at once retreat."
91. The
twentieth said: "I am called Marderô. I send on men incurable fever.
If any one write on the leaf of a book: 'Sphênêr, Rafael, retire,
drag me not about, flay me not,' and tie it round his neck, I at once retreat."
92.
The twenty-first said: "I am called Alath, and I cause coughing and hard-breathing
in children. If any one write on paper: 'Rorêx, do thou pursue Alath,'
and fasten it round his neck, I at once retire... [1]"
93. The
twenty-third said: "I am called Nefthada. I cause the reins to ache, and
I bring about dysury. If any one write on a plate of tin the words: 'Iathôth,
Uruêl, Nephthada,' and fasten it round the loins, I at once retreat."
94. The
twenty-fourth said: "I am called Akton. I cause ribs and lumbic muscles
to ache. If one engrave on copper material, taken from a ship which has
missed its anchorage, this: 'Marmaraôth, Sabaôth, pursue Akton,'
and fasten it round the loin, I at once retreat."
95. The
twenty-fifth said: "I am called Anatreth, and I rend burnings and fevers
into the entrails. But if I hear: 'Arara, Charara,' instantly do I retreat."
96. The
twenty-sixth said: "I am called Enenuth. I steal away men's minds, and
change their hearts, and make a man toothless (?). If one write: 'Allazoôl,
pursue Enenuth,' and tie the paper round him, I at once retreat."
97.
The twenty-seventh said: "I am called Phêth. I make men consumptive
and cause hemorrhagia. ,If one exorcise me in wine, sweet-smelling and
unmixed by the eleventh aeon [1], and say: 'I exorcise
thee by the eleventh aeon to stop, I demand, Phêth (Axiôphêth),'
then give it to the patient to drink, and I at once retreat."
98. The
twenty-eighth said: "I am called Harpax, and I send sleeplessness on men.
If one write 'Kokphnêdismos,' and bind it round the temples, I at
once retire."
99. The
twenty-ninth said: "I am called Anostêr. I engender uterine mania
and pains in the bladder. If one powder into pure oil three seeds of laurel
and smear it on, saying: 'I exorcise thee, Anostêr. Stop by Marmaraô,'
at once I retreat."
100. The
thirtieth said: "I am called Alleborith. If in eating fish one has swallowed
a bone, then he must take a bone from the fish and cough, and at once I
retreat."
101. The
thirty-first said: "I am called Hephesimireth, and cause lingering disease.
If you throw salt, rubbed in the hand, into oil and smear it on the patient,
saying: 'Seraphim, Cherubim, help me!' I at once retire."
102. The
thirty-second said: "I am called Ichthion. I paralyze muscles and contuse
them. If I hear 'Adonaêth, help!' I at once retire."
103.
The thirty-third said: "I am called Agchoniôn. I lie among swaddling-clothes
and in the precipice. And if any one write on fig-leaves 'Lycurgos,' taking
away one letter at a time, and write it, reversing the letters, I retire
at once. 'Lycurgos, ycurgos, kurgos, yrgos, gos, os. [1]'"
104. The
thirty-fourth said: "I am called Autothith. I cause grudges and fighting.
Therefore I am frustrated by Alpha and Omega, if written down."
105. The
thirty-fifth said: "I am called Phthenoth. I cast evil eye on every man.
Therefore, the eye much-suffering, if it be drawn. frustrates me."
106. The
thirty-sixth said: "I am called Bianakith. I have a grudge against the
body. I lay waste houses, I cause flesh to decay, and all else that is
similar. If a man write on the front-door of his house: 'Mêltô,
Ardu, Anaath,' I flee from that place."
107. And
I Solomon, when I heard this, glorified the God of heaven and earth. And
I commanded them to fetch water in the Temple of God. And I furthermore
prayed to the Lord God to cause the demons without, that hamper humanity,
to be bound and made to approach the Temple of God. Some of these demons
I condemned to do the heavy work of the construction of the Temple of God.
Others I shut up in prisons. Others I ordered to wrestle with fire in (the
making of) gold and silver, sitting down by lead and spoon. And to make
ready places for the other demons in which they should be confined.
108. And
I Solomon had much quiet in all the earth, and spent my life in profound
peace, honoured by all men and by all under heaven. And I built the entire
Temple of the Lord God. And my kingdom was prosperous, and my army was
with me. And for the rest the city of Jerusalem had repose, rejoicing and
delighted. And all the kings of the earth came to me from the ends of the
earth to behold the Temple which I builded to the Lord God. And having
heard of the wisdom given to me, they did homage to me in the Temple, bringing
gold and silver and precious stones, many and divers, and bronze, and iron,
and lead, and cedar logs. And woods decay not they brought me, for the
equipment of the Temple of God.
109. And
among them also the queen of the South, being a witch, came in great concern
and bowed low before me to the earth. And having heard my wisdom, she glorified
the God of Israel, and she made formal trial of all my wisdom, of all love
in which I instructed her, according to the wisdom imparted to me. And
all the sons of Israel glorified God.
110. And
behold, in those days one of the workmen, of ripe old age, threw himself
down before me, and said: "King Solomon, pity me, because I am old." So
I bade him stand up, and said: "Tell me, old man, all you will." And he
answered: "I beseech you king, I have an only-born son, and he insults
and beats me openly, and plucks out the hair of my head, and threatens
me with a painful death. Therefore I beseech you avenge me.
111. And
I Solomon, on hearing this, felt compunction as I looked at his old age;
and I bade the child be brought to me. And when he was brought I questioned
him whether it were true. And the youth said: "I was not so filled with
madness as to strike my father with my hand. Be kind to me, O king. For
I have not dared to commit such impiety, poor wretch that I am." But I
Solomon on hearing this from the youth, exhorted the old man to reflect
on the matter, and accept his son's apology. However, he would not, but
said he would rather let him die. And as the old man would not yield, I
was about to pronounce sentence on the youth, when I saw Ornias the demon
laughing. I was very angry at the demon's laughing in my presence; and
I ordered my men to remove the other parties, and bring forward Ornias
before my tribunal. And when he was brought before me, I said to him: "Accursed
one, why didst thou look at me and laugh?" And the demon answered: "Prithee,
king, it was not because of thee I laughed, but because of this ill-starred
old man and the wretched youth, his son. For after three days his son will
die untimely; and lo, the old man desires to foully make away with him."
112. But
I Solomon, having heard this, said to the demon: "Is that true that thou
speakest?" And he answered: "It is true; O king." And I, on hearing that,
bade them remove the demon, and that they should again bring before me
the old man with his son. I bade them make friends with one another again,
and I supplied them with food. And then I told the old man after three
days to bring his son again to me here; "and," said I, "I will attend to
him." And they saluted me, and went their way.
113. And
when they were gone I ordered Ornias to be brought forward, and said to
him: "Tell me how you know this;" and he answered: "We demons ascend into
the firmament of heaven, and fly about among the stars. And we hear the
sentences which go forth upon the souls of men, and forthwith we come,
and whether by force of influence, or by fire, or by sword, or by some
accident, we veil our act of destruction; and if a man does not die by
some untimely disaster or by violence, then we demons transform ourselves
in such a way as to appear to men and be worshipped in our human nature."
114.
I therefore, having heard this, glorified the Lord God, and again I questioned
the demon, saying: "Tell me how ye can ascend into heaven, being demons,
and amidst the stars and holy angels intermingle." And he answered: "Just
as things are fulfilled in heaven, so also on earth (are fulfilled) the
types [1] of all of them. For there are principalities,
authorities, world-rulers [2], and we demons fly about
in the air; and we hear the voices of the heavenly beings, and survey all
the powers. And as having no ground (basis) on which to alight and rest,
we lose strength and fall off like leaves from trees. And men seeing us
imagine that the stars are falling from heaven. But it is not really so,
O king; but we fall because of our weakness, and because we have nowhere
anything to lay hold of; and so we fall down like lightnings [3]
in the depth of night and suddenly. And we set cities in flames and fire
the fields. For the stars have firm foundations in the heavens like the
sun and the moon."
115. And
I Solomon, having heard this, ordered the demon to be guarded for five
days. And after the five days I recalled the old man, and was about to
question him. But he came to me in grief and with black face. And I said
to him: "Tell me, old man, where is thy son? And what means this garb?"
And he answered: "Lo, I am become childless, and sit by my son's grave
in despair. For it is already two days that he is dead." But I Solomon,
on hearing that, and knowing that the demon Ornias had told me the truth,
glorified the God of Israel.
116.
And the queen of the South saw all this, and marvelled, glorifying the
God of Israel; and she beheld the Temple of the Lord being builded. And
she gave a siklos [1] of gold and one hundred myriads
of silver and choice bronze, and she went into the Temple. And (she beheld)
the altar of incense and the brazen supports of this altar, and the gems
of the lamps flashing forth of different colours, and of the lamp-stand
of stone, and of emerald, and hyacinth, and sapphire; and she beheld the
vessels of gold, and silver, and bronze, and wood, and the folds of skins
dyed red with madder. And she saw the bases of the pillars of the Temple
of the Lord. All were of one gold ... [2] apart from
the demons whom I condemned to labour. And there was peace in the circle
of my kingdom and over all the earth.
117. And
it came to pass, which I was in my kingdom, the King of the Arabians, Adares,
sent me a letter, and the writing of the letter was written as follows:
--
"To
King Solomon, all hail! Lo, we have heard, and it hath been heard unto
all the ends of the earth, concerning the wisdom vouchsafed in thee, and
that thou art a man merciful from the Lord. And understanding hath been
granted thee over all the spirits of the air, and on earth, and under the
earth. Now, forasmuch as there is present in the land of Arabia a spirit
of the following kind: at early dawn there begins to blow a certain wind
until the third hour. And its blast is harsh and terrible, and it slays
man and beast. And no spirit can live upon earth against this demon. I
pray thee then, forasmuch as the spirit is a wind, contrive something according
to the wisdom given in thee by the Lord thy God, and deign to send a man
able to capture it. And behold, King Solomon, I and my people and all my
land will serve thee unto death. And all Arabia shall be at peace with
thee, if thou wilt perform this act of righteousness for us. Wherefore
we pray thee, contemn not our humble prayer, and suffer not to be utterly
brought to naught the eparchy subordinated to thy authority. Because we
are suppliants, both I and my people and all my land. Farewell to my Lord.
All health!"
118.
And I Solomon read this epistle; and I folded it up and gave it to my people,
and said to them: "After seven days shalt thou remind me of this epistle.
And Jerusalem was built, and the Temple was being completed. And there
was a stone [1], the end stone of the corner lying
there, great, chosen out, one which I desired lay in the head of the corner
of the completion of the Temple. And all the workmen, and all the demons
helping them came to the same place to bring up the stone and lay it on
the pinnacle of the holy Temple, and were not strong enough to stir it,
and lay it upon the corner allotted to it. For that stone was exceedingly
great and useful for the corner of the Temple."
119. And
after seven days, being reminded of the epistle of Adares, King of Arabia,
I called my servant and said to him: "Order thy camel and take for thyself
a leather flask, and take also this seal. And go away into Arabia to the
place in which the evil spirit blows; and there take the flask, and the
signet-ring in front of the mouth of the flask, and (hold them) towards
the blast of the spirit. And when the flask is blown out, thou wilt understand
that the demon is (in it). Then hastily tie up the mouth of to flask, and
seal it securely with the seal-ring, and lay it carefully on the camel
and bring it me hither. And if on the way it offer thee gold or silver
or treasure in return for letting it go, see that thou be not persuaded.
But arrange without using oath to release it. And then if it point out
to the places where are gold or silver, mark the places and seal them with
this seal. And bring the demon to me. And now depart, and fare thee well."
120. Then
the youth did as was bidden him. And he ordered his camel, and laid on
it a flask, and set off into Arabia. And the men of that region would not
believe that he would be able to catch the evil spirit. And when it was
dawn, the servant stood before the spirit's blast, and laid the flask on
the ground, and the finger-ring on the mouth of the flask. And the demon
blew through the middle of the finger-ring into the mouth of the flask,
and going in blew out the flask. But the man promptly stood up to it and
drew tight with his hand the mouth of the flask, in the name of the Lord
God of Sabaôth. And the demon remained within the flask. And after
that the youth remained in that land three days to make trial. And the
spirit no longer blew against that city. And all the Arabs knew that he
had safely shut in the spirit.
121. Then
the youth fastened the flask on the camel, and the Arabs sent him forth
on his way with much honour and precious gifts, praising and magnifying
the God of Israel. But the youth brought in the bag and laid it in the
middle of the Temple. And on the next day, I King Solomon, went into the
Temple of God and sat in deep distress about the stone of the end of the
corner. And when I entered the Temple, the flask stood up and walked around
some seven steps and then fell on its mouth and did homage to me. And I
marvelled that even along with the bottle the demon still had power and
could walk about; and I commanded it to stand up. And the flask stood up,
and stood on its feet all blown out. And I questioned him, saying: "Tell
me, who art thou?" And the spirit within said: "I am the demon called Ephippas,
that is in Arabia." And I said to him: "Is this thy name?" And he answered:
"Yes; wheresoever I will, I alight and set fire and do to death."
122.
And I said to him: "By what angel art thou frustrated?" And he answered:
"By the only-ruling God, that hath authority over me even to be heard.
He that is to be born of a virgin and crucified by the Jews on a cross.
Whom the angels and archangels worship. He doth frustrate me, and enfeeble
me of my great strength, which has been given me by my father the devil."
And I said to him: "What canst thou do?'' And he answered: ''I am able
to remove [1] mountains, to overthrow the oaths of
kings. I wither trees and make their leaves to fall off." And I said to
him: "Canst thou raise this stone, and lay it for the beginning of this
corner which exists in the fair plan of the Temple [2]?''
And he said: "Not only raise this, O king; but also, with the help of the
demon who presides over the Red Sea, I will bring up the pillar of air
[3], and will stand it where thou wilt in Jerusalem.''
123. Saying
this, I laid stress on him, and the flask became as if depleted of air.
And I placed it under the stone, and (the spirit) girded himself up, and
lifted it up top of the flask. And the flask went up the steps, carrying
the stone, and laid it down at the end of the entrance of the Temple. And
I Solomon, beholding the stone raised aloft and placed on a foundation,
said: "Truly the Scripture is fulfilled, which says: 'The stone which the
builders rejected on trial, that same is become the head of the corner.'
For this it is not mine to grant, but God's, that the demon should be strong
enough to lift up so great a stone and deposit it in the place I wished."
124. And
Ephippas led the demon of the Red Sea with the column. And they both took
the column and raised it aloft from the earth. And I outwitted these two
spirits, so that they could not shake the entire earth in a moment of time.
And then I sealed round with my ring on this side and that, and said: "Watch."
And the spirits have remained upholding it until this day, for proof of
the wisdom vouchsafed to me. And there the pillar was hanging of enormous
size, in mid air, supported by the winds. And thus the spirits appeared
underneath, like air, supporting it. And if one looks fixedly, the pillar
is a little oblique, being supported by the spirits; and it is so to day.
125.
And I Solomon questioned the other spirit which came up with the pillar
from the depth of the Red Sea. And I said to him: "Who art thou, and what
calls thee? And what is thy business? For I hear many things about thee.''
And the demon answered: "I, O King Solomon, am called Abezithibod. I am
a descendant of the archangel. Once as I sat in the first heaven, of which
the name is Ameleouth -- I then am a fierce spirit and winged, and with
a single wing, plotting against every spirit under heaven. I was present
when Moses went in before Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and I hardened his heart.
I am he whom Iannes and Iambres invoked homing [1]
with Moses in Egypt. I am he who fought against Moses [2]
with wonders with signs."
126. I said
therefore to him: "How wast thou found in the Red Sea?" And he answered:
"In the exodus of the sons of Israel I hardened the heart of Pharaoh. And
I excited his heart and that of his ministers. And I caused them to pursue
after the children of Israel. And Pharaoh followed with (me) and all the
Egyptians. Then I was present there, and we followed together. And we all
came up upon the Red Sea. And it came to pass when the children of Israel
had crossed over, the water returned and hid all the host of the Egyptians
and all their might. And I remained in the sea, being kept under this pillar.
But when Ephippas came, being sent by thee, shut up in the vessel of a
flask, he fetched me up to thee."
127.
I, therefore, Solomon, having heard this, glorified God and adjured the
demons not to disobey me, but to remain supporting the pillar. And they
both sware, saying: "The Lord thy God liveth, we will not let go this pillar
until the world's end. But on whatever day this stone fall, then shall
be the end of the world [1]."
128.
And I Solomon glorified God, and adorned the Temple of the Lord with all
fair-seeming. And I was glad in spirit in my kingdom, and there was peace
in my days. And I took wives of my own from every land, who were numberless.
And I marched against the Jebusaeans, and there I saw Jebusaean, daughter
of a man: and fell violently in love with her, and desired to take her
to wife along with my other wives. And I said to their priests: "Give me
the Sonmanites (i.e. Shunammite) to wife [1]." But
the priests of Moloch said to me: "If thou lovest this maiden, go in and
worship our gods, the great god Raphan and the god called Moloch." I therefore
was in fear of the glory of God, and did not follow to worship. And I said
to them: "I will not worship a strange god. What is this proposal, that
ye compel me to do so much?" But they said: ". . . . . [2]
by our fathers."
129.
And when I answered that I would on no account worship strange gods, they
told the maiden not to sleep with me until I complied and sacrificed to
the gods. I then was moved, but crafty Eros brought and laid by her for
me five grasshoppers, saying: "Take these grasshoppers, and crush them
together in the name of the god Moloch; and then will I sleep with you."
And this I actually did. And at once the Spirit of God departed from me,
and I became weak as well as foolish in my words. And after that I was
obliged by her to build a temple of idols to Baal [1],
and to Rapha, and to Moloch, and to the other idols.
130.
I then, wretch that I am, followed her advice, and the glory of God quite
departed from me; and my spirit was darkened, and I became the sport of
idols and demons. Wherefore I wrote out this Testament, that ye who get
possession of it may pity, and attend to the last things [1],
and not to the first. So that ye may find grace for ever and ever.
Amen.
