Jump to content

Succubus

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by 81.83.144.249 (talk) at 06:02, 13 July 2005 (→In modern fiction). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

A bracket carved as a winged succubus on the outside of an English inn, suggesting that a brothel could have been found inside.

In medieval legend, a succubus (plural succubi; from Latin succubare, "to lie under") is a female demon which comes to men, especially monks, in their dreams to seduce them and have sexual intercourse, drawing energy from the men to sustain themselves, often until the point of exhaustion or death. This legend was probably an explanation for the phenomena of wet dreams and sleep paralysis. From mythology and fantasy, Lilith and the Lilin (Jewish), Lilitu (Sumerian) and Rusalka (Slavic) were succubi.

According to the Malleus Maleficarum, or "Witches' Hammer", succubi would collect semen from the men they slept with, which incubi would then use to impregnate women. Children so begotten were supposed to be more susceptible to the influence of demons.

Honoré de Balzac wrote a short story The Succubus concerning a 1271 trial of a she-devil succubus in the guise of a woman, who amongst other things could use her hair to entangle victims.

From the 16th century, the carving of a succubus on the outside of an inn indicated that the establishment also operated as a brothel.

Appearance

The appearance of succubi varies just about as much as that of demons in general; there is no "one" definitive depiction. However, they are almost universally depicted as alluring women with unearthly beauty, often with demonic batlike wings; occasionally, they'll be given other demonic features (horns, a tail with a spaded tip, snakelike eyes, etc).

In modern fiction

Succubi are often featured in fantasy fiction and role-playing games, and often shown with batlike wings and bikini clad. Succubi are often very prominent in the sexual aspects of fantasy fandoms and paraphilia.

In Dungeons & Dragons succubi are numerous tanar'ri demons, many under the command of the Abyssal Lord Graz'zt. Succubi are featured prominently in the Planescape games, and in D&D the female child of a succubus and a human is traditionally called an "Alu-demon" and the male child a "Cambion". Also, the offspring of an alu-demon or cambion's union with a human is known as a tiefling.

They also appear as enemies in many video game series and can be seen in the Castlevania video game series and in several Blizzard Entertainment games, such as Diablo and World of Warcraft. Drakan features them as well, but the main character is female and thus the emphasis is put on their deceiving qualities. feMorrigan Aensland is an individual succubus from the Darkstalkers series, also appearing in many of other Capcom fighting games. Another succubus, Lilith, later made an appearance in Darkstalkers 3 - Jedah's Damnation. Succubi also appeared in the Starship Titanic game, although not intended as demonic figures.

See also

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/enwiki/w/index.php?title=Succubus&oldid=18726407"