Agathion

Agathion is a Demon in the Megami Tensei franchise.

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Origin

Agathion ultimately comes from Philostratus of Athens' Lives of the Sophists, where a strong, tall, long-lived man speaks with Herodes Atticus. This man says he mostly drinks milk and that farmers nickname him Agathion^[a] because he is thought to bring good luck. Herodes begs to dine with Agathion, and Agathion says that he will be at the Temple of Canobus tomorrow at noon, and that Herodes should bring a large bowl of milk which has not been milked by a woman. Upon meeting, Agathion smells the milk and rejects it, saying it was impure and milked by a woman. Herodes sends someone to inquire of the cow-sheds, and it was indeed milked by a woman.^[1]

Pierre Le Loyer would reinterpret Agathion as a demon in his 1605 book Discours et histoires des spectres, visions et apparitions des esprits, anges, démons, et ames, se monstrans visibles aux hommes. Le Loyer says that Agathion was a familiar which could only be seen at noon, could appear in the form of a man or beast, and would allow itself to be attached and enclosed inside a character, cipher, phial, or an empty ring with a vault inside to receive it.^[2] Agathion was later mentioned in Jacques Collin de Plancy's Dictionnaire Infernal, citing Le Loyer's book. He changes the objects Agathion can be enclosed inside to a talisman, bottle, or magic ring.^[3]

Design

Agathion is a small, light-blue demon that resides inside a golden jar. It has large, red-orange eyes, small curved horns, and hands that can be seen gripping the lip of the jar. The jar has a curved handle on each side, a knotted rope around the midsection, and the Star of David on the front. The jar's design was slightly altered for Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance, with the Star of David being replaced by a new hexagram with an eye in its center.

Gameplay

For complete gameplay information, see Gameplay:Agathion.

Compendium

Compendium Entries
Shin Megami Tensei IV	A familiar with no physical body that only appears during the day. There is no consensus on the appearance of an Agathion: it can resemble a human, bird, or animal. They are usually sealed away in bottles or pots, but can also be sealed in rings or talismans. The term Agathion is also used as a general term for familiars.
Shin Megami Tensei IV: Apocalypse	A familiar with no physical body that only appears during the day. There is no consensus on the appearance of an Agathion: it can resemble a human, bird, or animal. They are usually sealed away in bottles or pots, but can also be sealed in rings or talismans. The term Agathion is also used as a general term for familiars.
Shin Megami Tensei V	A familiar with no physical body that only appears during the day. There is no consensus on the appearance of an Agathion: it can resemble a human, bird, or animal. They are usually sealed away in bottles or pots, but can also be sealed in rings or talismans. The term Agathion is also used as a general term for familiars.
Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance	A familiar with no physical body that appears only during the day. There is no consensus on the appearance of an Agathion: it can resemble a human, bird, or animal. They are usually sealed away in bottles or pots but can also be sealed in rings or talismans. The term Agathion is also used as a general term for familiars.
Liberation Dx2	A familiar with no physical body that only appears during the day. There is no consensus on the appearance of an Agathion. When summoned, they may resemble a human, bird or animal. They are usually sealed away in bottles or pots, but can also inhabit rings and talismans. The word Agathion is also used as a general term for familiars.
Raidou Kuzunoha vs. the Soulless Army	A general term for familiars used by Judeo-Christian magicians. Once summoned, it torments the target selected by its conjuror.
Raidou Kuzunoha vs. King Abaddon	A general term for familiars used by Judeo-Christian magicians. Once summoned, it torments the target selected by its conjuror.
Persona 2: Innocent Sin	Guardian god sometimes sealed in pots and rings.
Persona 5	A general term for familiars used by Judeo-Christian magicians, they are usually sealed away in bottles, rings, or talismans. They torment the target selected by the conjuror.
Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth	A general term for familiars used by Judeo-Christian magicians, they are usually sealed away in bottles, rings, or talismans. They torment the target selected by the conjuror.
Persona Q2: New Cinema Labyrinth	A general term for familiars used by Judeo-Christian magicians, they are usually sealed away in bottles, rings, or talismans. They torment the target selected by the conjuror.
Devil Survivor 2	A familiar with no physical body that only appears during the day. There is no consensus on the appearance of an Agathion: it can resemble a human, bird, or animal. They are usually sealed away in bottles or pots, but can also be sealed in rings or talismans. The term Agathion is also used as a general term for familiars.

Nomenclature

Names in Other Languages
Language	Name	Meaning
Japanese	アガシオン Agashion	Agathion
Japanese	ボトル詰めの丁稚Persona 5 Royal (Shadow) Botoruzume no Detchi	Bottled Apprentice
Simplified Chinese	阿珈席翁 Ājiāxíwēng	Agathion
Simplified Chinese	瓶子里的学徒Persona 5 Royal (Shadow) Píngzi lǐ de Xuétú	Apprentice in a Bottle
Traditional Chinese	阿珈席翁 Ājiāxíwēng	Agathion
Traditional Chinese	瓶子裡的學徒Persona 5 Royal (Shadow) Píngzi lǐ de Xuétú	Apprentice in a Bottle
French	Agathion
French	Apprenti dans un potPersona 5 Royal (Shadow)	Apprentice in a Jug
German	Agathion
German	Kleiner KannendämonPersona 5 Royal (Shadow)	Little Jug Demon
Italian	Agathion
Italian	Famiglio in vasoPersona 5 Royal (Shadow)	Familiar in a Jug
Korean	아가시온 Agasion	Agathion
Korean	병甁 속의 견습생見習生Persona 5 Royal (Shadow) Byeong Sog-ui Gyeonseupsaeng	Apprentice in a Bottle
Polish	Agation	Agathion
Brazilian Portuguese	Agathion
Russian	Агатион Agation	Agathion
Spanish	Agathion
Spanish	Aprendiz de las jarrasPersona 5 Royal (Shadow)	Apprentice of Jugs
Turkish	Agatiyon	Agathion

Gallery

Render for Persona 5
Render from Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth
Sprite of Agathion from Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner

Videos

Agathion's Daily Demon Showcase for Shin Megami Tensei V

Notes

↑ From ἀγαθός agathós, meaning "good"

References

↑ Philostratus, Lives of the Sophists. Retrieved September 13, 2024. ToposText.
↑ "Mais auſſi y auoit il quelques Demons qui ſe monſtroient particulierement ſur le Midy à ceux auec leſquels ils auoient contracté familiarité. Et tel eſtoit le Demon Agathion qui conferoit auec le Philoſophe Herodes natif d'Athenes dans le Temple de Canobus demy-Dieu ou Heros. Car Philoſtrate eſcrit qu'Herodes ne pouuoit veoir le Demon pour avoir ſa conference que ſur l'heure de Midy ſeulement. Ce Demon Agathion eſtoit de ceux que les Grecs nous auroient figurez par le nom de ΠαρέδροιThe accent is placed on the wrong syllable. It should read Πάρεδροι.,^[sic] conſeils, familiers, aſſeſſeurs. Et ceſte ſorte de Demõs ſuiuoit ou viſitoit ſes ſuppoſts en forme d'homme ou de beſte, ou ſe laiſſoit attacher & enclorre en vn caractere, chiffre, fiole, ou bien en vn anneau vuide & caueau dedans pour les receuoir, comme Artemidore figure tels anneaux. Ces Demons ne ſont que trop cogneus des Magiciens qui s'en ſeruent, & à mon grand regret ie ſuis contrait de dire, que l'vſage n'en eſt que trop commun en la Chreſtienté." Discovrs, et histoires des spectres, visions et apparitions des esprits, anges, demons, et ames, se monstrans viſibles aux hommes (1605), Pierre le Loyer. p. 198.
↑ "Agathion, démon familier qui ne se monte qu'à midi. Il paraît en forme d'homme ou de bête ; quelquefois il se laisse enfermer dans un talisman, dans une bouteille ou dans un anneau magique².
² Leloyer, Disc. et hist. des spectres, liv. III, ch. v." Dictionnaire infernal (1863), Jacques Collin de Plancy. French. (6th ed.) p. 9.

[1] From ἀγαθός agathós, meaning "good"

[2] Philostratus, Lives of the Sophists. Retrieved September 13, 2024. ToposText.

[3] "Mais auſſi y auoit il quelques Demons qui ſe monſtroient particulierement ſur le Midy à ceux auec leſquels ils auoient contracté familiarité. Et tel eſtoit le Demon Agathion qui conferoit auec le Philoſophe Herodes natif d'Athenes dans le Temple de Canobus demy-Dieu ou Heros. Car Philoſtrate eſcrit qu'Herodes ne pouuoit veoir le Demon pour avoir ſa conference que ſur l'heure de Midy ſeulement. Ce Demon Agathion eſtoit de ceux que les Grecs nous auroient figurez par le nom de ΠαρέδροιThe accent is placed on the wrong syllable. It should read Πάρεδροι.,^[sic] conſeils, familiers, aſſeſſeurs. Et ceſte ſorte de Demõs ſuiuoit ou viſitoit ſes ſuppoſts en forme d'homme ou de beſte, ou ſe laiſſoit attacher & enclorre en vn caractere, chiffre, fiole, ou bien en vn anneau vuide & caueau dedans pour les receuoir, comme Artemidore figure tels anneaux. Ces Demons ne ſont que trop cogneus des Magiciens qui s'en ſeruent, & à mon grand regret ie ſuis contrait de dire, que l'vſage n'en eſt que trop commun en la Chreſtienté." Discovrs, et histoires des spectres, visions et apparitions des esprits, anges, demons, et ames, se monstrans viſibles aux hommes (1605), Pierre le Loyer. p. 198.

[4] "Agathion, démon familier qui ne se monte qu'à midi. Il paraît en forme d'homme ou de bête ; quelquefois il se laisse enfermer dans un talisman, dans une bouteille ou dans un anneau magique².
² Leloyer, Disc. et hist. des spectres, liv. III, ch. v." Dictionnaire infernal (1863), Jacques Collin de Plancy. French. (6th ed.) p. 9.

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