The Seventy-Two Spirits · 36

Stolas

Also recorded as Stolos

Stolas begins as a mighty raven and becomes a human teacher. His subjects are astronomy and the virtues of herbs and precious stones. [1]

Goetia 1904

Spirit profile

Rank: Prince [1]
Attributed Office: Teaching astronomy and the virtues of herbs and precious stones. [1]
Legion Count: 26 legions. [1]
Description of the Entity: A mighty raven, afterwards a man. [1]

A black raven perches on a wooden table beside a small brass vessel. — **Artistic interpretation** Stolas

A stepped enclosure is crossed by ring-ended bars, with small flared crosses and a deeply curled right edge. — **Source reproduction** Stolas's printed character, figure 41. Goetia, 1904.

The raven’s three subjects

Stolas appears before the exorcist as a mighty raven, then takes the image of a man. The great prince teaches astronomy and the virtues of herbs and precious stones. Twenty-six legions are under him; Stolos is another spelling printed beside his name. [1]

Scot calls the first form a night-raven rather than simply a mighty raven. [1][2]

Sources and editions

The Book of the Goetia of Solomon the King — entry 36: Stolas
S. L. MacGregor Mathers, translated; Aleister Crowley, edited, The Book of the Goetia of Solomon the King (1904), first-edition facsimile supplied by Keep Silence. Shemhamphorash, entry 36, Stolas or Stolos; printed p. 22, PDF p. 19
The Discoverie of Witchcraft · Stolas
Reginald Scot, The Discoverie of Witchcraft (1584); Brinsley Nicholson’s reprint of the first edition (1886), Project Gutenberg transcription. Book XV, chapter II, Stolas; 1886 reprint page 326

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