Paimon is a formidable infernal sovereign, holding the title of a King of Hell within the hierarchies of Western occultism. The name likely derives from the Greek 'pemō' (to send) or 'Pa-emon' (the sounding one), reflecting his role as a bearer of secret knowledge and a commander of celestial orders. In the Goetia, he is described as a king ruling over two hundred legions of spirits, appearing with a great cry and a commanding presence. Paimon is often depicted with a human face and a crown, riding a dromedary, and attended by a retinue of spirits playing musical instruments. He teaches arts, sciences, and the mysteries of the earth, and reveals hidden treasures.

Position on the Tree of Life

Paimon is assigned to Path 31, the 31st path of the Tree of Life. This path corresponds to the Hebrew letter Shin (ש), the element of Fire, and the Atu of the Tarot known as The Aeon (or The Last Judgment in older decks). This placement emphasizes Paimon's nature as a fiery, transformative force—a king whose presence is a crucible of destruction and revelation.

Astrological and planetary correspondence

Path 31 is not directly ruled by a classical planet. Instead, its quintessential energy is that of primordial Fire. As a demon king under this path, Paimon's rule is associated with the volatile, creative, and destructive aspects of fire itself. His planetary correspondence is often aligned with the sub-elemental fire of the infernal realm, a reflection of the Sun's destructive aspect.

Historical context

The most enduring source for Paimon is the Lemegeton (The Lesser Key of Solomon), a grimoire compiled in the 17th century. Within its first book, the Ars Goetia, Paimon appears as the ninth spirit, a king supremely powerful, who must be invoked with great care and ceremony. He is said to appear in the form of a man with a woman's face, a diadem, and a dromedary, accompanied by a great host of spirits playing trumpets, cymbals, and all manner of music. Weyer's Pseudomonarchia Daemonum (1563) gives a similar description, noting Paimon's capacity to teach all arts, sciences, and secret things. The Dictionnaire Infernal of Collin de Plancy (1818) further cemented his image as a crowned king of the infernal empire.

In later occult currents, particularly within the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn and the Thelemic system of Aleister Crowley, Paimon was reinterpreted not merely as a demon to be controlled, but as a symbolic force corresponding to the alchemical process of calcination—the fire that reduces all dross to ash, revealing the essential kernel of the Philosopher's Stone. As a Demon King in the Goetia, he commands 200 legions of spirits, ranking from fourth to first order of power.

Closing

In Liber 777, Paimon occupies the 31st position in the table of 'The Demon Kings' (Row key LXVIII., column 31). He is the fiery king of Path 31, the Shin-path, a ruler whose domain is the transformative fire that simultaneously destroys and consecrates.