SABNOCK (43)
Sabnock is a Fallen Angel and one of the 72 Spirits of Solomon, occupying the rank of Marquis in Hell. He is the 43rd spirit in the Ars Goetia and is renowned for his fearsome power and authority. Sabnock is a demon of strategic warfare, construction, and torment, embodying both the creative and destructive aspects of infernal rule.
Sabnock manifests as an imposing soldier, clad in ancient, battle-worn armor, its surface etched with cryptic sigils and runes of power. His head is that of a lion, crowned with a fiery, flowing mane, symbolizing his raw strength and nobility. His piercing eyes burn with a cold, calculating intensity, reflecting his role as both a warrior and a builder. Sabnock rides a pale spectral horse, a ghostly and otherworldly steed that symbolizes death and decay.
In his dominion, Sabnock is a master of fortifications and construction. He is said to build and strengthen towers, camps, and cities, creating impregnable fortresses that symbolize the strength and resilience of his rule. These structures, often shadowy and surreal, are imbued with a dark, magical essence, standing as a testament to his power and skill.
However, Sabnock is also a demon of torment and pestilence. At the command of an Exorcist or through his own decree, he is capable of afflicting enemies with horrific wounds, often described as putrid sores filled with maggots, which cause intense suffering and despair. These injuries are more than physical; they serve as a symbolic manifestation of inner corruption and decay.
Despite his terrifying nature, Sabnock can be a benevolent provider of loyal familiars. At the request of those who summon him, he grants powerful and obedient spirits to serve their masters, acting as guides, protectors, or sources of arcane knowledge.
Sabnock commands 50 Legions of Demons, each a unit of shadowy, monstrous beings under his control. His legions are known for their discipline and strategic expertise, making him a formidable force in both battle and diplomacy.
Symbolic Role:
Sabnock represents the duality of creation and destruction. As a builder of fortresses, he embodies protection, endurance, and the consolidation of power. As a bringer of torment, he reflects the darker consequences of unchecked ambition and the inevitable decay that follows excess. He serves as a reminder of the balance between power and responsibility.
Attributes and Associations:
- Appearance: Lion-headed soldier in ancient armor, riding a pale horse.
- Abilities: Builds fortresses and cities, fortifies defenses, inflicts torment through wounds and disease, provides loyal familiars.
- Element: Earth (associated with construction and endurance).
- Planetary Influence: Saturn (linked to discipline, structure, and decay).
- Offerings and Rituals: Those who summon Sabnock often focus on goals of protection, fortification, or overcoming enemies. Offerings related to strategy, war, or construction may appeal to him.
Sabnock is a powerful and multifaceted figure, feared and revered for his ability to create, destroy, and command with unyielding authority. Whether approached for his skills in building or his capacity to inflict suffering, he remains a demon of immense influence in the infernal hierarchy.
From “The Goetia: The Lesser Key of Solomon the King” (1904) Written by S.L. MacGregor Mathers
SABNOCK. – The Forty-third Spirit, as King Solomon commanded them into the Vessel of Brass, is called Sabnock, or Savnok. He is a Marquis, Mighty, Great and Strong, appearing in the Form of an Armed Soldier with a Lion’s Head, riding on a pale-coloured horse. His office is to build high Towers, Castles and Cities, and-to furnish them with Armour, etc. Also he can afflict
Men for many days with Wounds and with Sores rotten and full of Worms. He giveth Good Familiars at the request of the Exorcist. He commandeth50 Legions of Spirits; and his Seal is this.
From the “Pseudomonarchia Daemonum” ( 1583 ) Written by Johann Weyer (Johann Wier)
Sabnacke [Sabnac], alias Salmac, is a great marquesse and a strong, he commeth foorth as an armed soldier with a lions head, sitting on a pale horsse, he dooth marvelouslie change mans forme and favour, he buildeth high towres full of weapons, and also castels and cities; he inflicteth men thirtie daies with wounds both rotten and full of maggots, at the exorcists commandement, he provideth good familiars, and hath dominion over fiftie legions.
Original Text: Sabnac, alias Salmac, Marchio magnus and fortis: prodit ut miles armatus, capite leonis, in pallido equo infidens. Hominis formam transmutat mire: Turres magnas armis plenas ædificat, item castra and civitates. Triginta dies ex mandato exorcistæ homini vulnera putrida and verminantia infligit. Familiares conciliat bonos: dominium exercens quinquaginta legionum.
From the “Dictionnaire Infernal” (edition of 1863 ) Written by Jacques Auguste Simon Collin de Plancy
Original Text :
Sabnac ou Sàlmac, grand marquis infernal, démon des fortifications. Il a la forme d’un soldat armé, avec une tête de lion. Il est monté sur un cheval hideux. Il métamorphose les hommes en pierres, et bâtit des tours avec une adresse surprenante. Il a sous ses ordres cinquante légions.
