LVI - MALTHUS

56 - Malthus Aka also Halphas, Malthas, Malthous (Not to be confused with Malphas) - Appears in Book of Incantations, The Discoverie of Witchcraft, Pseudomonarchia Daemonum, and The Lesser Key of Solomon

FROM THE LESSER KEY

HALPHAS, or MALTHUS. – The Thirty-eighth Spirit is Halphas, or Malthous (or Malthas). He is a Great Earl, and appeareth in the Form of a Stock-Dove. He speaketh with a hoarse Voice. His Office is to build up Towers, and to furnish them with Ammunition and Weapons, and to send Men-of-War19 to places appointed. He ruleth over 26 Legions of Spirits, and his Seal is this, etc.

FROM PSEUDOMONARCHIA

Halphas is a great earle, and commeth abroad like a storke, with a hoarse voice, he notablie buildeth up townes full of munition and weapons, he sendeth men of warre to places appointed, and hath under him six and twentie legions.

FROM THE DICTIONNAIRE INFERNAL

Halphas, great Count of Hell. He appears in the form of a stork with a loud voice. He builds cities, commands wars and twenty-six legions. He may be the same as Malphas.

Original Text:

Halphas, grand comte des enfers. Il paraîtsous la forme d'une cigogne, avec une voixbruyante. Il bâtit des villes, ordonne les guerreset commande vingt-six legions. C'est peut-êtrele meme que Malphas.

Appearance: A stork, or stock-dove.

Subrace: Cambion

Abilities: War, construction, ammunition

Legions: 26

Rank: Count

Notes: Fascinating addition here from de plancy. He is one of the more well-read occultists we study here, and to have him just outright say “He may be the same as malphas” is both funny and telling.

I am inclined to agree, cursory research into Malphas paints them as nearly identical. Given that the first mention of this demon was in Weyers pragestis daemonium, and Malthus being a later addition from the crowley-mathers lesser key, my editorial stance is that the entries should be combined.

Given how short this entry is, I did some supplemental research on how modern demonologists see Malthus. Michael Ford cites this demon as having particular ability in constructing “astral towers” that defend the summoner from magical attack.

As for Malthus’s actual place among the legions of hell, their abilities clearly line up with the other martial demons like Leraje, Eligos, Sabnock, and Vine. It makes sense to place him under Vine.

Brand of the Cage - While the user is not moving, they become enshrouded with an ‘astral tower’ making them highly resistant to magical attack. However, the tower is both fortress and prison. While enshrouded, they are also unable to retaliate via magical means.