View source for Gaap

{{Short description|Cardinal spirit}}
{{for|the financial term|GAAP (disambiguation)}}
[[File:Gaap.jpg|thumb|Gaap, by [[Louis Le Breton]], 1863]]
'''Gaap''' (also '''Tap''', '''Coap''', '''Taob''' or '''Goap''') is a [[demon]] that is described in [[demonology|demonological]] [[grimoire]]s such as ''[[the Lesser Key of Solomon]]'',<ref>Lemegeton Clavicula Salomonis: The Lesser Key of Solomon, Detailing the Ceremonial Art of Commanding Spirits Both Good and Evil; ed. Joseph H. Peterson; Weiser Books, Maine; 2001. p.18-22</ref> [[Johann Weyer]]'s ''[[Pseudomonarchia Daemonum]]'',<ref>Pseudomonarchia Daemonum (Liber officiorum spirituum); Johann Weyer, ed. Joseph Peterson; 2000. Available online at [http://www.esotericarchives.com/solomon/weyer.htm Esoteric Archives] [http://www.esotericarchives.com/solomon/weyer.htm#par30 par 30-39]</ref> and the [[Munich Manual of Demonic Magic]],<ref>Forbidden Rites: A Necromancer's Manual of the Fifteenth Century; Richard Kieckhefer; Pennsylvania State University Press, University Park, PA; 1997. P. 165-167 and 291-293</ref><ref>The Goetia of Dr Rudd; Thomas Rudd, Ed. Stephen Skinner & David Rankine; 2007, Golden Hoard Press. p.34</ref><ref>Introduction by Joseph Peterson to Pseudomonarchia Daemonum (Liber officiorum spirituum); Johann Weyer, ed. Joseph Peterson; 2000. Available online at [http://www.esotericarchives.com/solomon/weyer.htm Esoteric Archives]</ref> as well as [[Jacques Collin de Plancy]]'s ''[[Dictionnaire Infernal]]''.<ref>Dictionnaire infernal: ou Répertoire universel des êtres, des personnages, Jacques Collin de Plancy, 1853, [https://books.google.com/books?id=ng8JAAAAQAAJ&dq=intitle%3ADictionnaire%20intitle%3AInfernal&pg=PA5 available on Google Books]. p.460-469</ref>

==Demon==
These works describe Gaap as a prince in human form who incites love. The Munich Manual also says that "Taob" also provides medical care for women, transforms them to make it easier to get to a lover, renders them infertile, and rules twenty-five legions of spirits.  The other sources instead describe Gaap as a president, giving him the power to teach philosophy and liberal arts, make others invisible, steal familiars from other magicians, make men stupid, and carry men between kingdoms; in addition to ruling sixty-six legions of demons.  [[Johann Weyer]] also connects Gaap to [[Necromancy|necromancers]], and states that he was first called upon by [[Ham (son of Noah)|Noah's son Ham]], along with [[Beleth]].  He was of the order of ''[[Angels in Christianity#Powers or Authorities|potestates]]''.

Gaap (or ''Goap'') is also one of the four cardinal spirits, of the south in the Lesser Key of Solomon, the west in the Pseudomonarchia Daemonum.

In the ''[[Livre des Esperitz]]'',<ref name="LDECoap">"Les who's who démonologiques de la Renaissance et leurs ancêtres médiévaux" by Jean-Patrice Boudet, Médiévales 44, Spring 2003, [http://medievales.revues.org/1019 (online link)]. pars. 25, 28, 56</ref> Gaap (as ''Caap'') is still a prince, but appears as a knight, brings gold and silver anywhere, and rules twenty legions of spirits.

Accomplished occultist Carroll "Poke" Runyon treats Gaap and Coap as different entities,<ref>''The Book of Solomon's Magick'' by Carroll Runyon, C.H.S. Inc, 1996, p.160</ref> although they were historically the same figure.<ref name="LDECoap" />

According to [[Thomas Rudd]], Gaap is opposed by the ''[[Shem HaMephorash]]'' angel Ieuiah.<ref>Rudd, ed. Skinner & Rankine, p.366-376</ref>

==Modern depictions==
* Gaap is depicted in the visual novel ''[[Umineko When They Cry]]'' as a female demon who serves the witch Beatrice. She has the ability to teleport herself and others.
* Gaap is played by [[Paapa Essiedu]] in the 2023 ''[[Black Mirror]]'' episode "[[Demon 79]]". He takes the form of [[Bobby Farrell]] from [[Boney M]] to better ingratiate himself to the protagonist.

==See also==
{{Portal|Religion}}
* [[Amaymon]] – the cardinal spirit of the east in ''The Lesser Key of Solomon''
* [[Corson (demon)]] – the cardinal spirit of the west in ''The Lesser Key of Solomon''
* [[Ziminiar]] – the cardinal spirit of the north in ''The Lesser Key of Solomon''

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Demons in the Ars Goetia}}
{{Demons in Pseudomonarchia Daemonum}}

[[Category:Goetic demons]]