A practitioner sits before two grimoires, the pages open to different seals. One shows a leopard with griffin wings, the other a woman crowned with a serpent. Both are Goetic spirits, both command love and desire, but they are not interchangeable. Sitri and Gremory are two distinct princes of the Ars Goetia, each governing different domains of human longing and hidden knowledge. The key difference: Sitri manipulates romantic attraction, while Gremory uncovers treasures and reveals the past, with love as a secondary power.
What the Grimoires Actually Say About Each
The Lesser Key of Solomon, compiled in the 17th century from earlier manuscripts, describes Sitri as the 69th spirit, a great Prince who appears at first as a leopard with griffin’s wings. Under command, he takes human shape with a very beautiful face. His office: to cause men to love women and women to love men, and to reveal the secrets of the female body, if desired. The older Pseudomonarchia Daemonum by Johann Weyer (1563) lists him as “Sytry” or “Sitri,” with the same attributes.
Gremory (also called Gamori) is the 56th spirit, a strong Duke appearing as a beautiful woman with the crown of a duchess, riding a camel. According to the Ars Goetia, she tells of all things past, present, and future, of hidden treasures, and procures the love of women, especially young ones. In Weyer’s text, she is “Gremory” or “Gamory,” described as a “duke of the infernal monarchy” who commands 26 legions.
Both spirits are classified as “princes” or “dukes” of Hell, but their temperaments differ. Sitri is lecherous, almost feral in his origin form. Gremory is more reserved, a courtly figure who speaks plainly of treasure and time.
The Historical Roots of These Two Spirits
The earliest known lists of Goetic spirits appear in the 15th-century manuscripts of the Lemegeton, but the form we recognize comes from Weyer’s Pseudomonarchia Daemonum (1563), which was then incorporated into the Lesser Key by unknown editors around 1670. Weyer drew on previous grimoires like the Steganographia of Trithemius and medieval demonologies.
Sitri’s name has been traced to Semitic roots, possibly related to the Hebrew “seter” (to hide) or the Egyptian god Set. Gremory’s name is more obscure; some scholars connect it to the Greek “gremos” (a kind of spell) or a variant of “Gamori” from the Goetia of Solomon. Neither name appears in earlier Solomonic texts before the Renaissance.
The two spirits were likely paired in the grimoire tradition because of their overlapping domains. A 16th-century scribe might have noted that if you wanted to win a woman’s love, you had two options: Sitri’s raw enchantment, or Gremory’s revelation of her desires. The choice depended on whether you sought compulsion or understanding.
What Their Forms Tell Us
Sitri’s initial appearance as a winged leopard carries clear symbolism. The leopard in medieval bestiaries represented ferocity and cunning, often associated with the devil’s ability to change form. The griffin wings add a regal, predatory aspect. When he takes human form, he is described as “very beautiful,” which echoes the tradition of incubi and succubi using attractive forms to seduce.
Gremory appears as a woman with a crown, riding a camel. The camel, a beast of burden in the desert, links her to trade routes and hidden treasures. The crown marks her as a duchess, a noble rank. She does not need to shift form; she is already approachable. This suggests that Gremory’s power lies in dialogue and revelation, not compulsion.
We can see this contrast in the grimoire instructions. Sitri is often evoked when the magician wants to “inflame” a specific person’s passion. Gremory is called to learn where something is hidden, or to know the outcome of a love affair before it begins.
How You Speak to Each
The ceremonial process for both spirits follows the standard Goetic method: drawing the seal, standing within a protective circle, using the appropriate conjurations from the Ars Goetia. But the details shift.
For Sitri, the seal is drawn on virgin parchment, inked with the blood of a dove or a red stone. The conjuration must be spoken with authority, as he is a prince and may test the magician’s will. Some practitioners recommend burning myrrh or musk incense, scents associated with desire. The time of day is often dusk, the hour of Venus, when matters of love are strongest.
For Gremory, the seal is made on silver or copper, and the incense is frankincense or saffron. She responds better to polite requests than to commands. The magician should state clearly what treasure or knowledge is sought, and she will describe its location or the history of the person involved. Her conjuration is often done at the hour of Mercury, for communication and discovery.
One working may ask Sitri to make a specific person fall in love. Another may ask Gremory to reveal why that person is distant. The distinction is not academic; it changes the entire ritual.
The Core Difference: Compulsion Versus Revelation
The easiest way to compare Sitri and Gremory is to see them as two tools for two different problems.
Sitri’s power is direct and forceful. He causes love, meaning he can override another person’s free will. This is a dangerous operation, and many grimoires warn against it. The Goetia of Dr. Rudd notes that Sitri’s influence can produce an obsession that harms both parties. His domain is the body and the emotions, not the mind.
Gremory’s power is indirect. She does not make someone love you. She shows you what they want, what they have hidden, what they have done. With that knowledge, you can act wisely. She also finds lost objects and buried treasure, a power Sitri lacks entirely. Her domain is memory and material discovery.
In practice, a magician might work with Gremory first to understand the situation. If the need is urgent, Sitri is the hammer. But the hammer always leaves marks.
Common Misconceptions People Have
Both are “love spirits.” This is partly true, but oversimplified. Gremory’s primary office is treasure and divination; love is a secondary attribute. Sitri’s primary office is love, but he also reveals secrets of the body, which is not the same as romantic love.
Gremory is a female spirit. The Ars Goetia describes her as appearing as a woman, but the text does not assign gender to the spirit itself. In the hierarchy, she is a duke, a male title. Some traditions treat her as a feminine aspect of the infernal court, but the grimoires are ambiguous.
Both are easy to control. Neither is safe. Sitri’s lecherous nature can turn his power back on the conjurer if the circle is flawed. Gremory may withhold information if the request is greedy. The Goetia of Solomon explicitly warns that any spirit, even a duke, must be treated with respect.
You can work with both at the same time. Combining their seals is rare and not recommended for beginners. The energies conflict: one compels, one reveals. A mixed ritual can produce chaotic results.
FAQ
Can Sitri and Gremory both find lost objects? Only Gremory. Her domain includes hidden treasures, both literal and metaphorical. Sitri has no such power.
Which spirit is better for a love spell? That depends on the intention. If you want to make someone love you against their will, Sitri is the Goetic choice. If you want to understand the person’s heart and act accordingly, Gremory is safer.
Are they dangerous to summon? All Goetic spirits carry risk. Sitri’s feral nature can be more aggressive, especially if the magician shows fear. Gremory is generally calmer, but she will not tolerate deception.
Can Gremory reveal the future? Yes, she tells of things past, present, and future, per the Lesser Key. She is a competent oracle for matters of love, wealth, and hidden truth.
Closing
The choice between Sitri and Gremory is not about which is stronger. It is about what kind of power you need. One forces a door open. The other shows you where the key is buried. Our guide to the 72 spirits of the Ars Goetia walks through the full hierarchy, and the glossary entry on Goetic seals explains how to draw and consecrate them. For a broader understanding of the tradition, see the demonology and Goetia hub.