Who Is Sallos?
Sallos (also spelled Salos, Saleos, or Zaleos) is the 19th spirit listed in the Ars Goetia, the first section of the 17th-century grimoire The Lesser Key of Solomon (Lemegeton Clavicula Salomonis).
He is described as a mighty Duke of Hell, commanding 30 legions of demons. Sallos appears as a handsome soldier wearing a ducal crown, riding a crocodile, and carrying a golden arrow in his hand.
He is traditionally depicted in red or scarlet armor, symbolizing the fiery and passionate influence of Venus.
Attributes and Powers
Sallos is associated with:
- Inducing love between men and women.
- Fostering genuine affection and harmony in relationships.
- Protecting against emotional discord or betrayal.
- Reuniting lovers and reconciling estranged partners.
- Inspiring passion, sincerity, and empathy.
- Teaching diplomacy and emotional understanding.
He is considered a benevolent spirit within the infernal hierarchy—focused on love, peace, and emotional healing rather than destruction.
In occult philosophy, his powers symbolize the balance between desire and restraint. His Venusian nature promotes affection based on respect and emotional maturity, not manipulation or lust.
Historical Context
The earliest accounts of Sallos appear in grimoires such as the Ars Goetia and Pseudomonarchia Daemonum by Johann Weyer (1577).
He later appears in later compilations like the Dictionnaire Infernal (1818).
These texts belong to the Solomonic magical tradition, describing spirits supposedly bound by King Solomon to serve divine and human commands.
Modern scholars interpret these works as symbolic psychology and ritual theater, reflecting early attempts to structure the human unconscious through sacred imagery.
In contemporary occultism, Sallos represents harmony, affection, and reconciliatory force—a spiritual archetype of balanced passion.
Preparation for Summoning
Before attempting any ritual, traditional sources emphasize mental, physical, and spiritual readiness.
This structure follows the Ars Goetia and the Pseudomonarchia Daemonum traditions.
Purification and Intent
- Fasting and Abstinence: Fast for 24 hours or abstain from meat and alcohol for three days.
- Mental Focus: Clarify your intent. For example, “To bind [name] to me in true love without harm.”
Ambiguity invites chaos, according to the grimoires. - Spiritual Readiness: Meditate daily and cleanse your body with rose or salt water.
Timing and Astrological Alignment
- Perform during a waxing moon for attraction and growth.
- Choose Tuesday (Mars’ day, passion) or Friday (Venus’ day, love).
- Avoid eclipses or Mercury retrograde according to astrological lore.
Tools and Ritual Implements
- Consecrated Magic Circle: Draw a nine-foot circle using chalk or salt. Inscribe divine names such as Adonai, Elohim, and Tetragrammaton around its edge.
- Triangle of Art: Place outside the circle. Inside, draw or display Sallos’s sigil—a stylized crocodile or arrow motif (search “Sallos sigil” for visuals).
- Incense: Sandalwood, rose, or storax.
- Candles: Two red or pink candles for Venus.
- Offerings: Honey, red wine, roses, or a symbolic love token (such as a locket or ring).
- Clothing: White or red linen robes to symbolize purity and passion.
- Scrying Tools: A black mirror, bowl of water, or polished stone for visualization.
Protection
Invoke guardian forces before beginning, such as Archangel Michael or Anael (Venus’s angel).
Classical grimoires warn of psychic backlash or obsession if unprepared—symptoms include fatigue, nightmares, or emotional fixation.
Recite a protective prayer:
“O Lord, who hast created all things, guard me in this operation. Let no deception or harm approach me, by Thy names Adonai and Elohim. Amen.”
The Summoning Ritual
This method is a condensed adaptation of the Ars Goetia and Heptameron.
Perform alone, at night or during twilight, in a calm, consecrated space.
Enter the Circle
Face east, light incense, and anoint yourself with rose or olive oil.
Recite aloud:
“I conjure thee, O mighty and potent Duke Sallos, who commandest thirty legions of the infernal host, by the power of the Most High, Adonai, El, Elohim, and by the seals of Solomon, that thou appear before me in this triangle, visible and affable, without deformity or terror. Come peaceably and without delay, manifesting that which I desire.”
Trace and Activate the Sigil
Hold Sallos’s sigil above a candle flame and chant his enn (a devotional phrase used in modern demonolatry):
“Ayer avage aloren ayer Sallos ayer.”
Repeat nine times while visualizing a soldier on a crocodile emerging from mist, crowned and carrying a golden arrow.
Invocation Proper
Recite the invocation:
“Sallos, Duke of the Ninth Division, I call thee forth from the abyssal realms. By the bonds of thy oath to King Solomon, appear before me! Show thy form of crowned warrior, thy steed of scaled hide, thy arrow of golden fire. Grant me the love I seek: [state specific desire]. Harm none; bind true. I command thee by the power of the Tetragrammaton!”
If the atmosphere changes—temperature shift, fragrance of roses, or intuitive awareness—Sallos is said to be present.
Manifestation and Communication
Look into the scrying tool for imagery or impressions.
Sallos may manifest as:
- A warm breeze or sensation of presence.
- A voice in the mind.
- A vivid dream following the ritual.
Offer the prepared gifts, saying:
“For thy service, I give this freely.”
State your request politely, focusing on mutual love and honesty rather than control.
Dismissal and Binding
When communication feels complete (usually 15–30 minutes), dismiss respectfully:
“Depart in peace, O Sallos, to thy abodes and hierarchies. Return when called, but harm not. By the power of the Divine Names, so mote it be.”
Extinguish candles counterclockwise.
Erase or scatter the circle’s boundary with saltwater.
Bury or burn ritual remnants outdoors.
Risks and Considerations
Traditional Warnings
The Ars Goetia warns that failure to properly bind and dismiss spirits can result in obsession, misfortune, or illness.
Always end with a banishing ritual, such as the Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram (LBRP).
Modern Interpretations
Occultists like Aleister Crowley and later Jungian thinkers view such rituals as psychological dramatizations.
Sallos represents the archetype of desire, empathy, and reconciliation—the internal power to restore emotional harmony.
Ethical Considerations
Love spells risk manipulating free will.
Traditional esoteric ethics emphasize using Sallos’s energy for mutual growth, healing, and compassion, never coercion.
Intent rooted in respect and truth avoids karmic rebound, according to folklore.
Symbolism and Associations
| Attribute | Correspondence |
|---|---|
| Rank | Duke of Hell |
| Legions | 30 |
| Planet | Venus |
| Element | Water |
| Direction | South-East |
| Color | Red, Pink, Gold |
| Metal | Copper |
| Incense | Rose, Sandalwood |
| Day | Friday |
| Primary Virtue | Love, Reconciliation, Harmony |
Summary
Sallos is a Venusian spirit of affection, peace, and understanding.
His mythic image—a noble soldier bearing a golden arrow while riding a crocodile—symbolizes the taming of passion through wisdom.
Modern occultists regard him as an archetype of emotional balance and compassion.
Rather than literal summoning, contemporary practice focuses on meditation, sigil work, or visualization to embody his virtues of love, reconciliation, and sincerity.