The Encyclopedia Of Demons And Demonology

2 Abezethibou
Abel was placed in a Franciscan monastery by his
mother. He became enraged at the instructor of novices
for beating him, and he plotted revenge. At his trial, Abel
confessed that a black spaniel appeared to him and promised
to help him and always go to his aid if he would surrender
himself to the dog.
In 1582, Abel was arrested on charges of sorcery and
spell casting, which he admitted. The demon never made
good on his promise of rescue. Abel was found guilty
and sentenced to be hanged and garroted and his body
burned. He was executed on July 20, 1582.
FURTHER READING:
Plancy, Collin de. Dictionary of Witchcraft. Edited and translated
by Wade Baskin. Originally published as Dictionary
of Demonology. New York: Philosophical Library, 1965.
Abezethibou One-winged DEMON who lives in the Red
Sea, plots against every wind under the heavens, and is
the enemy of Moses.
In the Testament of Solomon, Abezethibou states that
he once sat in the first heaven, named Amelouth. He was
present when Moses was taken before the pharaoh of Egypt
and was summoned to the aid of the Egyptian magicians
when they sought to discredit Moses. Abezethibou takes
credit for turning the pharaoh against Egypt and for inciting
the Egyptians to pursue the Israelites in their exodus.
When the parted Red Sea falls in on the Egyptians, Abezethibou
is trapped with the pillar of air, until the demon
EPHIPPAS arrives to take him to King SOLOMON. Solomon
binds Abezethibou and Ephippas to the pillar (perhaps
a reference to the Milky Way) and commands that they
hold it up in the air until the end of time.
FURTHER READING:
The Old Testament Pseudepigrapha. Vols. 1 & 2. Edited by
James H. Charlesworth. 1983. Reprint, New York: Doubleday,
1985.
Gnosticism, Mithraism featured a complex astrology and
numerology. Numerical values of Mithra’s and Abraxas’
names each total 365.
The Gnostic Abraxas created the material world and
also had demonic qualities. He is the supreme power of
being, in whom light and darkness are both united and
transcended. Orthodox Christians viewed Abraxas as a
demon. In turn, Abraxas became a favorite deity of heretical
sects of the Middle Ages.
Gnostic talismans made of carved opal show Abraxas
as a figure with a human body, the head of a rooster (or
occasionally a hawk), and SERPENT legs. His hands hold a
shield and a whip, the shield usually inscribed with the
name Iao, reminiscent of the Jewish four-letter name of
God. He is often mounted on a chariot drawn by four
white horses, with both Sun and Moon overhead.
The rooster represents wakefulness and is related to
the human heart and the universal heart, the Sun. The human
torso embodies the principle of logos, or articulated
thought. The snake legs indicate prudence. The shield is
symbolic of wisdom, the great protector of divine warriors.
The whip denotes the relentless driving power of
life. The four horses symbolize the four ethers by which
solar power is circulated throughout the universe.
The seven letters of the name of Abraxas represent the
seven creative powers and planetary spheres, or ANGELs,
recognized in the ancient world. The letters add up to a
numerological value of 365, the number of days and powers
of the year.
Abigor DEMON who is a grand duke in HELL. Abigor
appears as a handsome man on a horse, holding a standard
or scepter. He knows all the secrets of war and
sees the future. He teaches leaders how to win the loyalty
of soldiers. In hell, he commands 60 LEGIONs of
demons.
Abraxas (Abrasax, Abraxis) Gnostic name for the
demigod who rules the 365th (highest and final) aeon, or
sphere, ascending to the unknowable God. Christian
demonologists put Abraxas in the ranks of DEMONs.
Abraxas also was the name of a sun mounting an
ouroborus (a snake biting its tail) held by the highest
Egyptian goddess, Isis, the creator of the Sun and mistress
of all the gods. Isis mythology found its way into
Gnosticism. In addition, Abraxas was associated with the
Mithraic mystery religion of Persian origin, the chief rival
of Christianity in Rome in its first 400 years. As did
Abigor (DICTIONNAIRE INFERNAL)