41. Focalor: a duke of the Ars Goetia

How to read the labels Historical what the old sources say. Later tradition what later writers added. Modern modern practice and my own notes.

Spirit 41 of the Ars Goetia is Focalor. The 1904 edition by S. L. MacGregor Mathers and Aleister Crowley calls him a duke ruling 30 legions, and the first office it gives him is this: Focalor slays men and drowns them in the waters.

His entry pairs a deadly office with a built-in limit, and it shows the Goetia softening one of Weyer’s sharpest lines. Each part below carries a label for its layer, explained in how to read a spirit page.

At a glance

The 1904 entry

Historical The full entry from the 1904 edition, with footnote numbers and the dash after the heading left out and the heading set in ordinary type:

Focalor. The Forty-first Spirit is Focalor, or Forcalor, or Furcalor. He is a Mighty Duke and Strong. He appeareth in the Form of a Man with Gryphon’s Wings. His office is to slay Men, and to drown them in the Waters, and to overthrow Ships of War, for he hath Power over both Winds and Seas; but he will not hurt any man or thing if he be commanded to the contrary by the Exorcist. He also hath hopes to return to the Seventh Throne after 1,000 years. He governeth 30 Legions of Spirits, and his Seal is this, etc.

Focalor appears “in the Form of a Man with Gryphon’s Wings”, and his office is stated flatly: “to slay Men, and to drown them in the Waters, and to overthrow Ships of War”. The reason follows, “for he hath Power over both Winds and Seas”. Then comes a limit: “he will not hurt any man or thing if he be commanded to the contrary by the Exorcist.” Like Phenex, he hopes to return to the Seventh Throne, here after 1,000 years.

Appearance

Historical Focalor “appeareth in the Form of a Man with Gryphon’s Wings.”

Offices in the Ars Goetia

Historical The offices of Focalor, in the order the 1904 text gives them:

• Slays men and drowns them in the waters. Reported as history; not taught here.
• Overthrows ships of war. Reported as history; not taught here.
• Has power over both winds and seas.

“But he will not hurt any man or thing if he be commanded to the contrary by the Exorcist.” He “hath hopes to return to the Seventh Throne after 1,000 years” and governs 30 legions.

Source comparison: Weyer and Scot

Historical The Weyer catalog, as Scot renders it, gives “Focalor” as “a great duke comming foorth as a man, with wings like a griphen,” who “killeth men, and drowneth them in the waters, and overturneth ships of warre.” If bidden to hurt no one, “he willinglie consenteth thereto.”

Weyer says he hopes to return after 1,000 years, “but he is deceived,” a sharp remark the Goetia drops. Scot gives 3 legions, a mistranslation of Weyer’s triginta (thirty). Several Goetia manuscripts follow Scot; Mathers prints 30 and notes that “three is given instead of 30 in several Codices.”

Historical Weyer’s Latin says “Imperat mari & vento”, he rules sea and wind, and adds “si huic mandetur, ne homines lædat, libenter obsequitur”, if he is ordered not to harm people, he obeys willingly. The hope of return is “post mille annos”, after a thousand years, as in the Goetia. (About Weyer and Scot.)

Name and etymology

Historical The 1904 text gives Forcalor and Furcalor beside Focalor. No meaning is known.

Seal and images

Historical The seal above is Focalor’s as printed in 1904, and by the rules of the Observations it would be made in copper, the metal of his rank. Why seals were worn, why editions draw them differently and how to study one are explained in seals, circle and triangle.

Later tradition and modern practice

Modern Focalor’s entry is often cited in modern writing for its clause about refraining from harm when commanded. Some modern practitioners connect him with the sea and with protection on water.

Lore about Focalor’s personality, likes or chosen people is modern, not grimoire material; modern approaches explains where such claims come from.

Beginner’s quick reference

Before you burn or handle anything listed for Focalor, read incense, plants and offerings.

Practical notes

Focalor’s main offices are killing and drowning. He falls outside the beginner criteria, and I do not teach those offices. If you are traveling by water, follow ordinary safety guidance.

In the directory, Focalor is not among the 30 spirits that fit the beginner criteria.

Try this: one question to study

Compare how Weyer and the 1904 text end the sentence about the Seventh Throne, and decide what the two missing Latin words change.

What next

To compare Focalor with other spirits of his rank, read Vepar and Vual.

Later tradition In the Golden Dawn scheme of the decans, Focalor is the night spirit of the second decan of Taurus, which belongs to the Six of Pentacles; the day spirit of the same decan is Marbas (spirit 5).