64. Haures: 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.

Haures is number 64 in the catalog of 72 spirits that opens the Lesser Key of Solomon. The 1904 edition by S. L. MacGregor Mathers and Aleister Crowley calls him a duke ruling 36 legions, and the first office it gives him is this: Haures gives true answers of all things present, past, and to come, but “if he be not commanded into a Triangle, he will Lie in all these Things.”

He is the leopard duke who lies outside the triangle and speaks truly of the fall of the angels inside it. 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:

Haures, or Hauras, or Havres, or Flauros. The Sixty-fourth Spirit is Haures, or Hauras, or Havres, or Flauros. He is a Great Duke, and appeareth at first like a Leopard, Mighty, Terrible, and Strong, but after a while, at the Command of the Exorcist, he putteth on Human Shape with Eyes Flaming and Fiery, and a most Terrible Countenance. He giveth True Answers of all things, Present, Past, and to Come. But if he be not commanded into a Triangle, he will Lie in all these Things, and deceive and beguile the Exorcist in these things or in such and such business. He will, lastly, talk of the Creation of the World, and of Divinity, and of how he and other Spirits fell. He destroyeth and burneth up those who be the Enemies of the Exorcist should he so desire it; also he will not suffer him to be tempted by any other Spirit or otherwise. He governeth 36 Legions of Spirits, and his Seal is this, to be worn as a Lamen, etc.

Haures appears “like a Leopard, Mighty, Terrible, and Strong” and then as a man “with Eyes Flaming and Fiery, and a most Terrible Countenance”. He gives true answers of past, present and future, “But if he be not commanded into a Triangle, he will Lie in all these Things”. He will “talk of the Creation of the World, and of Divinity, and of how he and other Spirits fell”, destroys the exorcist’s enemies, and protects him from temptation. His seal is “to be worn as a Lamen”.

Appearance

Historical Haures appears “at first like a Leopard, Mighty, Terrible, and Strong,” but after a while, at command, “putteth on Human Shape with Eyes Flaming and Fiery, and a most Terrible Countenance.”

Offices in the Ars Goetia

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

• Gives true answers of all things present, past, and to come, but “if he be not commanded into a Triangle, he will Lie in all these Things.”
• Talks of the creation of the world, of divinity, and of how he and other spirits fell.
• Destroys and burns up the magician’s enemies, “should he so desire it.” Reported as history; not taught here.
• Will not suffer the magician to be tempted by any other spirit.

Source comparison: Weyer and Scot

Historical Scot’s translation of Weyer gives “Flauros” as “a strong duke,” “seene in the forme of a terrible strong leopard,” with a terrible countenance and fiery eyes in human shape.

He “answereth trulie” of past, present, and future, but “if he be in a triangle, he lieth.” Scot’s modern editor notes that the punctuation should probably be transposed: he lies if he is not in the triangle. Weyer gives 20 legions, the Goetia 36.

Historical Weyer’s Latin says the opposite of the Goetia about the triangle: “Si fuerit in triangulo, mentitur in cunctis”, if he is in the triangle, he lies in everything. In Weyer the destruction of enemies is not his own wish: “Divina virtute cogitur”, he is compelled by divine power, with all the other spirits, to burn the exorcist’s adversaries. Weyer gives 20 legions, the Goetia 36. (About Weyer and Scot.)

Name and etymology

Historical Weyer writes Flauros, and the 1904 text Haures, Hauras, Havres or Flauros. No meaning is known.

Seal and images

Historical The seal above is Haures’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 Flauros, shows a crouching leopard-like beast with clawed, almost human hands and a long tail.

Later tradition and modern practice

Later tradition The many variants of the name, from Flauros to Haures, show how a single letter can drift.

Modern Modern writers sometimes present Haures as a protector, following his office of guarding the magician from temptation.

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

Practical notes

Haures is said to lie unless constrained in the triangle, and one of his offices is burning the magician’s enemies. He falls outside the beginner criteria, and I do not teach that office.

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

Try this: one question to study

Write out the triangle sentence in Weyer’s Latin and in the 1904 text, and decide which one fits the rest of the Goetia’s rules about the triangle.

What next

To compare Haures with other spirits of his rank, read Amdusias and Vapula.

Later tradition In the Golden Dawn scheme of the decans, Haures is the night spirit of the first decan of Capricorn, which belongs to the Two of Pentacles; the day spirit of the same decan is Berith (spirit 28).