Barbatos; A Skeletal Figure With Green Emerald

 By James Donahue

Who would have thought the great Robin Hood figure of ancient legend, Barbatos, would look so different to a contemporary magician?

Long described as the hunter in green clothing, a crafty friend to any magickian able to raise him, Barbatos is obviously the stuff legends and old stories are made of.

This great Goetian Duke is briefly described as a hunter who appears with four noble kings and their armies at his side. The kings are blowing horns in celebration of Barbatos' arrival. It is said this demon can talk to animals, open magically protected treasures, tell of past things, predict the future, and be of good council to those in power.

Sounds like a fine fellow.

Yet in this new image Barbatos appears as a skeletal figure, wearing a wide brimmed and very tall pointed hat. His eyes are hidden under the brim of the hat, which is tilted forward. A long flowing robe hangs down from the right shoulder hiding that arm. His left skeletal arm holds a giant green emerald, nearly half the size of the spirit, which Barbatos seems to be proudly showing us.

It is obvious that Barbatos has a message, but to date, it has escaped us.

The sigil, shown at the bottom of the page, looks like a tombstone. We sense Barbatos is more of a representation of human death than life.

Over the years Barbatos has been known by numerous other names, including Barginiel, Barbas, Marbas, Brumiel and Lerajie. The story that he wears green may be confused with the large green emerald he shows.

The story that Barbatos can find treasures may be connected with the valuable stone in his possession.

The message may be quite simple; that in our quest to worship the real human god, money, we have destroyed ourselves.

Barbatos and his 30 legions of spirits under his command also are known for their ability to solve problems and bring people together.