Enepsigos

Enepsigos is a demon described as appearing in the form of a woman with two heads, a manifestation that immediately marks her as a liminal and paradoxical being. She is said to possess countless names and an exceptional ability to shape-shift, assuming the forms of goddesses and other entities at will. Her mutable nature reflects her close association with time, cycles, and the Moon, near which she is said to hover.

Enepsigos most commonly manifests in three forms, a number directly linked to the three lunar phases—waxing, full, and new. This triadic aspect situates her within a broader mythological pattern of triple goddesses and lunar spirits, emphasizing transformation, prophecy, and temporal power.

In the Testament of Solomon, Enepsigos is conjured under the guise of Kronos, the Greek god of time. This identification reinforces her dominion over cyclical processes, destiny, and historical unfolding. King Solomon binds her with a triple-linked chain, a symbolic counter to her triple nature, and compels her to prophesy.

Under constraint, Enepsigos delivers a far-reaching and ominous prophecy. She foretells that Solomon’s kingdom will be divided, and that the Temple of Jerusalem will be destroyed by the kings of the Persians, Medes, and Chaldeans. She predicts that the sacred tools of the Temple will be repurposed to serve foreign gods, and that the vessels used to imprison demons will eventually be broken by men. Once freed, these demons will roam the world, leading humanity astray.

Enepsigos further prophesies that this demonic influence will persist until the crucifixion of the Son of God. This figure, she declares, will be born of a virgin and will be the only one possessing authority over all demons. She names him Emmanuel (Emmanouel) and specifies that the letters of his name add up to the number 644, a detail suggestive of mystical numerology and divine authority.

King Solomon initially dismisses Enepsigos’ prophecy as false and orders her bound in unbreakable chains. However, he later comes to witness the partial fulfillment of her words. Solomon himself is led astray by women and begins to worship pagan gods, provoking divine judgment. As a result, his kingdom is divided, confirming the truth of Enepsigos’ vision and revealing her prophetic authority.

Enepsigos thus emerges as a figure embodying time, deception, prophecy, and inevitability. Though a demon, her role is not merely adversarial; she functions as a revealer of cosmic order and historical destiny, even when that truth is unwelcome or disbelieved.

See also: Incantation bowls, in which similar demonic figures and names appear within apotropaic and magical traditions.

FURTHER READING:

• The Old Testament Pseudepigrapha. Vols. 1 & 2. Edited by James H. Charlesworth. 1983. Reprint, New York: Doubleday, 1985.

SOURCE:

The Encyclopedia of Demons and Demonology – Written by Rosemary Ellen Guiley – Copyright © 2009 by Visionary Living, Inc.