where did the description of satan come from?

The description of Satan with tail, horns and pitchfork actually is an amalgamation of several ancient pagan gods. Pan of the Greeks had the legs of a goat, which Satan was often depicted with. The tail and horns could also have been Pan or Cernounous the Celtic god of the forest. The pitchfork was the symbol of Triton or Neptune, god of the sea. Red because red in color of fire and of blood and were things feared in the Dark Ages which is the time of history that that description comes from.

Satan's description was formed by early Christianity, taking pagan religious symbols and transmuting them into the devil's tool, such as Poisedon's pitchfork, or the star of Venus. He was even given a pointy crown (or horns) deriving off of another Greek religious symbol. In some depictions, Satan had cloven feet and goat legs. That comes from the god of the grass, Pan, and the creatures he created after himself called Satyrs. Though Pan may be mischivious, he's no devil, which is what the early Christians tried to preach. "If you don't believe in God, you believe in the devil."

Satan probably doesn't look anything like any of those depictions. From what I hear, to look upon the face of the devil would bring instant death.

However, once again, that is something my catholic upbringing has taught me. A lot in which they taught me I have discovered to be false.

Well, Christians needed to give the devil a face, so they stole characteristics from other religions to demote the others and put theirs on top. That's where he came from.

Well the goat-like appearance (akin to the tail, goat legs, horns, etc.) comes from a corruption of Pan, since he was considered a homosexual Greek god. Catholics did not like that.

Don't know exactly where the pitchfork and red came from, but a random guess I would say perhaps Poseidon (pitchfork part, not the red).

Great question and I actually know the answer to this one. In the 15th and 16th centuries artists began to paint what they believed or their interpretation of what the devil if he so exists would look like and the red man with pitchfork and horns was the winner.

So that image has carried down through the ages.

That is a very modern description based on medieval artworks.

In Biblical times (in Hebrew belief) demons were believed to take 2 forms - one was the pan/faun like nature sprite who where more mischievous pranksters rather than outright evil (Like fairies and goblins) and the really evil nasty demons were giant winged red bulls.

If you equate Satan with Lucifer (again a Medieval rather than a Biblical concept) then he should look like an angle as he is a fallen angel and is meant to be beautiful - which would make him more seductive...

Though some angles take odd forms (eg. Cherubs are winged sphinxes).

Certainly - as the above person says- Medieval Catholics added elements from Pagan images to add to the imagery...

The description of Satan was first created by the Catholic Church.... And other churches just followed that description........................