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Classical Mythology Greek and Roman myths, gods, heroes, and epic tales Norse Mythology Vikings, Asgard, Ragnarok, and the nine realms Celtic Mythology Irish, Welsh, and Gaelic legends and folklore Arthurian Legends King Arthur, Camelot, the Round Table, and the Holy Grail Egyptian Mythology Pharaohs, pyramids, and ancient Nile deities Japanese Mythology Shinto gods, spirits, and legendary creatures Chinese Mythology Dragons, immortals, and celestial beings Aztec Mythology Mesoamerican gods, rituals, and creation myths Ancient Literature Classical texts, translations, and literary analysis
Greek Gods The Olympians, Titans, and primordial deities Roman Gods Jupiter, Mars, Venus, and the Roman pantheon Norse Gods Odin, Thor, Loki, and the Aesir and Vanir Egyptian Gods Ra, Osiris, Isis, Anubis, and more Celtic Gods The Tuatha Dé Danann and Celtic deities Aztec Gods Quetzalcoatl, Tezcatlipoca, and Aztec deities Japanese Gods Amaterasu, Susanoo, and Shinto kami Chinese Gods Jade Emperor, Dragon Kings, and celestial beings View All 150+ Deities Browse the complete collection of mythological deities View all gods & deities
All Stories Browse 800+ mythology and history stories Characters Profiles of 67 mythological heroes, gods, and villains Mythology Stories Ancient myths and legends retold History Stories Historical tales from ancient civilizations Religion & Culture Religious traditions and cultural beliefs View all stories
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  1. Classical Mythology
    Pantheon Heroic Age Royal Houses Geographia Facts & Figures Genealogy Bibliography About Classical Myths
  2. Heroic Age
    Heroes 1 Heroes 2 Heroines Amazons Perseus Theseus Heracles Argonauts Calydonian Boar Hunt Seven Against Thebes Trojan War Odyssey Aeneid Tales of Lovers Giants Centaurs Mythical Creatures
  3. Mythical Creatures
    Satyrs Myrmidons Dragon-teeth Men (Sparti) Earthborn Kings Argus Panoptes Geryon Graeae Keres Pegasus Arion Xanthus and Balius Ocyrrhoe Laelaps and the Teumessian Vixen Maera Cretan Bull Golden Fleece Calydonian Boar Crommyonian Sow Erymanthian Boar Nemean Lion Eagle (Aquila) Typhon Ceto Cetus Echidna Python Ladon Delphyne Campe Hydra Scylla Sphinx Chimaera Griffin (Gryphon) Cerberus Orthus Minotaur Gorgons Lamia Empusae Sirens Harpies Stymphalian Birds Caucasian Eagle Phoenix
  4. Empusae

Empusae

Female demons. The Empusae were the Greek version of vampires or Succubi. The Empusae were either the retinue or the offspring of the goddess Hecate. Each Empusa had one leg of a donkey, while the other leg was made of brass. I could only find a description of the Empusa in Aristophanes' comedies, Frogs and Assembly Women.

In the dialogue of Dionysus and Xanthias in the Frogs, they talked about how an Empusa had the ability to shift-change into a bull, a mule, a dog, or a girl. Usually they preferred to change themselves into beautiful maidens so they could lure young men to their beds. Once an Empusa had her victim at her mercy, she would drink the blood of the young man until he died. They could be easily frightened off if you loudly swore at her.

Related Information

Name

Empusa, Ἔνπουσα.

Sources

Frogs and Parliament of Women were written by Aristophanes.

Related Articles

Hecate.

Jimmy Joe Timeless Myths

By Jimmy Joe

Mythical Creatures:

  • • Satyrs
  • • Myrmidons
  • • Dragon-teeth Men (Sparti)
  • • Earthborn Kings
  • • Argus Panoptes
  • • Geryon
  • • Graeae
  • • Keres
  • • Pegasus
  • • Arion
  • • Xanthus and Balius
  • • Ocyrrhoe
  • • Laelaps and the Teumessian Vixen
  • • Maera
  • • Cretan Bull
  • • Golden Fleece
  • • Calydonian Boar
  • • Crommyonian Sow
  • • Erymanthian Boar
  • • Nemean Lion
  • • Eagle (Aquila)
  • • Typhon
  • • Ceto
  • • Cetus
  • • Echidna
  • • Python
  • • Ladon
  • • Delphyne
  • • Campe
  • • Hydra
  • • Scylla
  • • Sphinx
  • • Chimaera
  • • Griffin (Gryphon)
  • • Cerberus
  • • Orthus
  • • Minotaur
  • • Gorgons
  • • Lamia
  • • Empusae
  • • Sirens
  • • Harpies
  • • Stymphalian Birds
  • • Caucasian Eagle
  • • Phoenix
Empousa: The Story of the First Vampire in Greek Mythology

Empousa: The Story of the First Vampire in Greek Mythology

Empousa is a demonic creature who is believed to be the foundation of the characteristics of modern-day vampires. She was a descendant of a spirit infamous for targeting wayward children and the goddess of magic, divination, and witchcraft. With h...

February 16th, 2024 • Ancient Literature
Lamia

Lamia

Lamia was a beautiful woman from Libya, whom Zeus often visited and made love to. Each time she gave birth to a child, the jealous Hera would murder Lamia's baby. Eventually, Lamia was so overcome with grief that she was driven insane. Lamia becam...

June 1st, 2000 • Jimmy Joe
Harpies

Harpies

A group of winged women. There were said to be only two harpies: Aello and Ocypetes, the daughters of Thaumas, the son of Pontus and Gaea, and the Oceanid Electra. They were the sisters of Iris. Later writers said there was a third Harpy. The best...

June 1st, 2000 • Jimmy Joe
Lampades: Torch-bearing Nymphs of the Unseen World

Lampades: Torch-bearing Nymphs of the Unseen World

Lampades in Greek mythology are torch-bearing nymphs who accompany a goddess on her night wanderings. They are trained followers of Hecate residing in the underworld. Let us read through below to learn more information about who the Lampades are a...

February 16th, 2024 • Ancient Literature
Lamashtu: The Evil Mesopotamian Goddess That Killed Babies

Lamashtu: The Evil Mesopotamian Goddess That Killed Babies

Lamashtu is a female demon god of ancient Mesopotamian mythology. She is associated with many extremely bad deeds. In literature, Lamashtu can only be seen in the worst form and is associated with witches, dogs, pigs, wolves and other hybrid anima...

January 11th, 2022 • Timeless Myths
Gorgons

Gorgons

The Gorgons, Γοργόνες, were perhaps the strangest of the monsters that appeared in Classical mythology. They were winged women with snakes on their heads instead of hair. A single glimpse of their hideous visage would turn any creature, mortal or ...

June 1st, 2000 • Jimmy Joe
Echidna

Echidna

Echidna was a monster, part woman and part snake. She was the daughter of Phorcys and Ceto, or perhaps of Tartarus and Gaea. By Typhon, Echidna was the mother of many monstrous offspring: Cerberus, Chimaera, Orthus, the Hydra, the Nemean Lion, the...

June 1st, 2000 • Jimmy Joe
Baobhan Sith

Baobhan Sith

A Scottish version of a female vampire or a succubus. Baobhan Sith are found in Scottish Gaelic oral tradition. Those who would take her in his embrace would have the blood sucked from their body. Baobhan Sith should not be confused with the bean ...

June 3rd, 2005 • Jimmy Joe
Erinyes (Furies)

Erinyes (Furies)

Female spirits who punished offenders against blood kin. The Erinyes (Ἐρινύες) were named Alector, Tisiphone and Megaera. They were born together with the Giants and the Meliae, from the earth where blood landed from the severed genitals of Uranus...

September 29th, 2002 • Jimmy Joe
Keres

Keres

The Keres (Κἣρες) were death spirits, and they resembled the Erinyes (or Furies): female, with fangs and talons. They were said to carry off the dead to the Underworld. Apart from Hesiod's work, I've failed to find any reference from other sources.

June 1st, 2000 • Jimmy Joe
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