A stock dove perches on a battlement. Its voice is hoarse, almost a human whisper carried on the wind. This is Halphas, the 38th spirit of the Ars Goetia, and he does not come to deliver prophecies. He comes to build towers and fill them with weapons. Halphas is a great earl of Hell who appears as a stock dove and speaks in a hoarse voice. He builds towers, supplies them with arms and ammunition, and sends men to war. He commands 26 legions of spirits.
What Halphas Is, Exactly
The Ars Goetia, the first book of the Lesser Key of Solomon, describes Halphas as a great earl who appears in the form of a stock dove. His voice is hoarse. His work is military construction: he builds towers, fills them with arms and ammunition, and sends men to war. The text assigns him 26 legions of spirits, a substantial command that places him among the higher-ranking earls of the Goetic hierarchy.
The stock dove (Columba oenas) is a wild pigeon, not the white dove of peace. Its plumage is grey with a greenish neck patch, and it nests in tree holes and old buildings. The choice is deliberate. A dove that builds towers and arms soldiers is a contradiction made visible. The grimoires do not explain the symbolism. They let the image stand.
Where Halphas Comes From: The Primary Sources
The earliest known appearance of Halphas is in Johann Weyer’s Pseudomonarchia Daemonum (1563). Weyer, a Dutch physician and demonologist, compiled a catalog of demons that later became the backbone of the Goetia. In his list, Halphas appears as Malthas or Malthus, a variant that persists in some later manuscripts. Weyer gives the same description: a stock dove, a hoarse voice, towers and arms, 26 legions.
The Ars Goetia itself was compiled in the 17th century, drawing heavily on Weyer’s work. The most widely used English edition is the 1904 translation by S.L. MacGregor Mathers and Aleister Crowley, published as The Goetia: The Lesser Key of Solomon the King. In that edition, Halphas is number 38, with his sigil drawn on a separate plate.
Etymological speculation connects his name to Hebrew halaph (to change, to pass) or Arabic khalaf (successor, substitute). Neither is certain. The name may simply be a corruption of an earlier source. We do not know.
What the Stock Dove Means
The stock dove is not the dove of Venus or the Holy Spirit. It is a bird of wild places, known for its repetitive, low cooing. In medieval bestiaries, doves symbolized fidelity and gentleness. But the stock dove was also associated with fortresses and ruins, places where it nested. Halphas takes that association and weaponizes it.
His hoarse voice matters. In the Goetia, spirits often speak in voices that betray their nature. A clear, musical voice suggests a higher rank or a more refined spirit. A hoarse voice suggests a being accustomed to shouting over the clash of metal. Halphas does not whisper secrets. He barks orders.
The towers he builds are not metaphors. The grimoires treat them as literal structures, material or spiritual, that he can raise on command. For the practitioner, this makes Halphas a spirit of fortification in every sense: physical defenses, psychological barriers, strategic planning.
How Halphas Is Used in Practice
In traditional ceremonial magic, Halphas is invoked for military success, to cause enmity between enemies, or to fortify a location. The conjuration follows the standard Goetic procedure: the magician draws the spirit’s sigil on virgin parchment, stands within a consecrated circle, and recites the conjuration from the Goetia. The spirit appears as a stock dove and may be commanded to perform his office.
The sigil of Halphas, as printed in the 1904 edition, is a geometric design of intersecting lines and curves. It is drawn on parchment or engraved on a metal lamella, typically during the planetary hour of Mars. The practitioner then presents the sigil to the spirit as a seal of authority.
We note that Halphas is not a spirit of destruction. He builds. This makes him useful for long-term operations rather than immediate attacks. A magician seeking to protect a home, a business, or a ritual space might call on Halphas to raise invisible walls. A soldier or strategist might ask him to supply arms or to disrupt an enemy’s supply lines.
The grimoires warn that all Goetic spirits must be treated with respect and dismissed properly. Halphas is no exception. A careless conjuration can leave a spirit bound to the location, causing disturbances.
How Halphas Compares to Other War Spirits
Halphas is one of several Goetic spirits associated with war, but his role is distinct.
Raum (number 40) appears as a crow and destroys cities. He tears down what Halphas builds. Andras (number 63) appears as an owl and sows discord among men. He creates chaos; Halphas creates order for battle. Bune (number 26) changes the dead and enriches the poor. He governs strategy in a different sense, more about resources than fortifications.
Halphas is unique in being constructive. The other war spirits break, kill, or confuse. Halphas supplies and fortifies. He is the quartermaster, not the front line.
In the hierarchy of the Goetia, great earls rank below dukes and princes but above knights and presidents. Halphas’s 26 legions place him in the upper tier of earls. For comparison, the great earl Vine commands 36 legions, while Gusion commands 40. Halphas’s command is substantial but not the largest.
Common Misconceptions About Halphas
Misconception: Halphas is a dove of peace. The stock dove is not the white dove. He is a war spirit. His appearance is a tactical choice, not a symbol of gentleness.
Misconception: Halphas is the same as Malthus. Some early texts use Malthas or Malthus interchangeably with Halphas. The 1904 Goetia standardizes the name as Halphas. The two names likely refer to the same spirit, but the variant Malthus appears in some secondary sources and can cause confusion.
Misconception: Halphas builds physical towers only. The grimoires allow for both material and spiritual construction. A tower raised by Halphas may be a literal stone structure or an astral fortification that protects the magician’s aura.
Misconception: Halphas is dangerous to summon. All Goetic spirits require proper preparation, a consecrated circle, and a clear purpose. Halphas is no more dangerous than any other spirit if the rules are followed. The danger lies in summoning without respect or without a banishing ritual.
FAQ
What rank does Halphas hold in the Ars Goetia?
Halphas is a great earl, the fourth rank in the Goetic hierarchy, below dukes and princes.
How many legions does Halphas command?
He commands 26 legions of spirits, each legion consisting of roughly 6,660 spirits according to traditional demonology.
What does Halphas’s sigil look like?
His sigil is a complex geometric design of intersecting lines and curves, printed in the 1904 Goetia. It is drawn on parchment or engraved on metal for conjuration.
Is Halphas a peaceful spirit because he appears as a dove?
No. The stock dove is a wild bird, and Halphas’s function is military construction and supply. He is a spirit of war, not peace.
Halphas stands apart from the destroyers. He builds. For the practitioner, this makes him a spirit of strategy and preparation rather than raw destruction. To understand his place among the 72, explore our guide to the Goetic hierarchy and the sigils of the great earls. For a broader view of the tradition, see our demonology and Goetia hub.