A practitioner sits before a black mirror, tracing the seal of Barbatos on the floor. Across the room, a Heathen offers a horn of mead to Vidar. Two very different traditions, two very different powers. But the question arises: which one is stronger? The answer depends on what you seek.
Barbatos is a Goetic duke of Hell who commands thirty legions and understands the songs of birds. Vidar is a Norse god, son of Odin, known for his silence, his iron shoe, and his role as avenger at Ragnarok. Both are figures of formidable power, but their domains and the traditions that invoke them could not be more different. This comparison examines their origins, abilities, and practical roles so you can decide which entity aligns with your working.
Where Do Barbatos and Vidar Come From?
Barbatos appears in the Ars Goetia, the first book of The Lesser Key of Solomon (compiled in the mid-17th century, though its material draws on earlier grimoires such as the Pseudomonarchia Daemonum by Johann Weyer, 1563). Weyer lists Barbatos as a duke who appears with four kings and gives understanding of the voices of birds, knowledge of the past and future, and the power to reconcile friends and allies. The Goetia itself is attributed pseudepigraphally to King Solomon, who is said to have bound demons into a bronze vessel.
Vidar comes from Norse mythology, recorded in the Poetic Edda (13th century) and Snorri Sturluson’s Prose Edda (c. 1220). He is the son of Odin and the giantess Gríðr. In the Vafþrúðnismál, Odin learns that Vidar will avenge him by killing the wolf Fenrir at Ragnarok. Snorri adds that Vidar is “silent” and possesses a thick shoe made from the leather scraps that people cut from their own shoes as an offering. The shoe allows him to brace Fenrir’s jaws apart and stab the wolf through the heart.
The two figures emerge from entirely different cultural and chronological contexts: one from Renaissance ceremonial magic rooted in Judeo-Christian angelology, the other from pre-Christian Germanic myth. Comparing them requires respecting those frameworks.
What Each Figure Symbolizes
Barbatos embodies communication, reconciliation, and hidden knowledge. His association with birds links him to the liminal space between earth and sky, the mundane and the divine. In Goetic tradition, birds often carry omens or messages from the spirit world. Barbatos grants the magician the ability to interpret those messages, to see what is concealed, and to mend broken relationships. He is a diplomat of the infernal court.
Vidar symbolizes silent strength, vengeance, and survival. He speaks little but acts decisively. His iron shoe is a tool of destruction, but it is also a symbol of preparation: the leather scraps that form it come from offerings made by the faithful. Vidar does not merely avenge Odin; he survives Ragnarok and becomes one of the new world’s rulers. He is the god who endures when the old order falls.
The contrast is sharp. Barbatos works through words and understanding. Vidar works through action and endurance. One reconciles; the other avenges.
How You Speak to Each
In traditional Goetic practice, Barbatos is summoned within a protective circle, using his seal (a circular diagram with a central star and specific Hebrew names) and the appropriate conjurations from the Ars Goetia. The magician commands the spirit with authority, often using the divine names of the Solomonic tradition. Barbatos appears as a “strong man” or a “king” accompanied by four other kings, according to Weyer. The goal is to gain knowledge or to effect reconciliation between parties.
Vidar is not typically “summoned” in the same sense. In modern Heathenry, he is honored through blóts (sacrificial rites) where offerings of mead, ale, or meat are given. A practitioner might call upon Vidar for strength in a difficult fight, for the courage to endure a long silence, or for vengeance against an injustice. There is no binding; he is a god, and the relationship is one of reciprocity. Some Heathens cut a small piece of leather from their own shoes and offer it to Vidar, following the mythic precedent.
The practical difference is fundamental: Barbatos is a spirit that can be commanded within a hierarchical system. Vidar is a god to be honored and petitioned.
Barbatos vs Vidar: Which Powers Overlap and Which Diverge?
Knowledge and prophecy. Barbatos can reveal past and future events. Vidar does not prophesy; he acts on prophecy. In the Eddas, he is the fulfillment of the prediction that Odin will be avenged.
Combat and strength. Vidar is a warrior god who kills Fenrir, one of the most powerful beings in Norse myth. Barbatos does not fight; his power is intellectual and social. If you need physical protection or retribution, Vidar is the obvious choice. If you need hidden information or peacemaking, Barbatos is more direct.
Reconciliation. Barbatos reconciles friends and allies. Vidar’s vengeance is the opposite of reconciliation. One mends bonds; the other severs them permanently.
Animal communication. Barbatos understands birds. Vidar has no such association. The bird symbolism is unique to Barbatos among the Goetic spirits.
Survival after catastrophe. Vidar outlives Ragnarok. Barbatos, as a demon, is bound to the infernal hierarchy and does not face an apocalyptic end in the same sense. But in terms of endurance, Vidar represents the power to persist through the end of the world.
Common Misconceptions
“Barbatos is evil because he is a demon.” In the Goetic tradition, demons are not necessarily malevolent. They are spirits with specific functions. Barbatos is described as “good of nature” in some versions of the Goetia. The moral framework is different from modern pop-culture demonology.
“Vidar is a minor god.” Because he appears only in a few myths, some assume he is unimportant. But surviving Ragnarok and avenging Odin places him among the most significant of the Aesir. He is one of the few gods who will rule the new world.
“Vidar is mute.” The Eddas call him “silent,” not mute. Silence is a chosen attribute, not a disability. It may reflect his role as the one who acts without boasting.
“Barbatos can be summoned casually.” Goetic evocation requires preparation, a protective circle, and a clear purpose. Treating it as a parlor trick is disrespectful and dangerous.
FAQ
Can Barbatos and Vidar be worked with together? In theory, yes, but the frameworks are incompatible. Barbatos operates within a Solomonic ritual structure; Vidar is a Norse god. Mixing traditions without deep understanding risks confusion and ineffective practice.
Is Vidar stronger than Barbatos? “Stronger” depends on context. In physical combat, Vidar is vastly superior. In knowledge and persuasion, Barbatos holds the advantage. They are not designed for the same tasks.
What does Barbatos’s bird symbolism mean? Birds in many traditions are messengers between worlds. Barbatos’s ability to understand them signifies mastery over hidden communication and omens.
Why does Vidar wear an iron shoe? In the myth, the shoe is made from leather scraps that people cut from their own shoes as a devotional act. It allows him to brace Fenrir’s jaws open. Some interpret the shoe as a symbol of the collective offerings of the faithful.
The comparison between Barbatos and Vidar is not a contest of raw power. It is a study in how different traditions define strength. One speaks. One acts. Both are formidable in their own domains.
For a deeper look at the Goetic hierarchy, explore our guide to demonology and the Goetia. To understand the Norse pantheon, see our glossary of Norse gods and terms. And if you are considering practical work with either figure, our guide to working with Goetic spirits offers a structured approach.