Belphegor

In demonology, Belphegor (or Beelphegor) is a demon who helps people to make discoveries. He seduces people by suggesting to them ingenious inventions that will make them rich. According to some 16th century demonologists, his power is stronger in April. Bishop and witch-hunter Peter Binsfeld believed that Belphegor tempts by means of laziness. [citebook|title=Merriam-Webster's Encyclopedia of World Religions |author= Wendy Doniger|year= 1999|url= http://books.google.com/books?vid=ISBN0877790442&id=ZP_f9icf2roC&pg=RA1-PA287&lpg=RA1-PA287&ots=CEU5NbpNy8&dq=Belphegor+Demon&ie=ISO-8859-1&output=html&sig=77f2A1XaxWMvR92R7_bD7Z36Au8|id=ISBN 0877790442]

Belphegor originated as the Assyrian Baal-Peor, the Moabitish god to whom the Israelites became attached in Shittim (Numbers 25:3), which was associated with licentiousness and orgies. It was worshipped in the form of a phallus.

As a demon, he is described in Kabbalistic writings as the "disputer", an enemy of the sixth Sephiroth "beauty." When summoned, he can grant riches, the power of discovery and ingenious invention. His role as a demon was to sow discord among men and seduce them to evil through the apportionment of wealth.

Belphegor (Lord of the Opening) was pictured in two quite different fashions: as a beautiful naked woman and as a monstrous, bearded demon with an open mouth, horns, and sharply pointed nails. Belphegor also figures in Milton's "Paradise Lost" and in Victor Hugo's "The Toilers of the Sea".

According to legend, Belphegor was sent from Hell by Lucifer to find out if there really was such a thing on earth as married happiness. Rumor of such had reached the demons but they knew that people were not designed to live in harmony. Belphegor's experiences in the world soon convinced him that the rumor was groundless. The story is found in various works of early modern literature, hence the use of the name to apply to a misanthrope or a licentious person.

Also, in Christian tradition, Belphegor is said to be the chief demon of the deadly sin Sloth, at least according to Peter Binsfield's "Binsfield's Classification of Demons"

In popular culture

* Belphegor is the name of a death/black metal band from Austria.In prose fiction:
* Belphegor is a character in the alternative historical fantasy novel Shy Leopardess.
* Belphegor is also the name of a breed of roses cultivated by Colonel Oldroy in the book Sunshine by Robin McKinley.
* Belphegor is also the name of a Parisian group of 'Low Nosferatu' vampires in , who seek to gain 'High Clan Status' by living beneath the Elysium of The Louvre.
* In Michael Moorcock's Jerry Cornelius novels, the sado-masochistic techno-magician Miss Brunner calls on Belphegor while demonically possessed.In anime & manga:
* Belphemon is one of the Seven Great Demon Lords in the Digimon anime/game series. He represents the sin of Sloth.
* Belphegor is the name of a character from the 2004 manga series Reborn! Nicknamed "Prince the Ripper," he represents the sin of Sloth.
* Gundam Belphegor is the name of a robot in the 2004 manga series .
* A demon named Belphegor appears in the fourth episode of .
* In the "DOOM" source port Skulltag, a Belphegor is a stronger variant of the Baron Of Hell
*Belphegor appears as a recruitable character in Persona 4 and is of the Devil Arcana. The demon is depicted as a purple skinned demon sitting on a toilet.
* In the "Dominions 3", he is a demon lord associated with seducing people to evil. He constantly spawns soldiers every turn that guard him, who sold their souls to service for gold, and he also generates virgin girls sold by their parents for pure blood used in Blood Magic.
*In the webcomic Megatokyo, Belphegor is a cat who works for the main character's "anti-conscience." [cite web
last = Gallagher
first = Fred
authorlink = Fred Gallagher
title = Megatokyo
url = http://www.megatokyo.com/strip/422
date = 2003-06-16]

References

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vongola_Family#Belphegor

External links

* [http://belph.com/ Belphegor in comic form]
* [http://www.pbs.org/art21/slideshow/artists/r/ritchie-draw-002.jpgBelphegor as drawn by Matthew Ritchie]