The third spirit of the Ars Goetia and one of its most unusual — Vassago is explicitly described as a spirit of good nature, a distinction that very few spirits in the entire catalogue receive. He declares things hidden and lost, reveals the past and the future, and is considered one of the most approachable and cooperative spirits in the Solomonic tradition. His appearance mirrors Agares: he comes in the same form as the second spirit.
The Goetia's description of Vassago includes a phrase that stands out immediately: he is "of a good nature." In a catalogue of 72 spirits that frequently describes its subjects as terrible, mighty, dangerous, furious and requiring elaborate protective measures, a spirit explicitly described as good-natured is exceptional. This is not a casual or careless description — the Goetia is precise in its language, and the attribution of good nature to Vassago is a deliberate statement about his character.
What does good nature mean for a Goetia spirit? It means that Vassago does not need to be compelled with the full force of the Solomonic ceremonial apparatus. He does not arrive in fury, does not need elaborate coercive invocations, does not require the conjurer to maintain constant pressure throughout the working. He comes when called and answers willingly. This makes him one of the most practical spirits in the catalogue for those beginning work with the Goetia tradition — the power is genuine, but the relationship is cooperative rather than adversarial.
The Third Spirit is a Mighty Prince, being of the same nature as Agares. He is called Vassago. This Spirit is of a Good Nature, and his office is to declare things Hidden or Lost, and to discover all things Past and to Come.
— Ars Goetia, Lemegeton Clavicula Salomonis, 17th centuryVassago's powers are focused and clearly defined — he is one of the more specialised spirits in the Goetia, with a domain concentrated entirely on revelation: declaring what is hidden, finding what is lost, and revealing what is to come. This focused specificity, combined with his good nature, makes him perhaps the most straightforwardly useful divinatory spirit in the entire catalogue.
Vassago and scrying: Vassago has a strong tradition of use in scrying — the practice of gazing into a reflective surface (mirror, crystal, water) to perceive hidden and distant things. His combination of good nature, willingness to reveal hidden things and temporal vision across past and future makes him an ideal spirit to call upon when opening a scrying session. Many practitioners in the Goetia tradition invoke Vassago at the beginning of any divinatory working as a spirit who smooths the process of revelation.
The Goetia's description of Vassago as being "of the same nature as Agares" is a fascinating detail. It suggests a classification system within the Goetia itself — spirits grouped by some underlying quality or origin that the text does not fully elaborate but treats as significant enough to note.
Both Agares and Vassago share a mild, non-threatening presentation. Agares appears as a fair old man; Vassago "cometh in the same form" — adopting the same gentle elder appearance. Both are associated with revelation of hidden things (Agares reveals things hidden in the earth; Vassago reveals things hidden in general). Both operate through clarity rather than force. The "same nature" designation may indicate that they are members of the same original angelic choir or order — fallen beings who retained the same character as their original celestial nature, which was oriented toward revelation and disclosure rather than power and destruction.
In Kabbalistic terms, spirits of the "same nature" may correspond to the same Sephira or the same path on the Tree of Life — sharing an underlying divine principle that manifests differently in each specific entity. Agares and Vassago would then be two expressions of the same fundamental archetypal energy: the energy of gentle revelation, of bringing hidden things to light through wisdom rather than force.
Vassago is one of the most recommended spirits for those beginning work with the Goetia. His good nature removes the element of adversarial tension that characterises working with many other spirits. His powers — finding lost things, revealing hidden knowledge, temporal divination — are immediately practical and clearly defined. And his 26 legions give him sufficient authority to actually deliver what he promises.
Working with Vassago is typically approached through meditation, scrying or simple invocation rather than the full Solomonic ceremonial apparatus. He responds to sincere seeking — the genuine desire to know what is hidden — rather than to the impressive display of ceremonial force. His good nature is not weakness but a different mode of engagement: a spirit who reveals to those who sincerely seek, rather than a force that must be compelled to disclose.