“A black crane that circles, hoarse of voice, teaching the arts of speech.”
The Spirit
Naberius — also rendered Cerberus or Naberus — is the twenty-fourth spirit of the Ars Goetia, a valiant Marquis of the infernal hierarchy. The grimoire describes his manifestation in a distinctive manner: he appears in the form of a black crane or raven that flutters about the circle, and when he speaks his voice is hoarse. This avian, restless presence, circling the operator’s protective boundary, sets him apart from the more anthropomorphic or bestial spirits of the Lesser Key.
The name Cerberus, borrowed from the three-headed hound of classical myth, hints at the layering of older traditions within the grimoire, though the crane-form given in the text remains his signature aspect. His hoarse utterance is a recurring detail across the manuscripts.
Office
The Goetia holds that Naberius makes men cunning in all the arts and sciences, and especially in the art of rhetoric — the persuasive command of language. He is said to restore lost dignities and honours, returning to the operator the standing that had been taken away. He is thus a spirit of eloquence and restoration, invoked for skill in speech and for the recovery of reputation and rank.
Attributes
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| Number | 24 |
| Rank | Marquis |
| Legions | 19 |
| Appearance | A black crane or raven fluttering about the circle, hoarse of voice |