brought me a ring with a stone in it, on which was cut the figure that is called the Pentalpha and within it the Name that may not be spoken; and he told me what I must do with it.  On the morrow, therefore, I sent for the lad and gave him the ring, saying, “Take this, and to-night, when the creature comes, you must cast the ring into its bosom, and say, \ In the strength of the Name, King Solomon calleth thee.’  Then rise up and come running to me, and be not afraid for whatever the demon may say to you.”

So that night at the accustomed hour the wicked demon Ornias came to the lad’s chamber, with intent to suck his blood and take away his food.  But the lad remembered my words, and cast the ring upon the demon, saying, “Come, for Solomon calleth thee,” and set off at once to my palace.  But the demon shrieked out after him, “Boy, what hast thou done?  Take the ring from me, and I will give thee the hidden gold of the earth; take it off, and bring me not before Solomon!” But the lad took no heed; and running into the palace, he called to me, “O king, I have brought the spirit, as you told me; he is there before the door, screaming and entreating me and promising me the hidden treasures of the earth if I will not force him to come to you.”  Then I rose up from my throne and went out into the court of the palace, and saw the creature, in the form of a flame of fire, quivering and shrinking; and I stood over it, and said, “What is thy name?” And it answered, “Ornias.”  And I bade Ornias reveal to me, in the strength of the ring, how I should make him subject to me; and he told me where his abode was, and how he afflicted men, and all that I asked him.  Then I sealed him with the seal of the ring, and appointed him to hew stones for the building of the temple.

Thereafter, when I had considered what I should do, I called for Ornias, and delivered the ring to him, and bade him bring before me Beelzebul, the prince of all the demons.  So Ornias went to Beelzebul, and found him sitting upon his throne, and said, “Solomon calleth for thee.”  And Beelzebul said scornfully, “Who is this Solomon of whom thou speakest?” And Ornias cast the ring into the bosom of Beelzebul, and said again, “Solomon calleth for thee.”  And at that Beelzebul uttered a mighty roar, and cast forth from his mouth a great flame of fire; but he must needs rise up from his throne and follow Ornias, and stand before me.  And when I saw him, I gave thanks to the Most High, who had given me power over the demons.  And I spoke roughly to him; and he promised to bring before me all the demons, and that they should be subject to me, and do all that I commanded them.  And I appointed him to saw blocks of marble in pieces for the work of the temple; but when the other demons saw their lord and master labouring like a slave, they shrieked aloud and were sorely dismayed.

After that I sent for many of the chief of the demons, one by one, and questioned them concerning their deeds, what diseases they sent upon men, and what secret things they knew, and how they were to be subdued; and when they had told me, I bound them, and set them to work upon the building of the temple.