In this guide

A raven with a crown and long legs stands in the circle. It does not speak. It waits. This is how the old grimoires describe the arrival of Stolas. Stolas is a Great Prince of Hell in the Goetic tradition, a spirit of astronomy, herbalism, and precious stones, often depicted as a crowned owl or raven. He teaches willingly and harms no one, making him one of the most approachable spirits in the Ars Goetia.

Definition: Who Is Stolas in the Goetic Hierarchy?

Definition Who Is Stolas in the Goetic Hierarchy

Stolas appears in the first book of The Lesser Key of Solomon, a grimoire compiled in the 17th century from earlier sources. He commands twenty-six legions of spirits and ranks as a Great Prince. His domain is knowledge of the stars, the properties of plants, and the virtues of gems. The magician who calls him receives instruction without threat. Stolas is one of the few Goetic spirits described as “docile” toward the conjurer.

Origins and etymology of Stolas

The name likely derives from the Greek stolos (a garment or equipment) or from a corruption of an earlier spirit name. Johann Weyer listed him as “Stolos” in his Pseudomonarchia Daemonum (1583), the first printed catalogue of demons that later shaped the Goetia. Weyer placed him among the princes, a rank he retains.

History and Origins: From Weyer to the Goetia

The earliest known mention of Stolas is in Weyer’s Pseudomonarchia Daemonum, an appendix to his larger work De Praestigiis Daemonum (1563). Weyer, a Dutch physician and demonologist, compiled a list of sixty-nine demons based on earlier magical manuscripts. Stolas appears as number thirty-six: “Stolos, a great prince, appearing in the form of a raven, but when commanded he putteth on human shape, and teacheth the art of astronomy and the virtues of herbs and precious stones.”

Weyer’s source was likely a now-lost grimoire tradition that circulated among medieval clerics and scholars. The list was later expanded to seventy-two spirits in the Goetia, the first book of The Lesser Key of Solomon, which was published in English in 1904 by Samuel Liddell MacGregor Mathers, though the manuscript tradition dates to the 1600s. In the Goetia, Stolas’s description shifts slightly: he appears as a raven or an owl, and his crown is specified.

That history matters because it places Stolas in a lineage of learned spirits, not malevolent ones. The magicians who used these grimoires were often clergy or physicians seeking forbidden knowledge, not damnation. Stolas offered a safe door into that knowledge.

Symbolism and Meaning: The Owl, the Crown, and the Stars

The symbolism of Stolas is the symbolism of the owl, the crown, and the stars. The owl is the bird of the night and the wisdom — the knowledge that sees in the dark, the office of the spirit who teaches the sciences. The crown is the mark of the prince — the thirty-sixth spirit of the Goetia, the rank that the crown encodes. The stars are the knowledge itself — the astronomy that Stolas teaches, the properties of the herbs and the stones, the book of the heavens. That history matters because it places Stolas in a lineage of the scholars: the prince who appears as the raven and then in the human form, the teacher of the hidden sciences, the owl of the night school of the spirit.

Symbolism of Stolas: owl, crown and raven

The owl is the dominant symbol of Stolas. In Greek tradition, the owl was sacred to Athena, goddess of wisdom. In medieval Europe, the owl became an omen of death, a creature of the night that shunned light. Stolas straddles both meanings. He brings wisdom, but wisdom that comes from the dark, from hidden places. The magician who summons him must be willing to look into that darkness without flinching.

The crown marks him as a prince. In the Goetic hierarchy, princes rule over legions but answer to kings. Stolas’s crown is not a symbol of tyranny. It signifies authority over a specific domain: the celestial and the botanical. He commands the stars and the earth, the macrocosm and the microcosm.

Astronomy in the Renaissance was not separate from astrology. The stars were seen as a divine script. Stolas taught how to read that script. Herbs and stones were the earthly counterparts of celestial influences. A plant like moonwort or a gem like sapphire carried the signature of a planet. Stolas revealed those correspondences.

The raven alternative is also significant. Ravens are messengers in Norse and Celtic myth, birds that travel between worlds. Stolas as a raven suggests a spirit who moves between the human and the infernal, carrying knowledge across boundaries.

The symbols are not idle. They guided how the magician approached the spirit. In the Goetic tradition, Stolas is summoned within a protective circle, using his seal drawn on parchment or virgin paper. The seal is a geometric figure with characters derived from the Hebrew alphabet and magical squares. The conjuration is recited from the grimoire, often at an astrologically favorable hour, such as the hour of Mercury or Jupiter.

How to invoke Stolas in Goetic ritual

The magician does not threaten Stolas. The grimoire instructs the conjurer to command with authority but without anger. Stolas is one of the spirits who “come readily” if treated with respect. Some practitioners offer a small libation or incense, though the Goetia does not require it. Frankincense or sandalwood is common.

Once present, Stolas may appear as a raven or owl. The magician asks for instruction in astronomy, herbal medicine, or the identification of precious stones. The spirit is said to answer in a clear voice, sometimes in Latin. The session ends with a license to depart, a formal dismissal that releases the spirit back to its station.

We have seen practitioners keep a journal of Stolas’s teachings, recording star charts and plant correspondences. The practice is not about commanding a demon. It is about apprenticing oneself to a teacher who exists outside the ordinary senses.

Stolas compared to other Goetic spirits

Stolas shares his domain with several other Goetic spirits, but his combination is unique. Buer, a Great President, teaches herbal medicine and philosophy. He appears as a star-shaped figure or a centaur. Buer’s focus is healing, while Stolas’s is broader: astronomy, herbs, and stones together. Marbas, another President, teaches mechanics and the transformation of bodies. He appears as a lion. Marbas is practical, Stolas is theoretical.

The closest parallel is perhaps the spirit Botis, who appears as a viper and teaches past and future events. But Botis’s knowledge is temporal, not natural. Stolas’s knowledge is of the natural world itself, its hidden order.

In the broader demonological tradition, the owl is also associated with Lilith, who is sometimes depicted with owl feet. But Lilith’s owl is a symbol of desolation and night, while Stolas’s owl is a symbol of wisdom. The difference is intent. Stolas does not seduce or destroy. He teaches.

Common misconceptions about Stolas

The most persistent misconception is that Stolas is a demon of death. This comes from the owl’s association with omens of mortality in Roman and medieval folklore. An owl hooting near a house was said to foretell a death. But Stolas himself is not a death spirit. He does not bring illness or disaster. He brings knowledge.

Another misconception: that Stolas appears only as a raven. The Goetia gives both forms. Weyer’s original list says raven. Later manuscripts add the owl. Both are valid, and the magician may see either depending on the context.

A third misconception: that Stolas is dangerous to summon. In the Goetic hierarchy, spirits are ranked by temperament. Stolas is among the most cooperative. The danger in summoning any spirit lies in the magician’s own fear or inexperience, not in the spirit’s malice. Stolas does not test the conjurer. He waits.

Finally, some modern sources claim Stolas is a king. He is not. He is a Great Prince, subordinate to the four kings of the cardinal directions: Oriens, Paimon, Ariton, and Amaymon. That rank matters for the ceremonial order.

FAQ

Is Stolas a demon of death?
No. Stolas is a spirit of knowledge, not death. His owl form has led to confusion, but the grimoires describe him as docile and instructive.

What does Stolas teach?
He teaches astronomy, the properties of herbs and plants, and the virtues of precious stones. He may also reveal the astrological correspondences of natural objects.

How do you invoke Stolas?
Use the seal of Stolas drawn on parchment, a protective circle, and the conjuration from the Ars Goetia. Perform the ritual at an astrologically favorable hour, such as the hour of Mercury or Jupiter.

Is Stolas evil?
The Goetic tradition does not classify spirits as good or evil in a moral sense. Stolas is a prince of Hell but acts as a teacher. He harms no one who summons him with respect.

Stolas remains one of the most accessible spirits in the Goetic pantheon, a prince whose crown rests on the head of an owl. His symbolism of hidden knowledge, celestial order, and natural virtue speaks to the magician who seeks understanding rather than power. For a deeper look at the hierarchy he belongs to, explore our demonology and Goetia hub. To understand the symbols that appear on his seal, visit the glossary of demonic symbols. And for a complete list of the seventy-two spirits, read our guide to the 72 spirits of the Goetia.