Empusa
Empusa (Ancient Greek: Ἔμπουσα, Empousa, of unknown meaning) is a demigoddess of Greek mythology. In later incarnations she appeared as a species of monsters commanded by Hecate (known in English as an empuse).
She is often associated or grouped with the demigoddesses Lamia and Mormo, who were likewise related as a kind of spectres in later mythology (the lamias and mormolyceas, respectively).
As a demigoddess
Empusa was the beautiful daughter of the goddess Hecate and the spirit Mormo. She is based on vampires, which the idea came from. She feasted on blood by seducing young men as they slept (see sleep paralysis), before drinking their blood and eating their flesh. Empusa is pictured as wearing brazen slippers and bearing flaming hair. By folk etymology, her name was said to mean "one-footed" (from Greek *έμπούς, *empous: en-, one + pous, foot). This gave rise to the iconography of a one-legged hybrid, with a donkey's leg and a brass prosthetic leg.
Later and modern usage
In later Greek mythology, her role was reduced to a species of spectre called an empuse or empusa (pl. empusae). The empusae were sent by Hecate to guard roads and devour travelers (Hecate was also the goddess of roadsides). According to Philostratus, empusae ran and hid, uttering a high-pitched scream, at the sound of insults. The empusae are best known for their appearance in Aristophanes's The Frogs, in which they scared Dionysus and Xanthias on their way to the underworld.
Empusa (disambiguation)
Empusa may refer to:
Empusa (insect)
Empusa is a genus of mantises in the family Empusidae, containing the following species:
See also
References
External links
Podcasts:
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The Failed Paradise
by: ImpiousCold blooded murder this is
The burning will was not our choice
Scared eyes are staring at the sickness
Raped bodies will never be buried
Our children were slaughtered
by the holy might
We all live like beasts in the field
When your skull is crushed,
he smiles with joy...
God will dance on your grave
He'll dance on your grave
and spit on your stone
[Solo: Adzic]
Preachers of holiness
believe in the innocence of God
We're hatred and born to bleed
Shall we survive in hell or commit suicide?
Before my eyes all shall die
But the preachers are hiding
behind the walls of stone
Immortal death lives inside
Cold blooded murder this is
The burning will was not our choice
Scared eyes are staring at the sickness
Raped bodies will never be buried
Our children were slaughtered
by the holy might
We all live like beasts in the field
When your skull is crushed,
he smiles with joy...
God will dance on your grave
Indemnity is lost
in this world of beasts
Lay down and face the doom
in these black hating eyes
...my eyes!
[Solo: Adzic]
Preachers of holiness
believe in the innocence of God
We're hatred and born to bleed
Shall we survive in hell or commit suicide?
Before my eyes all shall die
But the preachers are hiding
behind the walls of stone