LXII - BUER

62 - Buer - Appears in Book of Incantations, The Discoverie of Witchcraft, The Grand Grimoire, Pseudomonarchia Daemonum, The Lesser Key of Solomon, and Dictionnaire Infernal

FROM PSEUDOMONARCHIA / DISCOVERIE OF WITCHCRAFT

Buer is a great president, and is seene in this signe [*]; he absolutelie teacheth philosophie morall and naturall, and also logicke, and the vertue of herbes: he giveth the best familiars, he can heale all diseases, speciallie of men, and reigneth over fiftie legions.

Original Text : Buer Præses magnus conspicitur in signo *. Absolute docet philosophiam, practicam, ethica item and logica, and herbarum vires: Dat optimos familiares: Ægros sanitati restituere novit, maxime and homines. Quinquaginta legionum habet imperium.

FROM THE DICTIONNAIRE INFERNAL

Buer, demon of second class/lower class, president of hell; he has the shape of a star or a five spoke wheel, and advances by rolling. He teaches philosophy, logic and the virtues of medicinal plants. He boasts about giving good servants and bringing good health to the sick. He commands 50 legions.

Original Text : Buer, démon de seconde classe, président aux enfers; il a la forme d'une étoile ou d'une roue à cinq branches, et s'avance en roulant sur lui-même.

Il enseigne la philosophie, la logique et les vertus des herbes médicinales. Il se vante de donner de bons domestiques el de rendre la santé aux malades. Il commande cinquante légions.

FROM THE LESSER KEY

The Tenth Spirit is Buer, a Great President. He appeareth in Sagittary, and that is his shape when the Sun is there. He teaches Philosophy, both Moral and Natural, and the Logic Art, and also the Virtues of all Herbs and Plants. He healeth all distempers in man, and giveth good Familiars. He governeth 50 Legions of Spirits, and his Character of obedience is this, which thou must wear when thou callest him forth unto appearance.

Appearance: As a centaur with a bow, or as a “five-branched star or wheel”

Subrace: Likely an outcast throne

Abilities: Familiars, Health/medicine, Knowledge of Herbs and Stones, Knowledge of Logic, Knowledge of Philosophy

Legions: 50

Rank: President

Notes:

Very interesting. Every single account differs significantly from the others. I shall go chronologically.

Weyer describes Buer as teaching natural and moral philosophy. Interestingly, the description of his appearance as “ and is seene in this signe [*]” Weyer has literally drawn a five pointed star on the page. This is nearly identical to that of Decarabia, implying some sort of connection between the two. Though, later interpretations seem to imply less that he is a text element, and more that he has five limbs arranged in a wheel shape.

Later, De Plancy describes him as literally being the same shape as a wheel who moves around by rolling. Additionally, my translator notes that the french descriptions for Buer are notably derisive. Other texts translated "de seconde classe" as "of the second order", however a more accurate translation is “second class” with all the power relationships that implies. Additionally still, De Plancy explicitly describes Buer with “se vante”, meaning “to brag” or “to boast.” The implication being that Buer talks a big game but may be less powerful than they say. Perhaps De Plancy got the bad end of a deal.

Finally, we have the crowley/mathers translation of the goetia. They seemed to be working from Weyers manuscripts, as they interpreted Weyers drawing of a star and subsequent reference to Buer only appearing when the sun is in sagittarius, as a reference to the constellation sagittarius, and the mythological creature of a centaur.

This explains quite a bit. It seems that Buer is a reference to the greek mythological figure Ixion, father of the centaurs, a murderer who was punished by the gods and bound eternally to a flaming wheel that rolls its way through tartarus. Notably, he is depicted on some eutruscan artifacts where the wheel is also winged. This is characteristic of how eutruscan daimones are depicted, but it also bears striking resemblance to descriptions of the angelic powers.

As for Buers actual occupation within hell, it is unclear. The conflicting information about him makes a definitive role tough to pin down. It is my hope that studying the rest of the presidents may shine some light on their function.

Brand - Unknown