57. Ose: a president 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.

Ose is spirit 57 of the 72 in the Ars Goetia, the first book of the Lesser Key of Solomon. The 1904 edition by S. L. MacGregor Mathers and Aleister Crowley calls him a president ruling 3 (Mathers: “should probably be 30”) legions, and the first office it gives him is this: Ose makes one cunning in the liberal sciences.

He teaches the liberal sciences and can make a person believe he has become something else. 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:

Osé, or Voso. The Fifty-seventh Spirit is Oso, Osé, or Voso. He is a Great President, and appeareth like a Leopard at the first, but after a little time he putteth on the Shape of a Man. His Office is to make one cunning in the Liberal Sciences, and to give True Answers of Divine and Secret Things; also to change a Man into any Shape that the Exorcist pleaseth, so that he that is so changed will not think any other thing than that he is in verity that Creature or Thing he is changed into. He governeth 3 Legions of Spirits, and this is his Seal, etc.

Ose appears “like a Leopard at the first” and then as a man. He makes one “cunning in the Liberal Sciences” and gives “True Answers of Divine and Secret Things”. The third office is the one readers remember: “to change a Man into any Shape that the Exorcist pleaseth, so that he that is so changed will not think any other thing than that he is in verity that Creature or Thing he is changed into.” The change is in the person’s belief, not his body. The 1904 text prints 3 legions, and Mathers notes it “Should probably be 30”.

Appearance

Historical Ose appears “like a Leopard at the first, but after a little time he putteth on the Shape of a Man.”

Offices in the Ars Goetia

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

• Makes one cunning in the liberal sciences.
• Gives true answers of divine and secret things.
• Changes a man into any shape the magician pleases, “so that he that is so changed will not think any other thing than that he is in verity that Creature or Thing he is changed into.”

The 1904 text gives 3 legions, with Mathers’ note: “Should probably be 30. For these 72 Great Spirits of the Book Goetia are all Princes and Leaders of numbers.”

Source comparison: Weyer and Scot

Historical Scot’s Weyer gives “Ose” as “a great president,” like a leopard, who, “counterfeting to be a man,” makes one cunning in the liberal sciences, answers truly of divine and secret things, and “bringeth a man to that madnes, that he thinketh himselfe to be that which he is not; as that he is a king or a pope, or that he weareth a crowne on his head.”

Scot adds a Latin phrase, “Duratque id regnum ad horam,” meaning that this “kingdom” lasts an hour. The Goetia generalizes the office and drops the time limit. Scot’s English, like Weyer’s Latin, gives no number of legions. The figure of 3 comes from the English manuscripts (Sloane 3825 reads 3).

Historical Weyer’s Latin is more precise about the madness: “ad eam insaniam eum redigit, ut sibi persuadeat esse quod non est”, he brings a man to such insanity that he persuades himself he is what he is not, “quemadmodum se esse regem vel papam”, for example a king or a pope, wearing a crown. The hour limit quoted by Scot is Weyer’s own sentence, “duratque id regnum horam”. Weyer also says Ose takes human shape “hominem mentitus”, by feigning a man. (About Weyer and Scot.)

Name and etymology

Historical Weyer writes Oze, Scot Ose, and the 1904 text Osé, Oso or Voso. No meaning is known.

Seal and images

Historical The seal above is Ose’s as printed in 1904, and by the rules of the Observations it would be made in mercury, the metal of his rank. Mercury is toxic, so a modern copy belongs on paper. 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 Ose’s office of making people believe they are something they are not reads, to a modern eye, like a description of a delusion. Some modern writers connect Ose with identity, transformation, and role play. These are modern readings.

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

Practical notes

Ose has a teaching office, but his transformation office describes a delusion. I do not teach that office. Because of it, Ose is not recommended for a first contact. If you ever find yourself convinced you are someone else, or that you have a special identity no one else recognizes, see Goetia safety, ethics and mental health and seek help.

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

Try this: one question to study

Weyer’s delusion lasts an hour; the 1904 text gives no limit. Decide what the missing hour changes in how the office reads.

What next

To compare Ose with other spirits of his rank, read Amy and Camio.

Later tradition In the Golden Dawn scheme of the decans, Ose is the night spirit of the third decan of Libra, which belongs to the Four of Swords; the day spirit of the same decan is Marax (spirit 21).