Asuccubus (pl. succubi) is afemale demon who is described in various European folklore as appearing in the dreams of male humans in order to seduce them. Repeated interactions between a succubus and a man will lead to sexual activity, a bond forming between them, and ultimately sexual intercourse, as she requiressemen to survive. The establishment and perpetuation of such a relationship enables the production of a hybrid child known as acambion, but at the expense of the man, whose mental and physical health will deteriorate rapidly, eventually resulting in his death if the succubus continues courting him for a protracted period.
In modern representations, a succubus is often depicted as a beautiful woman seductress or charming, rather than as demonic or frightening, to attract people instead of repulsing them. The male counterpart of the succubus is theincubus. Historically, folkloric belief in succubi was motivated by distressing nighttime phenomena, chieflywet dreams andsleep paralysis.
In medieval Europe, union of a incubus or succubus and a human was supposed by some to result in the birth of beings half-demon and half-human children. Legendary magicianMerlin was said to have been fathered by an incubus. Walter Stephens writes in his bookDemon Lovers that some traditions hold that repeated sexual activity with an incubus or succubus may result in the deterioration of health, an impaired mental state, or even death.
The term derives fromLate Latinsuccuba "paramour" fromsuccubare "to lie beneath" (sub- "under" andcubare "to lie"),[1] used to describe this being's implied sexual position relative to the sleeper's position. TheEnglish word "succubus" dates from the late 14th century. The succubus is also known as the earth wanderer.[2][3]
As depicted in the Jewish mystical treatiseZohar and the medieval Jewish satirical textAlphabet of Ben Sira,Lilith wasAdam's first wife, who later became a succubus.[4][5] She left Adam and refused to return to theGarden of Eden after she mated with the archangelSamael.[5] In ZoharisticKabbalah, there were four succubi who mated with thearchangel Samael. The four original queens of the demons wereLilith,Eisheth Zenunim,Agrat bat Mahlat, andNaamah.[6] A succubus may take the form of a beautiful woman, but closer inspection may reveal deformities of her body, such as bird-like claws orserpentine tails.[7] Folklore also describes men being forced to perform the act ofcunnilingus.[8] In later folklore, a succubus took the form of asiren.
Throughout history,priests andrabbis, includingHanina ben Dosa andAbaye, tried to curb the power of succubi over humans.[9] However, not all succubi were malevolent. According toWalter Map in the satireDe nugis curialium (Trifles of Courtiers),Pope Sylvester II (999–1003) was allegedly involved with a succubus named Meridiana, who helped him achieve his high rank in theCatholic Church. Before his death, he confessed of his sins and died repentant.[10]
According to theKabbalah and the school ofRashba, three of the original demon queens—Agrat bat Mahlat, Naamah and Eisheth Zenunim—give birth to children, with the exception of Lilith.[11] According to otherlegends, Lilith has children, who are referred to asLilin.
According to theMalleus Maleficarum, orWitches' Hammer, written byHeinrich Kramer (Institor) in 1486, succubicollect semen from men they seduce. Incubi, or male demons, then use the semen to impregnate human females,[12] thus explaining how demons could apparently sire children, despite the traditional belief that they were incapable of reproduction. Children so begotten—cambions—were supposed to be those that were born deformed, or more susceptible to supernatural influences.[13]
King James in his dissertation titledDæmonologierefutes the possibility for angelic entities to reproduce and instead offered a suggestion that adevil would carry out two methods of impregnating women - the first, tosteal the sperm out of a dead man and deliver it into a woman. If a demon could extract the semen quickly, the substance could not be instantly transported to a female host, causing it to go cold. This explains his view that succubi and incubi were the same demonic entity, only to be described differently based on the tormented sexes being conversed with. The second method was the idea that a dead body could be possessed by a devil, causing it to rise and have sexual relations with others. However, no mention has been found of a female corpse being possessed to elicit sex from men.[14]
InArabian mythology, theqarînah (قرينة) is a spirit similar to the succubus, with origins possibly inancient Egyptian religion or in theanimistic beliefs ofpre-Islamic Arabia.[15] Aqarînah "sleeps with the person and has relations during sleep as is known by the dreams".[16] They are said to be invisible, but a person with "second sight" can see them, often in the form of a cat, dog, or other household pet.[15] "InOmdurman it is a spirit which possesses. ...Only certain people are possessed and such people cannot marry or the qarina will harm them."[17]
In Upper Egyptian folk belief, theqarînah can be appeased by sacrificing an all-black animal to her. The animal is slaughtered without prayers, and it is cooked without salt. No one speaks during the meal and it is buried in the house of those it has afflicted.[18]
ABuddhist scripture regarding prayer toAvalokiteśvara, theDharani Sutra of Amoghapāśa, promises to those who pray that "you will not be attacked by demons who either suck your energy or make love to you in your dreams."[19]
late 14c., alteration (after incubus, giving a masc. form to a word generally felt as of female meaning) of Late Latin succuba
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