A Roman priest once told a Greek colleague that his gods had no myths, only rituals. The Greek laughed. The Roman was not joking. The Ars Goetia presents a different problem: its spirits have names, seals, and functions, but almost no stories. Orobas is one of the few exceptions. Orobas is the twentieth spirit of the Ars Goetia, a Great Prince of Hell who appears as a horse-headed man and answers truthfully about past, present, and future. He grants dignities, confirms favors, and never deceives the summoner. That last clause is rare in the Goetia, and it matters.
Who Is Orobas in the Lemegeton?
The Lemegeton Clavicula Salomonis, compiled in the mid-17th century from earlier manuscripts, places Orobas as the twentieth spirit. He commands twenty legions of spirits. His seal is a geometric figure of intersecting lines and circles, to be drawn on parchment or engraved on metal before invocation.
The text describes him as appearing “at first in the form of a horse, but at the command of the exorcist he putteth on the image of a man.” This dual nature is not decorative. The horse form represents raw power and instinct. The human form represents reason and speech. Orobas bridges both.
His primary function is truth-telling. The Goetia specifies that he “telleth all things past, present, and to come” and “giveth dignities and preferments.” He also “confirmeth favors” and is described as “true and faithful” to the exorcist. The text adds a striking detail: “he deceiveth none, nor suffereth any to be tempted.”
That last phrase is unusual. Most Goetic spirits require careful handling, protective circles, and precise commands. Orobas is presented as cooperative. The 17th-century compiler, likely a clergyman working from earlier grimoires, included this reassurance for a reason. Some spirits were considered dangerous or deceptive. Orobas was not among them.
Where Does the Name Orobas Come From?
The name Orobas has no clear etymology in Hebrew, Greek, or Latin. Some scholars connect it to the Greek “oros” (mountain) or the Latin “orobias” (a type of horse). Neither is satisfying. The Goetia’s names are often corrupted from earlier sources, and Orobas may be a scribal error that stuck.
What matters is the consistency of his description across manuscripts. The horse-headed man appears in the earliest known copies of the Lemegeton, including Sloane MS 3825 (British Library, circa 1640) and Harley MS 6483 (circa 1670). The details do not change. Orobas was not a later addition or a misattribution.
The 19th-century occult revival brought Orobas into wider circulation. Samuel Liddell MacGregor Mathers, co-founder of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, translated the Goetia in 1904. Aleister Crowley edited and published it as The Goetia: The Lesser Key of Solomon the King. Crowley’s edition includes the seals, the invocations, and the descriptions. Orobas appears unchanged.
What Does Orobas Look Like? The Horse-Headed Prince
The Goetia gives two forms: first a horse, then a man. The horse is not specified by color or breed. The man is not described beyond the head. This brevity is typical of grimoire descriptions, which prioritize function over appearance.
Later occult traditions filled in the gaps. In the Golden Dawn system, Orobas is associated with the element of Earth and the direction of North. His color is black, sometimes with green or red accents. His seal is drawn on virgin parchment or engraved on copper.
The horse head carries specific symbolism. In Celtic mythology, the horse goddess Epona was associated with sovereignty and the underworld. In Greek mythology, the centaur Chiron was a teacher and healer. The horse-headed spirit in the Goetia combines these threads: power that can be directed, knowledge that can be spoken.
Practitioners who have worked with Orobas describe his presence as calm and direct. He does not intimidate. He does not bargain. He answers the question asked, then waits.
How Is Orobas Invoked?
The Goetia provides a standard ritual framework. The magician draws a circle, inscribed with divine names and the names of the spirits to be called. The seal of Orobas is placed within the triangle of art, the space where the spirit appears. The magician recites the conjuration, a series of prayers and commands in Latin and Hebrew.
The conjuration for Orobas is not unique to him. The same formula is used for all seventy-two spirits, with the name and seal changed. The magician commands the spirit to appear in a gentle form, to answer truthfully, and to depart peacefully.
Orobas is considered one of the easier spirits to summon. His cooperative nature means the magician does not need to threaten or compel. The ritual can be performed with minimal protective measures, though the circle is still required.
We light ours in a fireproof bowl on the balcony. The seal is drawn in ink on parchment, placed inside the triangle. The conjuration is spoken once, clearly. The response is not a voice in the air. It is a shift in the room’s pressure, a thought that arrives fully formed.
What Does Orobas Offer the Practitioner?
The Goetia lists three main functions: truth-telling, dignities, and confirmations.
Truth-telling is the primary use. Orobas answers questions about the past, present, and future. He does not speak in riddles. He does not give ambiguous answers. The text is explicit: he is “true and faithful.”
Dignities and preferments refer to social advancement. Orobas can grant honors, titles, and positions. This was a practical concern in the 17th century, when court politics and patronage determined survival. Today, practitioners interpret this as career advancement, recognition, or authority in a field.
Confirming favors means that Orobas can strengthen agreements, alliances, or promises. If a spirit or a person has made a pledge, Orobas can ensure it is kept.
These functions overlap. A truthful answer about the future can guide a practitioner toward the right opportunity. A confirmed favor can secure a relationship. Orobas works in layers.
How Does Orobas Compare to Other Goetic Spirits?
Orobas is often compared to Vassago, the third spirit, who also “declareth things past and to come” and is described as “of a good nature.” Both are considered truthful and cooperative. The difference is rank and scope. Vassago is a Prince. Orobas is also a Prince. Both command twenty legions. The functions are nearly identical.
The difference may be regional or textual. Early manuscripts of the Lemegeton show variation in the order and names of spirits. Vassago and Orobas may have been the same spirit in an earlier version, split into two by scribal error. Or they may have been distinct spirits with overlapping domains.
Other spirits known for truth-telling include Buer (tenth spirit, teaches philosophy and answers questions) and Sabnock (forty-third spirit, builds towers and answers questions). But neither is described as “true and faithful” in the same terms. Orobas and Vassago are unique in that regard.
The horse-headed form also sets Orobas apart. Only one other Goetic spirit has an animal head: Balam, the fifty-first spirit, who appears as a three-headed man with the heads of a bull, a ram, and a man. The animal head is a marker of primal power, a reminder that these spirits are not human.
Common Misconceptions About Orobas
Orobas is not a demon in the Christian sense. The Goetia uses the word “spirit” consistently. The spirits are not evil. They are neutral, bound by divine names and commands. The Christian framework of the grimoire treats them as fallen angels, but the practical tradition treats them as forces to be worked with, not worshipped or feared.
Orobas does not require elaborate offerings. Some practitioners offer wine, incense, or bread. The Goetia does not specify offerings for Orobas. The seal and the conjuration are sufficient.
Orobas is not dangerous. The text says he “deceiveth none, nor suffereth any to be tempted.” He is one of the safest spirits in the Goetia for beginners. That does not mean the ritual should be performed carelessly. The circle and the seal are still required. But the risk is low.
Orobas is not the same as Orpheus. The names sound similar. They are not related. Orpheus is a Greek mythic figure. Orobas is a Goetic spirit. The horse connection is coincidental.
FAQ
What does Orobas look like? He appears first as a horse, then as a man with a horse’s head. The human form is not described further.
Is Orobas a demon? The Goetia calls him a spirit. The Christian tradition considers him a fallen angel. Practitioners treat him as a neutral force.
Can Orobas grant wishes? He grants dignities and confirms favors. He does not grant wishes in the fairy-tale sense. He works within the framework of the ritual.
How long does a summoning take? The ritual can be completed in one session, typically thirty minutes to an hour. The response may come during the ritual or in the following days.
Closing
Orobas is the spirit you call when you need a straight answer. He does not play games. He does not test your resolve. He tells you what you need to know and waits for your next command. That is rare in the Goetia, and it is worth remembering.
For a broader view of the seventy-two spirits, see our demonology and Goetia guide. For the seals and their meanings, visit the Goetic seals glossary. For a comparison of truth-telling spirits, read our Vassago profile.