Leviathan

Summary

Leviathan (Hebrew: לִוְיָתָן, "twisted, coiled") is the demon prince of Envy (Invidia) in the hierarchy of the Seven Deadly Sins. Depicted as an enormous serpentine beast and sea monster, Leviathan serves as the gatekeeper to the Hellmouth - the entrance to Hell envisaged as the gaping mouth of a huge monster.

Deadly Sin Association

Etymology

• Hebrew: לִוְיָתָן (Livyatan) - "twisted, coiled"
• Also spelled: Lefiafan, Liwyān
• Associated with primordial chaos waters

Biblical References

Old Testament

• Job 41: Detailed description of Leviathan as an invincible sea monster
• Psalm 74:14: God "crushed the heads of Leviathan"
• Psalm 104:26: Leviathan plays in the sea God created
• Isaiah 27:1: Leviathan will be slain by God "in that day"

Ancient Near Eastern Parallels

• Canaanite: Lotan (sea serpent defeated by Baal)
• Babylonian: Tiamat (primordial sea dragon)
• Greek: Python, Hydra

The Sin of Envy

Envy (Invidia) encompasses:

• Jealousy and malice
• Grieving spite at others' achievements
• Resentment of others' possessions or character traits
• Wishing others to fail (Schadenfreude)
• Desire to deprive others of their good
• The root of theft and self-loathing

Dante: "Love of one's own good perverted to a desire to deprive other men of theirs."

Hierarchy Position

In Peter Binsfeld's classification of demons (1589):

Characteristics

The Hellmouth

• Leviathan's mouth is the entrance to Hell
• The gaping maw of a huge monster
• Represented in medieval art as the jaws of a beast
• Souls enter Hell through Leviathan

The Serpent from the Abyss

• Represents collective evil from the abysses of human souls
• The snake that rises from the water
• Leads humans to distorted perceptions of reality
• Causes deteriorated state of mind and false representations

Gatekeeper

• Guard of the ineffable chasms of the subconscious
• Controls access to the depths of the psyche
• Represents the barrier between conscious and unconscious

In Satanic Tradition

The Satanic Bible (Anton LaVey)

• Listed as one of the Four Crown Princes of Hell
• Represents the element of Water
• Direction: West (place of the setting sun)
• Associated with the Chalice in ritual

Church of Satan

• Hebrew letters at points of Sigil of Baphomet represent Leviathan
• Reading counter-clockwise from lowest point of pentagram
• The word spells out "Leviathan" (לויתן)

Ritual Associations

Planetary Associations

Mercury attributes:

• Planet of communication and mind
• Rules: thought, perception, trade
• Day: Wednesday (dies Mercurii)
• Metal: Mercury/Quicksilver
• Connected to: duality, messages, thieves

Cross-Cultural Parallels

Archetypal Significance

From an esoteric perspective:

• Represents the depths of the unconscious mind
• The collective shadow of humanity
• Envy as the serpent that poisons perception
• Water as the element of emotion and depth
• The barrier to spiritual ascension

In the Book of the Sacred Magic of Abra-Melin

Leviathan is listed among the Four Crown Princes of Hell:

• Lucifer - East
• Leviathan - West
• Satan - South
• Belial - North

Psychological Interpretation

Leviathan represents:

• The devouring aspect of envy
• Self-consuming resentment
• The spiral into negative comparison
• Loss of self in obsession with others
• The "hell" of perpetual dissatisfaction

Protection and Countermeasures

The virtue opposing Envy is Kindness (Benevolentia):

1. Practice gratitude for what you have
2. Celebrate others' successes genuinely
3. Recognize envy as a sign of unfulfilled needs
4. Transform competition into inspiration
5. Cultivate contentment and self-acceptance

Sigil of Baphomet Connection

In the Church of Satan's Sigil of Baphomet:

• Hebrew letters spell לויתן (Leviathan)
• Placed around the outer circle of the sigil
• Reading counter-clockwise from the lowest point
• Represents the enclosing force of the infernal

References

• Ralf Maucher - Archons - Hidden Rulers Through The Ages
• Peter Binsfeld - Classification of Demons (1589)
• Anton LaVey - The Satanic Bible
• The Book of the Sacred Magic of Abra-Melin the Mage
• Book of Job (Hebrew Bible)