
Lamia
Variations: Lamie, Lamien, Lamies, Leecher, Lilatou (ancient Babylon), Lilats (Assyria and late period Babylon), Swallower, Vrukalakos
"The goddess Hecate had in her retinue a host of vampiric female demons alternately known as Lamia, Empusae and Mormo. There is some confusion between these types of vampires, as the terms are used sometimes synonymously and sometimes specifically. The lamia were the most elaborated upon in literature and lore."[1]
Ecology[]
"In Ancient Greece, there was a vampiric being known as Lamia. Her name was used in early versions of the Bible to mean “screech owl” and “sea monster.” She was a monstrous creature that fed exclusively on the flesh and blood of children each night."[2]
"According to legend, the first Lamia had an affair with Zeus, the king of the gods. When Zeus’s wife Hera discovered the liaison, she cursed the Lamia with her inhuman predatory form, pronouncing her fate: as an inhuman monster with a taste for infants, she would never again bring live children into the world, but rather only be responsible for dead ones."[3]
The name was also used to refer to a host of vampiric beings in many ancient cultures.
References[]
- ↑ GURPS Blood Types pg 17
- ↑ Bane, Theresa (2010) Encyclopedia of Vampire Mythology McFarland pg89
- ↑ GURPS Blood Types pg 96