The first time we opened a copy of the Lemegeton Clavicula Salomonis, the page for the second spirit stopped us cold. An old man rides a crocodile, a goshawk perched on his gauntlet. He looks nothing like the horned caricatures of popular imagination. Agares is a Goetic duke who appears as a dignified elder astride a crocodile, carrying a goshawk, and whose office includes teaching languages, causing earthquakes, and making men flee from their positions. He commands thirty-one legions of spirits. The image is so specific that it demands explanation.
This article traces Agares from his first appearance in Renaissance grimoires through his symbolic anatomy and into the practical considerations of working with him. We keep a copy of his seal in our reference library, and we have seen what happens when a practitioner treats him as merely another name on a list.
Where Does Agares Appear in the Grimoires?
The earliest known listing of Agares is in the Pseudomonarchia Daemonum (1577) by Johann Weyer, a physician and demonologist who compiled his catalogue from earlier manuscripts. Weyer placed Agares as the second spirit, a rank he retains in the later Ars Goetia, the first book of the Lesser Key of Solomon (compiled in the mid-17th century from medieval sources). The Ars Goetia gives the full description: “Agares is a Duke, appearing like an old man riding upon a crocodile, carrying a goshawk on his fist, and mild of manner.” The text adds that he makes those who run stand still, and brings back runaways.
The name itself is obscure. Some etymologists trace it to the Greek agareus (a messenger) or to the Hebrew agar (to flee), which would align with his power over flight and return. Weyer’s source material likely drew from earlier Solomonic traditions circulating among medieval Jewish and Christian magicians. The seal of Agares, as printed in the Ars Goetia, is a geometric figure of intersecting lines and circles, to be engraved on a brass or silver plate.
No earlier grimoire names Agares directly. The Testament of Solomon (1st–3rd century CE) lists many demons but not him. He emerges fully formed in the Renaissance, a period when demonology became a systematic science.
What the Old Man and the Crocodile Mean
Every element of Agares’s appearance carries symbolic weight. The old man signifies wisdom, age, and authority. Unlike younger, more aggressive spirits, Agares is “mild of manner” – a detail the grimoires rarely apply to demons. This mildness suggests a spirit suited to teaching and diplomacy rather than coercion.
The crocodile is the more startling detail. In Renaissance bestiaries, the crocodile represented hypocrisy, deceit, and primal power. It lives in water and on land, a creature of thresholds. Agares riding a crocodile implies mastery over deception and the ability to move between realms. The crocodile also connects to Egyptian symbolism: the god Sobek, lord of the Nile, was depicted as a crocodile or a man with a crocodile head. Some occultists have speculated that Agares may be a corrupted echo of Sobek, though no direct textual evidence supports this.
The goshawk is a bird of swift flight and keen vision. In falconry, the goshawk is a hunter that strikes without warning. Agares carries it on his fist, not as a pet but as a tool. The hawk represents his power to see hidden things and to act with speed. Together, the three elements – old man, crocodile, hawk – form a composite: a spirit who combines aged wisdom with amphibious cunning and aerial swiftness.
His rank of Duke places him in the upper tier of Goetic spirits, ruling thirty-one legions. Dukes in the Goetic hierarchy are generally concerned with governance, knowledge, and the movement of people and armies. Agares’s specific offices – teaching languages, causing earthquakes, making men flee – all involve disruption and communication.
How We Approach Agares in Practice
Working with Agares requires the standard apparatus of Goetic evocation: a consecrated circle, a triangle of art, the seal of the spirit, and the appropriate conjurations. We use the version from the Ars Goetia, recited in a firm voice after the preliminary prayers. The seal is drawn on virgin parchment with ink made from dragon’s blood resin and alcohol. We place it inside the triangle, not within the circle.
Timing matters. Traditional sources recommend evoking Agares during the hour of Mercury on a Wednesday, or during a waning moon if the goal is to make someone flee. For teaching languages, a waxing moon is preferred. We light a single black candle in a fireproof holder, and we burn frankincense – a resin associated with Mercury and communication.
The offerings are minimal. Agares is not a spirit who demands blood or elaborate gifts. A small dish of clean water, a piece of bread, and a sprig of vervain placed on the triangle suffice. Some practitioners add a feather from a hawk or a hawk-shaped charm, but this is not required.
The danger is not in Agares himself but in the operator’s state of mind. Because he appears mild, beginners may drop their guard. The crocodile is still a crocodile. We have seen a practitioner attempt to command Agares without proper banishing, and the result was a series of minor but persistent household disturbances – objects moving, doors opening, a sense of being watched. The spirit did not attack; he simply made his presence felt until the circle was properly closed.
Agares Compared to Other Goetic Dukes
Among the Goetic dukes, Agares shares traits with Bune (who teaches eloquence and makes the dead speak) and Paimon (who teaches all arts and sciences). But Bune appears as a three-headed dragon, Paimon as a crowned man riding a dromedary. Agares’s crocodile mount is unique. No other Goetic spirit rides a crocodile.
His power over earthquakes sets him apart. Only two other spirits in the Ars Goetia are associated with earthquakes: Forneus (a marquis) and Zepar (a duke, but his earthquake power is secondary). Agares’s earthquake is not mere destruction; it is a shaking of foundations, both literal and figurative. In practical magic, this translates to the ability to disrupt entrenched situations – a stubborn legal case, a stagnant career, a relationship that will not end.
His office of making men flee and bringing back runaways is also distinct. Most spirits who deal with flight (like Andras or Andrealphus) do so through violence or confusion. Agares does it through persuasion. The Ars Goetia says he “makes them run that stand still, and brings back them that run away.” This is a spirit of reversal and return.
What People Get Wrong About Agares
The most common misconception is that Agares is a demon of war or destruction because of the crocodile and earthquake. In fact, the grimoires describe him as “mild of manner.” His earthquakes are not indiscriminate; they are targeted disruptions. He is not summoned to cause chaos but to resolve stalemates.
Another error is confusing Agares with Agreas, a name that appears in some corrupted manuscripts. Agreas is a variant spelling, not a separate spirit. The seal is the same.
Some modern occultists claim Agares is a “neutral” spirit, neither good nor evil. This is anachronistic. The Ars Goetia treats all its spirits as fallen angels bound by Solomon, and the operator commands them through divine authority. The concept of neutrality is a 20th-century invention. We do not judge the spirits; we work with them as they are presented in the source texts.
A third misconception: that Agares can be summoned without consequence. No Goetic spirit is a toy. Even the mild ones require respect, preparation, and a clear purpose. We have seen practitioners who treat the Goetia as a menu and end up with poltergeist activity for weeks.
FAQ
How do you pronounce Agares?
The most common pronunciation is AH-gah-rees, with a hard G. Some practitioners say ah-GAR-ess. Both appear in recorded evocations.
What does the seal of Agares look like?
It is a complex geometric figure: a central diamond with crossed lines, flanked by two small circles, all enclosed in a larger circle. The exact design varies slightly between editions of the Ars Goetia.
Can Agares be dangerous?
He is not malicious, but he is powerful. If summoned carelessly or without proper banishing, he may cause disturbances. The crocodile is a warning: respect the form.
Is Agares mentioned in any grimoire besides the Goetia?
He appears in Weyer’s Pseudomonarchia Daemonum (1577) and in later compilations like the Dictionnaire Infernal (1818) by Collin de Plancy. He is not in the Testament of Solomon or earlier medieval lists.
The seal of Agares sits in our reference collection between the pages of a facsimile Lemegeton. We do not use it lightly. But for a practitioner who needs to shake a situation loose, to learn a language quickly, or to bring someone back, Agares offers a focused and surprisingly patient presence. The old man on the crocodile knows what he is doing.
For a deeper look at the hierarchy and methods of the Ars Goetia, see our guide to Goetic demonology. You may also want to explore the glossary of Goetic spirit seals for comparison with other dukes. And if you are considering practical work, our step-by-step guide to Goetic evocation covers the necessary preparations.