Focalor is the forty-first spirit of the Ars Goetia, a duke appearing as a man with griffin's wings. The catalogue gives him power over winds and the sea and attributes drowning and the overturning of ships to him.[1][2]
The sea and restraint#
The description also says that Focalor will refrain from harming people or things when the operator commands him to do so. That condition makes restraint part of his office. The entry presents destructive power as subject to the operator's ceremonial authority.[2]
Vepar also concerns ships and troubled water, but appears as a mermaid. Focalor's human body with griffin wings is a different image. Neither office requires the two figures to be treated as names for a single sea spirit.
A number that changed#
The legion total offers a clear example of textual transmission. The 1904 edition gives thirty, whereas the Sloane transcription preserves three; Peterson traces the discrepancy through the earlier Latin and English versions. A reference table should identify the edition used for its number.[1][2]
Focalor is also said to hope for a return to the seventh throne after a thousand years. The account places him within a story of fallen status and expected restoration, although the broader source tradition qualifies that hope. The seal and numbered entry allow the figure to be followed across these varying readings.
See also#
References
- Lemegeton, Goetia: Focalor, Sloane 3825 transcription · Joseph H. Peterson edition of the historical grimoire, with manuscript readings. (accessed 2026-10-01) ↩
- S. L. MacGregor Mathers and Aleister Crowley, The Goetia (1904), spirit 41 · Public-domain edition. Offices and appearances are statements in this catalogue. (accessed 2026-10-01) ↩