11. Gusion: 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 11 of the Ars Goetia is Gusion. The 1904 edition by S. L. MacGregor Mathers and Aleister Crowley calls him a duke ruling 40 legions, and the first office it gives him is this: Gusion tells all things past, present, and to come.

His entry is short and almost entirely about answering questions, but his appearance is one of the Goetia’s unsolved puzzles. 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:

Gusion. The Eleventh Spirit in order is a great and strong Duke, called Gusion. He appeareth like a Xenopilus. He telleth all things, Past, Present, and to Come, and showeth the meaning and resolution of all questions thou mayest ask. He conciliateth and reconcileth friendships, and giveth Honour and Dignity unto any. He ruleth over 40 Legions of Spirits. His Seal is this, the which wear thou as aforesaid.

Gusion is a “great and strong Duke” who “appeareth like a Xenopilus”, with no further explanation. His offices are knowledge of past, present and future, showing “the meaning and resolution of all questions”, reconciling friendships and giving honour and dignity. The entry is a good example of how the Goetia treats divination, reconciliation and social favour as related powers.

Appearance

Historical Gusion “appeareth like a Xenopilus.” No one knows what a Xenopilus is; Sloane 3825 spells it “Xenophilus.”

Offices in the Ars Goetia

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

• Tells all things past, present, and to come.
• Shows the meaning and resolution of all questions asked.
• Conciliates and reconciles friendships.
• Gives honor and dignity to anyone.

Source comparison: Weyer and Scot

Historical Scot’s Weyer has “Gusoin,” “a great duke, and a strong, appearing in the forme of a Xenophilus.” The offices match. Weyer’s Latin gives Gusoyn 45 legions, Scot 40.

The spelling Xenophilus, Greek for “lover of strangers” or “friend of guests,” suggests a lost meaning, possibly an animal or a personification, but no source explains it. The Goetia’s Xenopilus may be a further copying slip.

Historical Weyer’s Latin has “in forma zenophali”, which Scot rendered as “Xenophilus”. One modern editor has suggested that the Latin might stand for cynocephalus, “dog-headed”, which would make sense as an image, but that is a conjecture. Weyer also gives him 45 legions (“quadragintaquinque”), five more than Scot and the Goetia. (About Weyer and Scot.)

Name and etymology

Historical Weyer and Scot spell him Gusoyn and Gusoin. The name has no known meaning.

Seal and images

Historical The seal above is Gusion’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

Later tradition Sloane 3825 has “Xenophilus.” No one knows what creature is meant.

Modern Some modern illustrators show Gusion as a baboon-headed figure, a choice inspired by the Egyptian god Thoth’s baboon, with no textual basis.

The mystery of the Xenopilus has produced many modern guesses: a baboon, a cynocephalus, a stranger, a creature with a fox’s head. None is supported by the texts. Modern practitioners sometimes approach Gusion for clarity on questions and for repairing friendships.

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

Practical notes

Gusion is a duke, and his offices of explaining questions and reconciling friendships involve no harm. He fits the beginner criteria reasonably well, especially for a question about understanding a subject you are studying. Do not use contact work to influence a particular friend’s feelings. Reconciliation is best pursued directly with the person.

In the directory, Gusion is one of the 30 spirits that fit the beginner criteria.

Try this: one question to study

Write the three forms Zenophali, Xenophilus and Xenopilus in a row and think about how each copy could have produced the next.

What next

To compare Gusion with other spirits of his rank, read Barbatos and Eligos.

Later tradition In the Golden Dawn scheme of the decans, Gusion is the day spirit of the second decan of Cancer, which belongs to the Three of Cups; the night spirit of the same decan is Vual (spirit 47).