The ''Dictionnaire infernal'' ( en, "Infernal Dictionary") is a book on
demonology
Demonology is the study of demons within religious belief and myth. Depending on context, it can refer to studies within theology, religious doctrine, or pseudoscience. In many faiths, it concerns the study of a hierarchy of demons. Demons may ...
, describing
demons
A demon is a malevolent supernatural entity. Historically, belief in demons, or stories about demons, occurs in religion, occultism, literature, fiction, mythology, and folklore; as well as in media such as comics, video games, movies, anime ...
organised in
hierarchies. It was written by
Jacques Collin de Plancy and first published in 1818.
There were several editions of the book; perhaps the most famous is the 1863 edition, which included sixty-nine illustrations by
Louis Le Breton depicting the appearances of several of the demons. Many but not all of these images were later used in
S. L. MacGregor Mathers's edition of ''
The Lesser Key of Solomon''.
History
''Dictionnaire Infernal'' was first published in 1818 and then divided into two volumes, with six reprints—and many changes—between 1818 and 1863. This book attempts to provide an account of all the knowledge concerning superstitions and
demonology
Demonology is the study of demons within religious belief and myth. Depending on context, it can refer to studies within theology, religious doctrine, or pseudoscience. In many faiths, it concerns the study of a hierarchy of demons. Demons may ...
.
A review in 1822 read:
The cover page for the 1826 edition reads:
Influenced by
Voltaire
François-Marie Arouet (; 21 November 169430 May 1778) was a French Enlightenment writer, historian, and philosopher. Known by his '' nom de plume'' M. de Voltaire (; also ; ), he was famous for his wit, and his criticism of Christianity—e ...
, Collin de Plancy initially did not believe in superstition. For example, the book reassures its contemporaries as to the torments of Hell: "To deny that there are sorrows and rewards after death is to deny the existence of God; since God exists, it must be necessarily so. But only God could know the punishments meted out to the guilty, or the place that holds them. All the catalogues made herebefore are only the fruit of a more or less disordered imagination. Theologians should leave to the poets the depiction of Hell, and not themselves seek to frighten minds with hideous paintings and appalling books" (p. 164).
The skepticism of Collin de Plancy increasingly subsided over time. By the end of 1830 he was an enthusiastic
Roman Catholic
Roman or Romans most often refers to:
* Rome, the capital city of Italy
*Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD
* Roman people, the people of ancient Rome
*'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a let ...
, to the consternation of his former admirers. In later years, De Plancy rejected and modified his past works, thoroughly revising his ''Dictionnaire Infernal'' to conform with
Roman Catholic theology. This influence is most clearly seen in the sixth and final 1863 edition of the book, which is decorated with many engravings and seeks to affirm the existence of the demons. de Plancy collaborated with
Jacques Paul Migne, a French priest, to complete a ''Dictionary of the occult sciences or theological Encyclopaedia'', which is described as an authentic Roman Catholic work.
Many articles written in the ''Dictionnaire Infernal'' illustrate the author's vacillation between
rationalism
In philosophy, rationalism is the epistemological view that "regards reason as the chief source and test of knowledge" or "any view appealing to reason as a source of knowledge or justification".Lacey, A.R. (1996), ''A Dictionary of Philosophy' ...
,
faith
Faith, derived from Latin ''fides'' and Old French ''feid'', is confidence or trust in a person, thing, or In the context of religion, one can define faith as "belief in God or in the doctrines or teachings of religion".
Religious people ofte ...
, and willingness to believe without evidence.
For example, he admits the possible effectiveness of
chiromancy, while rejecting
cartomancy: "It is certain that chiromancy, and especially
physiognomy
Physiognomy (from the Greek , , meaning "nature", and , meaning "judge" or "interpreter") is the practice of assessing a person's character or personality from their outer appearance—especially the face. The term can also refer to the genera ...
, have at least some plausibility: they draw their predictions from signs which relate to features which distinguish and characterize people; of lines which the subjects carry with themselves, which are the work of nature, and that someone can believe significant, since they are unique to each individual. But the cards, merely human artifacts, not knowing either the future, nor the present, nor the past, have nothing of the individuality of the person consulting them. For a thousand different people they will have the same result; and consulted twenty times about the same subject, they will produce twenty contradictory productions" (p. 82).
List of demons
Adramelech.jpg, Adramelech
Asmodeus.jpg, Asmodee
Asmodee is a French publisher of board games, card games and role-playing games (RPGs). Founded in 1995 to develop their own games and to publish and distribute for other smaller game developers, they have since acquired numerous other board game ...
Astaroth.jpg, Astaroth
Astaroth (also Ashtaroth, Astarot and Asteroth), in demonology, was known to be the Great Duke of Hell in the first hierarchy with Beelzebub and Lucifer; he was part of the evil trinity. He is known to be a male figure most likely named after ...
Bael.jpg, Bael Bael may refer to:
*''Aegle marmelos'', commonly known as the Bael tree
* Bael (demon)
* Bael (wrestler)
See also
* Baal (disambiguation)
* Bail (disambiguation)
Bail is the conditional release of an arrested person prior to their trial, or the m ...
Dictionnaire Infernal - Behemoth.jpg, Behemoth
Behemoth (; he, בְּהֵמוֹת, ''bəhēmōṯ'') is a beast from the biblical Book of Job, and is a form of the primeval chaos-monster created by God at the beginning of creation; he is paired with the other chaos-monster, Leviathan, and ...
Byleth.png, Beleth
Beelzebub.png, Belzebuth
Ill dict infernal p0291-275 flaga.jpg, Flaga
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Abbadon/Apollyon
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Abigor also known as Eligos
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Abraxas/Abracas
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Adramelech
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Aguares
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Alastor
Alastor (; Ancient Greek: Ἀλάστωρ, English translation: "avenger") refers to a number of people and concepts in Greek mythology:
*Alastor, an epithet of the Greek God Zeus, according to Hesychius of Alexandria and the ''Etymologicum M ...
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Alocer
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Amduscias
The demons' names (given below) are taken from the ''Ars Goetia'', which differs in terms of number and ranking from the ''Pseudomonarchia Daemonum'' of Johann Weyer. As a result of multiple translations, there are multiple spellings for some of t ...
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Amon
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Andras
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Asmodee
Asmodee is a French publisher of board games, card games and role-playing games (RPGs). Founded in 1995 to develop their own games and to publish and distribute for other smaller game developers, they have since acquired numerous other board game ...
#
Astaroth
Astaroth (also Ashtaroth, Astarot and Asteroth), in demonology, was known to be the Great Duke of Hell in the first hierarchy with Beelzebub and Lucifer; he was part of the evil trinity. He is known to be a male figure most likely named after ...
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Azazel
In the Bible, the name Azazel (; he, עֲזָאזֵל ''ʿAzāʾzēl''; ar, عزازيل, ʿAzāzīl) appears in association with the scapegoat rite; the name represents a desolate place where a scapegoat bearing the sins of the Jews during ...
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Bael Bael may refer to:
*''Aegle marmelos'', commonly known as the Bael tree
* Bael (demon)
* Bael (wrestler)
See also
* Baal (disambiguation)
* Bail (disambiguation)
Bail is the conditional release of an arrested person prior to their trial, or the m ...
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Balan
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Barbatos
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Behemoth
Behemoth (; he, בְּהֵמוֹת, ''bəhēmōṯ'') is a beast from the biblical Book of Job, and is a form of the primeval chaos-monster created by God at the beginning of creation; he is paired with the other chaos-monster, Leviathan, and ...
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Beleth
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Belphegor
In Christian demonology, Belphegor (or Beelphegor, he, בַּעַל-פְּעוֹר ''Báʿal-pəʿór'' - Lord of the Gap) is a demon. In later Kabbalah Belphegor is a demon who helps people make discoveries. He seduces people by suggesting to ...
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Belzebuth
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Berith
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Bhairava
Bhairava ( Sanskrit: भैरव ) or Kala Bhairava is a Shaivite and Vajrayāna deity worshiped by Hindus and Buddhists. In Shaivism, he is a powerful manifestation, or avatar, of Shiva associated with annihilation. In Trika system ''B ...
/Beyrevra
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Buer
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Caacrinolaas
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Cali
Santiago de Cali (), or Cali, is the capital of the Valle del Cauca department, and the most populous city in southwest Colombia, with 2,227,642 residents according to the 2018 census. The city spans with of urban area, making Cali the second ...
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Caym
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Cerbere
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Deimos Deimos, a Greek word for ''dread'', may refer to:
* Deimos (deity), one of the sons of Ares and Aphrodite in Greek mythology
* Deimos (moon), the smaller and outermost of Mars' two natural satellites
* Elecnor Deimos, a Spanish aerospace company
* ...
/Deumus
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Eurynome
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Flaga
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Flavros
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Forcas Forcas may refer to one of the two demons depicted in Ars Goetia and Pseudomonarchia Daemonum:
* Foras (Forcas, Forras, Forracis), President of Hell, commanding 29 legions of demons;
* Furcas
In demonology, Furcas (also spelled Forcas) is a ...
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Furfur
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Ganga
The Ganges ( ) (in India: Ganga ( ); in Bangladesh: Padma ( )). "The Ganges Basin, known in India as the Ganga and in Bangladesh as the Padma, is an international river to which India, Bangladesh, Nepal and China are the riparian states." is ...
/Gramma
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Garuda
Garuda ( Sanskrit: ; Pāli: ; Vedic Sanskrit: गरुळ Garuḷa) is a Hindu demigod and divine creature mentioned in the Hindu, Buddhist and Jain faiths. He is primarily depicted as the mount (''vahana'') of the Hindu god Vishnu. Garu ...
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Guayota
Guayota, in Guanche mythology of Tenerife (the Canary Islands), was the principal malignant deity and Achamán's adversary.
Mythology
According to Guanche legend, Guayota lived inside the Teide volcano, one of the gateways to the underworld. He ...
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Gomory
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Haborym
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Ipes
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Lamia
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Lechies
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Leonard
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Lucifer
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Malphas
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Mammon
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Marchosias
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Melchom
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Moloch
Moloch (; ''Mōleḵ'' or הַמֹּלֶךְ ''hamMōleḵ''; grc, Μόλοχ, la, Moloch; also Molech or Molek) is a name or a term which appears in the Hebrew Bible several times, primarily in the book of Leviticus. The Bible strongly ...
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Nickar
The Nixie, Nixy, Nix, Näcken, Nicor, Nøkk, or Nøkken (german: Nixe; nl, nikker, ; da, nøkke; Norwegian nb, nøkk; nn, nykk; sv, näck; fo, nykur; fi, näkki; is, nykur; et, näkk; ang, nicor; eng, neck or ) are humanoid, and ...
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Nybbas
There have been various attempts at the classification of demons within the contexts of classical mythology, demonology, occultism, and Renaissance magic. These classifications may be for purposes of traditional medicine, exorcisms, ceremonial ma ...
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Orobas
In demonology, Orobas is a powerful Great Prince of Hell, having twenty legions of demons under his control.
He supposedly gives true answers of things past, present, divinity, and the creation of the world; he also confers dignities and prel ...
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Paimon
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Picollus
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Pruflas/Busas
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Rahovart
Rahovart (or ''Rahouart'') is a demon identified in Collin de Plancy's ''Dictionnaire Infernal'' (1818), according to which he is referenced in Durzel's ''Moralité'', a Renaissance book. Rahovart is a companion of Satan; little is known about the ...
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Ribesal
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Ronwe
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Scox
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Stolas
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Tap
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Torngarsuk
In the Inuit religion, Torngarsuk (or Torngasak) is a sky god, one of the more important deities in the Inuit pantheon. He is said to be the leader of the Tornat, a group of protective gods.
Torngarsuk is listed as a demon or spirit in the ''D ...
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Ukobach
The ''Dictionnaire infernal'' ( en, "Infernal Dictionary") is a book on demonology, describing demons organised in hierarchies. It was written by Jacques Collin de Plancy and first published in 1818. There were several editions of the book; perh ...
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Volac
Valac is a demon described in the goetic grimoires ''The Lesser Key of Solomon'' (in some versions as Ualac or Valak and in Thomas Rudd's variant as Valu), Johann Weyer's ''Pseudomonarchia Daemonum'' (as Volac), the ''Liber Officiorum Spirituum ...
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Wall
A wall is a structure and a surface that defines an area; carries a load; provides security, shelter, or soundproofing; or, is decorative. There are many kinds of walls, including:
* Walls in buildings that form a fundamental part of the s ...
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Xaphan
Xaphan is one of the fallen angels that rebelled with Satan against God, and is a demon of the 2nd rank.
During the rebellion against Heaven, he proposed to set fire to heaven before he and the other fallen were cast out. After being cast out of ...
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Yan-gant-y-tan
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Zaebos
Zaebos is a demon or spirit in the ''Dictionnaire Infernal
The ''Dictionnaire infernal'' ( en, "Infernal Dictionary") is a book on demonology, describing demons organised in hierarchies. It was written by Jacques Collin de Plancy and first p ...
Early editions
Contents of the ''Dictionaire Infernal'' varied across different early imprints:
* 1818: first edition
* 1825: second edition
* 1826: reprint of second edition
* 1844: third edition
* 1845: fourth edition
* 1853: fifth edition
* 1863: sixth edition, illustrated by Louis le Breton
See also
*
Classification of demons
References
External links
''Dictionnaire infernal, ou, Recherches et anecdotes, sur les démons'', les, 1818at Google Books, PDF download available
''Dictionnaire infernal, ou Recherches et anecdotes sur les démons'', 1844at Google Books, PDF download available
''Dictionnaire des sciences occultes: ou, Répertoire universel des êtres'', des, 1848at Google Books, PDF download available
''Dictionnaire infernal: ou Répertoire universel des êtres, des personnages'', 1853582 pages – at Google Books PDF download available
''Dictionnaire infernal: ou Répertoire universel des êtres, des personnages'', 1863PDF download available.
Deliriums Realm – ''Dictionnaire Infernal''on the site of the electronic library of Lisieux
{{Authority control
1818 non-fiction books
Demons
Demonological literature
Occult books
Catholic engraving