56. Gremory: 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 56 of the Ars Goetia is Gremory. The 1904 edition by S. L. MacGregor Mathers and Aleister Crowley calls him a duke ruling 26 legions, and the first office it gives him is this: Gremory tells of all things past, present, and to come.

He is a duke in the shape of a beautiful woman, one of the clearest mismatches of rank and form in the catalog. 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:

Gremory, or Gamori. The Fifty-sixth Spirit is Gremory, or Gamori. He is a Duke Strong and Powerful, and appeareth in the Form of a Beautiful Woman, with a Duchess’s Crown tied about her waist, and riding on a Great Camel. His Office is to tell of all Things Past, Present, and to Come; and of Treasures Hid, and what they lie in; and to procure the Love of Women both Young and Old. He governeth 26 Legions of Spirits, and his Seal is this, etc.

Gremory is “a Duke Strong and Powerful” who appears “in the Form of a Beautiful Woman, with a Duchess’s Crown tied about her waist, and riding on a Great Camel”. The text moves from “He” to “her waist” within one sentence. The offices are to tell “of all Things Past, Present, and to Come; and of Treasures Hid, and what they lie in”, and to “procure the Love of Women both Young and Old”.

Appearance

Historical Gremory appears “in the Form of a Beautiful Woman, with a Duchess’s Crown tied about her waist, and riding on a Great Camel.”

Offices in the Ars Goetia

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

• Tells of all things past, present, and to come.
• Tells of treasures hid and what they lie in.
• Procures the love of women, “both Young and Old.” Reported as history; not taught here.

He governs 26 legions. The text uses “he,” though the form is a woman’s.

Source comparison: Weyer and Scot

Historical The Weyer catalog, as Scot renders it, gives “Gomory” as “a strong and a mightie duke,” “like a faire woman, with a duchesse crownet about hir midle, riding on a camell,” who answers of past, present, and future and of hidden treasure, and “procureth the love of women, especiallie of maids.”

Scot uses “hir” in describing the crown. Both give 26 legions.

Historical Weyer’s Latin has “apparet ut mulier pulcherrima”, he appears like a most beautiful woman, and “ducali cingitur corona”, he is girded with a ducal crown, so the crown around the waist comes from the Latin verb. The love office is “amorem mulierum, & maximè puellarum”, the love of women, and above all of girls, which the Goetia changes to “both Young and Old”. (About Weyer and Scot.)

Name and etymology

Historical Weyer writes Gomory, and the 1904 text Gremory or Gamori. No meaning is known.

Seal and images

Historical The seal above is Gremory’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 Le Breton’s 1863 plate, titled Gomory, shows a veiled woman riding a camel, with the crown on her head rather than at her waist.

Later tradition and modern practice

Modern Gremory is often described in modern sources as female, following the appearance. Some modern practitioners approach Gremory as a spirit of love and attraction, and some as a spirit of female power. These are modern readings.

Lore about Gremory’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 Gremory, read incense, plants and offerings.

Practical notes

Gremory’s love office is aimed at other people, which I do not teach. The divination office is not harmful, but Gremory does not fit the teaching criteria.

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

Try this: one question to study

Weyer’s “cingitur” means “is girded”. Decide whether Le Breton, who put the crown on the head, had read the Latin closely.

What next

To compare Gremory with other spirits of his rank, read Murmur and Alloces.

Later tradition In the Golden Dawn scheme of the decans, Gremory is the night spirit of the second decan of Libra, which belongs to the Three of Swords; the day spirit of the same decan is Purson (spirit 20).