Mammon

The figure of Mammon originates in the New Testament, where the Aramaic word 'māmōnā' is used by Jesus to represent material wealth, money, or any entity that promises riches. It is presented as a power that cannot be served alongside God, symbolizing the dangers of avarice and the corrupting influence of excessive materialism. While the New Testament uses the term to denote wealth itself, later traditions, particularly during the Middle Ages, personified Mammon as a demon embodying greed.

Personification and Demonological Context

By the medieval period, Mammon was frequently depicted as a demon, often listed among the seven princes of Hell and associated with the deadly sin of greed. This personification likely arose from the biblical warnings against the love of money. Authors and theologians like Peter Lombard and Nicholas de Lyra explicitly referred to Mammon as a demon by name. Literary works, such as Edmund Spenser's The Faerie Queene, further cemented this image, portraying Mammon overseeing a cave filled with worldly treasures. John Milton's Paradise Lost also features a fallen angel who prioritizes earthly wealth.

Etymology and Linguistic Usage

The word 'Mammon' entered English through post-classical Latin and Hellenistic Greek, ultimately deriving from Aramaic and Hebrew terms for wealth. This linguistic root highlights its fundamental connection to financial prosperity. In modern usage, many European languages, including Polish, Slovak, Finnish, Estonian, and German, retain derivatives of 'Mammon' to refer to money, often with a contemptuous connotation, reflecting its enduring symbolic association with the pursuit of wealth.