Nerd confession: I am obsessed with all things related to Ancient History. From the Greeks & Romans to the Norse and the Egyptians. I am just infatuated with mythology. I spent quite a few years studying the theories and myths of Atlantis and have always been enthralled with all of the evil creatures from the ancient times.
I find it extremely fascinating and inspiring and always look forward to learning new myths.
There are some myths that I have always been overly obsessive with, such as Lorelei, Medusa, Sirens, and my favorite- Vampires. Some of the creatures are quite terrifying and can cause extreme fear in those who grew up with these beliefs. They have cruel personalities and gruesome features. I would like to share some of those fascinations with my blog audience!
I actually happened to visit Germany when I was younger with my parents. We took a boat ride along the Rhine River and the tour guide told us all about the tale of Lorelei. I was immediately fascinated and drawn in. Before we left this area of Germany, I made my parents buy me 3 postcards with Lorelei depicted on it. I pretty much wanted to BE her and thus started my fascination.
The Lorelei is a rock
on the eastern bank of the Rhine near St.
Goarshausen, Germany,
which soars some 120 meters above the waterline. It marks the narrowest part of
the river between Switzerland and the North Sea. A very strong current and
rocks below the waterline have caused many boat accidents there. Lorelei is the name of a
feminine water spirit, similar to mermaids or Rhine
maidens, associated with this rock in popular folklore and in works of
music, art and literature.
According to the German legend,
there was once a beautiful young maiden, named Lorelei, who threw herself
headlong into the river in despair over a faithless lover. Upon her death she
was transformed into a siren and could from that time on be heard singing on a
rock along the Rhine River. Her hypnotic music lured sailors to
their death.
Medusa
- To some, Medusa was an ugly creature, although I happen to find her
amazingly beautiful and she is by far my favorite myth! Let's have a look at how she came into existence, for she
wasn't always that ugly. The cruel Gods played their role in forming her into a hideous creature. Medusa was the daughter of Phorkys and Keto. She was one of the three sisters known as the Gorgons. The
other two sisters were Sthenno and Euryale. Medusa was the only mortal out of
the three. She was once very beautiful and lived far in the north were the sun
didn't visit. Being very curious, she wanted to see the sun, and asked the
Goddess Athena for permission to visit the south. Athena refused to allow her
to visit. The Medusa got angry and dared to say that Athena hadn't given her
permission because she was jealous of her beauty. That was it! Athena was
angered and punished her by turning her hair into snakes and cursing her by
making her so ugly that whoever looks at her eyes would turn into stone.
Cyclops- They were represented as one-eyed giants in Greek mythology. The Cyclops
were the sons of Uranus (Sky) and Gaia
(Earth). They were giants with one eye in the middle of their
forehead and they were known to have a foul disposition. According to the myth, they were
strong and stubborn brutes. Collectively they
eventually became synonyms for brute strength and power, and their name was involved in the assistance of building massive formations.
Satyr- Satyrs are described as roguish but faint-hearted
folk — subversive and dangerous, yet shy and cowardly. As Dionysiac creatures they are lovers of wine
and women, and they are ready for every physical pleasure. They roam to the
music of pipes, and they love to dance with the nymphs (with whom
they are obsessed, and whom they often pursue), and have a special form of
dance.
Because of their love of wine, they are often represented holding wine cups,
and they appear often in the decorations on wine cups. How much would you love to invite a couple of Satyr's to your house party! LOL
Trolls- The name Troll is Norse for monster. Danish trolls have
large noses, are extremely ugly and wear a craftsman's apron with a red cap and
a white long beard. Trolls had humps on their backs and hooked
noses wearing grey jackets and a red cap. In Norway there are said to also be
ugly but are also hairy. There is a Norwegian female version of the Troll,
which is a beautiful redheaded lady. Generally Trolls lived in
communities under hills in long barrows and ancient earthworks. These homes
were places of great splendor with vast amounts of treasure.
In the middle Ages they are
fiends that wield black magic. Trolls steal possessions, women and children.
They hate noise and can be driven out by church bells. One can also protect
themselves from Trolls by a branch of mistletoe. This was used to stop children
and animals from being taken. They are cannibalistic and are excellent at
creating metals and creating magic out of herbs. They turn into stone if the
light hits them and so Trolls only come out from dusk to dawn to cause trouble
and steal from people.
Minotaur - This was a creature with the head of a bull on the body of a man. It is said to have
been the offspring of the intercourse of Pasiphae with the bull sent from the
sea to Minos, who trapped him in a labyrinth, and fed him with the
bodies of the youths and maidens whom the Athenians were obliged
to send to Minos as tribute. The monster was slain by Theseus. It was often
represented by ancient artists either alone in the labyrinth, or engaged in the
struggle with Theseus.
Before he ascended the throne of
Crete, Minos struggled with his brothers for the right to rule. Minos prayed to
Poseidon to send
him a snow-white bull, as a sign of approval by the gods for his reign. He
promised to sacrifice the bull as an offering, and as a symbol of subservience.
A beautiful white bull rose from the sea, but when Minos saw it, he coveted it
for himself. He assumed that Poseidon would not mind, so he kept it and
sacrificed the best specimen from his herd instead. When Poseidon learned about
the deceit, he made Pasiphae, Minos' wife, fall madly in love with the bull. She
had Daedalus, the famous architect; make a wooden cow for her. Pasiphae climbed
into the decoy and fooled the white bull. The offspring of their lovemaking was
a monster called the Minotaur.
Centaur - This creature is
part human and
part horse. A pair of them draws the chariot
of Constantine
the Great. They were said in Greek mythology
to be wild, savage, and lustful. They are widely known for their
extreme drunkenness as it is said that centaurs could not hold their
liquor at all yet drank all the time. It is said that the myth of the
centaurs arose with the misinterpretation of a horse and rider being
fused together. Not because they were actually being fused together but
because the speed in which they united was exceptional. The very word
centaur breaks down to Cento-goad and Tauros-bull, which hints that they
were actually cattle herders.
Sirens- In Greek mythology, the Sirens were dangerous creatures, portrayed as femme fatales who lured nearby sailors with their enchanting music and voices to shipwreck on the rocky coast of their island. The Sirens of Greek mythology are sometimes portrayed in later folklore as fully aquatic and mermaid-like. The Sirens might be called the Muses of the lower world. "Their song, though irresistibly sweet, was no less sad than sweet, and lapped both body and soul in a fatal lethargy, the forerunner of death and corruption." Their song is continually calling on Persephone. The term "siren song" refers to an appeal that is hard to resist but that, if heeded, will lead to a bad result. Later writers have inferred that the Sirens were cannibalistic. "lolling there in their meadow, round them heaps of corpses rotting away, rags of skin shriveling on their bones." According to Hyginus, sirens were fated to live only until the mortals who heard their songs were able to pass by them.
Ekhidna - She was a monstrous she-dragon with the head and breast of a woman. She probably represented or presided over the corruptions of the earth: rot, slime, fetid waters, illness and disease. Hesiod, makes her a daughter of monstrous sea-gods, and presumably associates her with rotting sea-scum and fetid salt-marshes. She has been described as the consort of Typhoeus, a monstrous storm-daemon who challenged Zeus in heaven. Together they spawned a host of terrible monsters to plague the earth.
Cereberus- Here is an offspring of Echidna and Typhon, a fire-breathing giant whom
even the Olympian gods feared. Its brother is Orthrus, always depicted
as a two-headed hellhound. The common depiction of Cerberus in mythology
and in ancient art is a 3 headed hellhound. In most works the
three-heads each respectively see and represent the past, the present,
and the future, while other sources suggest the heads represent birth,
youth, and old age.
Each of Cerberus's heads is said to have an appetite
only for live meat and thus allow only the spirits of the dead to
freely enter the underworld, but allow none to leave. Cerberus was
always employed as Hades' loyal watchdog, and guarded the gates that
granted access and exit to the underworld.
Argus Panopte- A giant with a hundred eyes who lived in the region of Argolis in the Peloponnese. Once when Zeus was consorting with the Nymph Io, his wife Hera arrived on the scene. The god quickly transformed his lover into a white heifer, but the goddess was not deceived. She demanded the animal for a gift and set Argos Panoptes as its guard.
Zeus sent Hermes to surreptitiously rescue his lover. The god first tried to lull the giant to sleep with his music, but failing that, slew him with his sword. It was from this endeavor that he earned his familiar title Argeiphontes (literally "the slayer of Argos"). Hera rewarded Argos for his service by placing his hundred eyes on the tail of her sacred bird, the peacock.
Banshee- The Banshee is a female spirit in Irish
mythology, usually seen as an omen of death and a messenger from the
Otherworld. The story of the bean-sidhe began as a fairy woman keening at the
death of important personages. In later stories, the appearance of the banshee
could foretell the death.
According to the legend, the banshee can appear in a variety of guises. Most
often she appears as an ugly, frightening hag, but can also appear as a
stunningly beautiful woman of any age that suits her and is seen washing the
blood stained clothes or armor of those who are about to die. Although not
always seen, her mourning call is heard, usually at night when someone is about
to die and usually around woods.
Dziwozoana or Mamuna are female swamp demons in Slavic mythology known for
being malicious and dangerous. Most at risk of becoming one of these demons
after death were thought to be midwives, old maids, unmarried mothers, pregnant
women who die before childbirth, as well as abandoned children.
Sometimes they carry off young men to be their husbands. The Dziwozona had huge
breasts which they used for attack and murdering.
Werewolf- a mythological human with the ability to shape-shift into a wolf-like creature, either purposely, by being bitten or
scratched by another werewolf, or after being placed under a curse. This transformation is often associated with the appearance of the full moon.
Werewolves are often attributed super-human strength and senses, far beyond
those of both wolves or men. TEAM JACOB. LOl!
Encantado-
Although
they don’t look so scary when appearing in their human form, many South Americans
are so terrified by this Brazilian mythical creature that most villagers will not dare go
near the Amazon River at night. Apparently, this is where the beautiful creature roams in its
human form – it’s most dangerous state. By day, the Encantado lives as either a
freshwater dolphin or sea snake. When they transform into humans though they
behold superior musical abilities, seductiveness, and attraction to parties.
Their victims can be driven to insanity, illness or even death. While in human form the Encantado will
wear a hat to hide its protruding forehead. It does not disappear while
shapeshifting and frequently displays magical abilities, such as the power to
control storms and haunt humans. They use various mind control techniques and
can inflict illness, insanity, and even death.
The creatures are known for
kidnapping humans. Plenty of South Americans believe in the existence of the Encantado and claim to have seen and interacted with the species. The most common stories involve a type of freshwater dolphin which lives in the
Amazon River called the Boto. It is larger and more primitive-looking than the
other type of Amazon dolphin and said to have the ability to turn human. There
was a recent claim that an Encantado impregnated a Peruvian woman. The stories
also involve snakes, whose kinds can vary from the common type to coral snakes.
Aswang- A mythical creature which derived from Filipino folklore. The creature is described as a combination of vampire and witch and is almost always female. Spanish colonizers noted that the Aswang was the most feared among the mythical creatures of the Philippines, even in the 16th century.
The Aswang is an eater of the dead and a cannibal. They are capable of transforming into either a huge black dog or a black boar. The creatures stalk and eat human beings at night. Garlic bulbs, holy water, and other objects are believed to repel Aswang. Many stories revolve around these creatures eating children and unborn fetuses. In human form they appear normal, and are quiet, shy, and elusive. At night, they transform into the deadly beast. One key feature of the Aswang is its bloodshot eyes.
Rakshasha is a demon or unrighteous spirit in Hindu and Buddhist mythology.
They are believed to be derived from foot of the Hindu God of Creation.
Rakshasas are a populous race of supernatural humanoids that tend toward evil.
Powerful warriors, they resort to the use of magic and illusion when
unsuccessful with conventional weapons. As shape-changers, they can assume various physical forms, and it is not always
clear whether they have a true or natural form. Rakshasas are notorious for
disturbing sacrifices, desecrating graves, harassing priests, possessing human
beings, and so on. Their fingernails are venomous, and they feed
on human flesh and spoiled food.
Leshy- A male woodland spirit from Slavic
mythology that protects wild animals and the forest itself. Often it will lead
humans astray to its cave where it can make them sick or possibly even tickle
them to death. Known for its mischievous behavior it often takes the form of a
peasant but can be spotted by its glowing eyes. In its normal state it has a
beard made from living grass and vines, and is often depicted with a tail,
hooves and horns. They also have the ability to shrink themselves down to the
size of a blade of grass or to the height of the tallest trees.
Incubus - Incubus is a demon in male form supposed to lie
upon sleepers, especially women, in order to have sexual intercourse with them,
according to a number of mythological and legendary traditions. An incubus may
pursue sexual relations with a woman in order to father a child, to carry on
its legend. Some sources indicate that it may be identified by its unnaturally large or
cold penis. EW! Tradition holds that repeated intercourse with an incubus may
result in the deterioration of health or death. Victims may have been
experiencing waking dreams or sleep paralysis. The influence of Incubi could
also have been invoked to explain otherwise “unexplainable” pregnancies or real
rapists might have been described as incubus to escape punishment.
There are 2 animistic creatures I feel obligated to include that are not along with my horrifying theme above. They are just simply beautiful and exquisite creatures I feel deserve their shine on this post.
Phoenix-
Originally, the Phoenix was identified by the Egyptians as a stork or
heron-like bird called a benu, known from the Book of the Dead and other
Egyptian texts as one of the sacred symbols of worship at Heliopolis,
closely associated with the rising sun and the Egyptian sun-god Ra.
The
Phoenix can be found in the mythologies of the Arabian, Persians,
Greeks, Romans, Egyptians, Chinese, Indians and Phoenicians.
The
Phoenix is a mythical bird with a colorful plumage and a tail of gold
and scarlet (or purple, blue, and green according to some legends. It
has a 500 to 1000 year life-cycle, near the end of which it builds
itself a nest of twigs that then ignites; both nest and bird burn
fiercely and are reduced to ashes, from which a new, young phoenix or
phoenix egg arises, reborn anew to live again. The new phoenix is
destined to live as long as its old self. In some stories, the new
phoenix embalms the ashes of its old self in an egg made of myrrh and
deposits it in the Egyptian city of Heliopolis (literally "sun-city" in
Greek). It is said that the bird's cry is that of a beautiful song. The
Phoenix's ability to be reborn from its own ashes implies that it is
immortal, though in some stories the new Phoenix is merely the offspring
of the older one. In very few stories they are able to change into
people.
Pegasus is one of the best
known mythological creatures in Greek
mythology. He is a winged divine horse, usually depicted as white in color.
According to legend, everywhere the winged horse struck his hoof to the earth,
an inspiring spring burst forth. He was sired by Poseidon, in
his role as horse-god, and foaled by Medusa. He was
the brother of Chrysaor,
born at a single birthing when his mother was decapitated by Perseus.
After killing his owner by mistake, Zeus transformed him into the constellation Pegasus and placed him up in
the sky.
