Thopibui is the seventy-second spirit of the Goetia, a demon of the rank of Duke, who appears in the form of an armed soldier. The name is a variant of Thobios or Thophibus, likely derived from the Greek θεόπιστος (theopistos, meaning “trusted in God”) or the Coptic root thōb (to deceive), encapsulating the entity’s paradoxical nature as a giver of trust and a revealer of deception. Within the hierarchy of the Lemegeton, Thopibui is noted for his association with the discovery of hidden treasures and the breaking of bonds imposed by men, yet his function is inextricably linked to the unmasking of falsehood and the punishment of corrupt officials.

Position on the Tree of Life

Thopibui is assigned to Path 29 on the Tree of Life, which connects the sephirah Netzach (Victory, Venus) and the sephirah Hod (Splendor, Mercury). This path corresponds to the letter Qoph (or, in some 777 formulations, to a specific Succendent position on the 29th step, linking it to the 29th Path in the 32 Paths schema). On the Succendent scale, Path 29 is associated with the lunar or watery side of the Tree, representing the subconscious, the veil that separates the outer and inner worlds, and the hiding of secrets. Thopibui, as the spirit that both conceals and reveals, is the gatekeeper of this threshold—his domain is the hidden treasure (both literal gold and the esoteric wisdom of the unconscious) that lies behind the illusion of the mundane.

Astrological and planetary correspondence

In the Succendent (side of severity) on the 29th Path, Thopibui corresponds to the darker aspect of the Moon, or to the Queen of the Succubus (the Lilith aspect of the Moon). The 29th Path in some systems is linked to the astrological degree of “the black sun” or the lunar nodes, emphasizing the concept of hidden truth coming into light. Astrologically, this placement suggests a relation to the Moon in the 29th degree of a sign (the anaretic degree), which represents a crisis point where hidden matters surge into manifestation. The planetary correspondence is one of instability and revelation: Thopibui is the demon of the moment when a secret becomes unbearable.

Historical context

The earliest known mention of Thopibui appears in the Lemegeton Clavicula Salomonis (17th century), where he is the final spirit of the seventy-two. He is not found in the earlier Ars Goetia manuscripts that derive from the Steganographia of Trithemius (c. 1500), nor in the Pseudomonarchia Daemonum of Weyer (1583). This suggests that Thopibui was added as a coda in a later recension, perhaps to complete the 72-spirit list (corresponding to the 72 names of God from the Shemhamphorash, with each demon representing the “shadow” of a divine name). His name is a corruption of the Greek Theopistos (trustworthy), as found in the Testament of Solomon where the demon Theopistos is said to steal and twist words, causing betrayal. Thopibui’s office—to deliver men from their enemies and to uncover hidden treasures—echoes the function of the demon Bune (who also deals with riches), but with a punitive twist: Thopibui punishes those who break his commands, and he reveals the corruption of those in power. In later grimoire traditions, he is invoked by those seeking justice against oppressive authorities, as his power “makes one have the favor of their friends and of their enemies.”

In the Liber 777 context, Thopibui sits at the 29th step of the Succendent column, placing him alongside other demons of the hidden and the illusionary, such as Virvaso (Path 16, demon of the element of water) and Syth (Path 18, demon of the abyss). His placement here is deliberate: the 29th Path is the path of the Camel (Gimel) in some systems, the bridge between the conscious and unconscious, but in the Succendent (the side of severity) it becomes the path of betrayal and revelation. Thopibui is the demon who stands at this gate, offering the hidden treasure of the Moon (the subconscious) only to those who can withstand the truth he brings forth.