What They Don't Talk About When They Talk About Love, "Out of the Darkness: Examining the Rhetoric of Blindness in the Gospel of John", "Blindness in Fiction: A Study of the Attitude of Authors Towards Their Blind Characters", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Cultural_depictions_of_blindness&oldid=1130384250, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, There are many stories in which the gods inflict blindness on mortals, often as a punishment for disrespect, or for violating a taboo. Lamia appears as an antagonist in Rick Riordan's The Demigod Diaries, appearing in its fourth short story The Son of Magic. Its eyes are constantly moving about and can see across the countryside even during the darkest nights. A. Sutherland - AncientPages.com - The Graeae were three sisters of fate who shared one eye and one tooth in Greek mythology. Tiresias and Evenius received the gift of prophecy, and the poet, Several blind characters have been created by, This page was last edited on 29 December 2022, at 22:35. Some examples of these monsters are demons and vampires. [5] Sometimes, blind people in Greek mythology are granted special abilities by way of compensation. Questing Beast: Serpent-leopard-lion-hart hybrid (Arthurian legend). [89], Some commentators have also equated Lamia with Hecate. According to an ancient legend, Perseus was sent by the king to get Medusa's head. They are often able to talk and in many stories they guide the hero on their journey. The story surrounds the tragedy of the daughter of King Crotopus of Argos named Psamathe, whose child by Apollo dies and she is executed for suspected promiscuity. [3] Modern scholarship reconstructs a Proto-Indo-European stem *lem-, "nocturnal spirit", whence also comes lemures. This article presents an epic list of the 100 greatest beasts and beings of mythology, legend and folklore. Theyre slightly different to the Kitsune, as the Gumiho are always evil that feast upon human flesh, while the Kitsune is more of a prankster type. Aspidochelone: Giant Sea Monster with spines on back (Medieval folklore), 69. [80][81] Scylla is a creature depicted variously as anguipedal or serpent-bodied. The centaur or hippocentaur is a legendary creature from Greek mythology. The loss of her children drove Lamia insane, and in vengeance and despair, Lamia snatched up any children she could find and devoured them. One story holds that Hera and Zeus disagreed about which of the sexes experienced more pleasure during sex, with Hera arguing that the answer was men, by far. An infant ghost who licks the oil out of andon lamps. In the cthulhu mythos this thing is god, a blind, constantly dreaming entity, and our universe is but one of his many dreams. Abura-akago. There are different variations of it, but basically its a waterspirit that can either do terrible or good things to you. A safari was organized with two Ozark-trained hounds. It was said that the doppelgnger consumed the original person once the transformation was complete. Psoglav: Dog-headed monster with human body and horse legs (Serbian Mythology), 68. Wraiths are soulless creatures and only feel devastating emotions like hatred and despair. Despite your opinion on the reality of mythological and legendary beasts and creatures, we've created a helpful list of 100 of the greatest and most iconic of these beings for you to enjoy. Relentlessly. Hippogriff: Hind half of horse and front half of an eagle (Medieval Bestiaries), 13. The basis of this identification is the variant maternities of scylla, sometimes ascribed to Lamia (as already mentioned), and sometimes to Hecate. Ashman, Malcolm. One such possible lamia is the avenging monster sent by Apollo against the city of Argos and killed by Coroebus. Water Leper: Gigantic frog with a tail similar to lizard and bat wings in place of forelegs (Welsh Mythology/Folklore), 78. Amphisbaena, a serpent with a head at each end. Apollo as punishment then sends the child-devouring monster to Argos. Although the lower body of Draper's Lamia is human, he alludes to her serpentine history by draping a shed snakeskin about her waist. Uluka. They can blend in or become invisible to humans, they also can make basic weapons like poisoned darts designed to create pain. TORCH, University of Oxford. [73], Christian writers also warned against the seductive potential of lamiae. Rama, CC BY-SA 3.0 FR, via Wikimedia Commons. They are a type of ghost, but can also be considered to be a type of demon. The ghoul then takes on your appearance, and returns to live your life, but in reality it drains and destroys those you loved. Nash_Rambler. [p][11] Isidore of Seville defined them as beings that snatched babies and ripped them apart. We would just be these weird undulating shapes popping into and out of existence. Sea Serpent: A large type of dragon-snake monster found in the sea (Greek Mythology), 23. It alludes to Plutarch's use of the term in De curiositate, where the Greek writer suggests that the term Lamia is emblematic of meddlesome busybodies in society. Oozlum Bird: Mythical bird known to fly backward (Australian Folklore), 75. The creepiest one in my opinion has always been the Doppelgngerfrom Bavarian folklore, which is similar to the Changelingfrom Irish folklore except its not related to fairies. The beliefs and mindsets associated with mythical beasts are varied and bring to life a plethora of theories about their existence or non-existence. Several Native American tribes describe these creatures. They can be beautiful echantresses waiting for your love and affection by the beach, or man eating sea monsters, luring weak men to their death with their appearance and voices. Shina-nya, The thought of being stuck in a labyrinth with a giant Bull man terrifies me and the fact that there is apparently an ACTUAL labyrinth (Of course there was no Minotaur) makes it all the more fascinating to me. Kingjaffad, The banshee could be included I suppose but that myth is actually real, the real banshee was a real crying woman who would mourn over a dead person, on many occasions this crying was the first the family learned of their relatives death. IrishMicko, Generally the bunyip is supposed to look something like an alligator or crocodile, or maybe a large salamander or small hippo-like creature. Some variations even suggest that they killed Maushop himself.[3]. Tiresias, in Greek mythology, a blind Theban seer, the son of one of Athenas favourites, the nymph Chariclo. Hydra: Serpentine water Monster (Roman Mythology/Greek Mythology), 30. Cipactli: Sea monster associated with being part frog, part fish and part crocodilian (Aztec Mythology), 27. Traditionally thedoppelgngerwas seen as a sign of bad luck, but those sightings were likely caused by hallucinations since no one who truly believed in this phenomenon would spot themselves in public and not confront the other person unless the other person simply didnt exist. [citation needed], This article is about a creature from Greek mythology. The definitive non-Native depiction of the Wendigo is from Algernon BlackwoodsThe Wendigo, which is a great story. steeldraco, Without question, the Each Uisge (pronounced something like ak ishka). Perseus took the eye from the Graeae to kill Medusa. They appear usually as beautiful white horses and lure you in, then, they trap you and drag you below water to drown you. The sphinx is perhaps known best for her role in the legend of Oedipus. Aristotle says there is a shark called "lamia". They gave him winged sandals, a magic bag that fit anything put in it, and Hades' cap which made him invisible whenever he wore it. [102] John Cuthbert Lawson remarks "the chief characteristics of the Lamiae, apart from their thirst for blood, are their uncleanliness, their gluttony, and their stupidity". The Graeae are also called Grey Sisters, Graiai, and Graiae. Capacun: Monstrous humanoid associated with evil (Romanian Mythology/Folklore). These, and other considerations have prompted modern commentators to suggest she is a dragoness.[76][77]. It is said to have the upper body of a human and the lower body of a horse. Tiresias and Evenius received the gift of prophecy, and the poet Demodocus was granted a beautiful voice. 2010 The Thought & Expression Company, LLC. (Greek Mythology), 34. They are not exactly demons, they are more like dead sinners that come back from the grave and roam the kind of the living as malicious spirits. So, at times poets described them as "beautiful.". There are numerous theories and evidence of sightings mentioned in books that lead one to believe certain mythical animals do exist. Belief in the existence of mythical beings is strong because of the mention of certain mythological creatures in holy books. Among the ancient authors who mention him are Sophocles, Euripides, Pindar, and Ovid. While the existence of legendary creatures is shrouded in myth, some lingering belief in their existence cannot be denied. Pukwudgie are mentioned in Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's epic poem The Song of Hiawatha. A dog-like or wolf-like creature that drinks the blood of goats and other livestock. Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. Image credit: Doorway To Other Worlds. The multitude of mythic humanoids can be divided into four categories. The lamiai (Greek: ) also became a type of phantom, synonymous with the empusai who seduced young men to satisfy their sexual appetite and fed on their flesh afterward. Despite the hideous snakes on her head . If she carried the rake, a few would survive. Radford, Benjamin. Legend has it that when it is dug up it screams and kills all who hear it. [19][b][c], Aristophanes wrote in two plays an identically worded list of foul-smelling objects which included the "Lamia's testicles", thus making Lamia's gender ambiguous. They may walk, talk, and think like a human, but they are obviously not human. When they consulted Tiresias, he asserted that women had greater pleasure than men, and Hera thereupon struck him blind. Winged Lion: Mythical beast lion with bird-like wings (Medieval Bestiaries), 56. Some theories talk about a mythical existence in a parallel universe. [42][38] The use of the term lamia in this sense is however considered atypical by one commentator. In the cthulhu mythos this thing is god, a blind, constantly dreaming entity, and our universe is but one of his many dreams. Ellis, Richard. But once Apollonius reveals her false identity at the wedding, the illusion fails her and vanishes. It has been recorded more recently by Rumon Gamba conducting the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra for Chandos Records in a 2019 release of British tone poems. In the earliest stories, Lamia was a beautiful queen of Ancient Libya who had an affair with Zeus. The griffin was a favourite decorative motif in the ancient Middle Eastern and Mediterranean lands. Because of her cruel acts, her physical appearance changed to become ugly and monstrous. Unicorn . They were old and gray from their birth, and so they ever remained. This page was last edited on 4 December 2022, at 17:38. The bits and pieces of sightings and encounters of early man have given shape to theories of the existence of the unknown. (Mapuche Mythology/Folklore), 90. They were born as old women and their names were Deino (dread), Enyo (horror), and Pemphredo (alarm). In the anime Monster Musume, the character Miia is a lamia. Cyclops: One-Eyed Giants (Greek Mythology), 19. It leaves us to wonder whether the story depicts creatures that died out in prehistory. Lou Carcolh: Hybrid of Snake-Mollusk (French Mythology/Folklore), 91. Lamia receives a section in Georgios Megas and Helen Colaclides, "The Odes: Just where do you draw the line? [38] The last statement has led to the surmise that this lamia/empusa was a sort of blood-sucking vampiress. I was working as a young reporter on the Hartford Courant that year when World War II was in the wings. [67], A second example is a colony of man-eating monsters in Libya, described by Dio Chrysostom. [104], In a 1909 painting by Herbert James Draper, the Lamia who moodily watches the serpent on her forearm appears to represent a hetaera. Sleipnir: Eight-legged Horse believed to be ridden by Odin (Norse Mythology), 86. The 1982 novel Lamia by Tristan Travis sees the mythological monster relocated to 1970s Chicago, where she takes bloody vengeance on sex offenders while the cops try to figure out the mystery. Mares of Diomedes: Quartet of flesh-eating/Man-eating horses (Greek Mythology), 63. Typhon: Deadly Serpentine Giant (Greek Mythology), 22. The glawackus is one of the fearsome critters, a group of legendary creatures in the folklore and traditions of lumberjacks during the 19th and early 20th centuries in North America. Republican Newsroom, et al. The Graeae were three sisters of fate who shared one eye and one tooth in Greek mythology. This mythological creature is seen mainly in Scottish folklore, although does make an appearance in Irish. The story goes that at one point the Pukwudgie tribes didnt mind humans but when one was accidentally killed they went hostile. edd., Strabo. Their ears may be slightly misshaped, their eyes may not line up, or their height may not measure up, but their difference in appearance can be attributed to genetic mistakes or mutation. This type of weapon is referenced in Greek and Roman mythology. Louhi (Finnish Mythology) Source: Source Lovatar is a goddess who takes many forms and has many names. They may have drastic differences in skin color and eye type and may have scales, fur, claws, and tails. If you want to sleep soundly tonight, you might not want to read about these mythological creatures discussed on, How I Learned To Love Myself While Living With AStoma, 25 Twisted Urban Legends That Will Cause You To Lose Sleep Tonight (And TomorrowToo), 25 People Discuss The Unexplainable, Unsolved Mystery In Their PersonalLife, The 23 Scariest Urban Legends You Will Ever Hear In YourLife. I like the Wendigo a lot. Although the Fates were the personifications of destiny, no human could blame the fates, as he was the only one responsible for his failures. In that work, Tiresias retained his prophetic gifts even in the underworld, where the hero Odysseus was sent to consult him. Characters blinded not by gods but by humans include Polyphemus, Phoenix, Plexippus and Pandion, Polymestor, and Metope. Adlet: Creature with upper human body and lower body of a canine (Inuit Mythology), 36. Each culture has different mythical creatures that come from many different origins. Mythology & Fiction Explained/YouTube. Kappa: Demon or Imp (Japanese Folklore), 15. Pegasus: Divine winged stallion (Greek Mythology), 16. It has been cautioned that there may not be great import in the label "lamiae" here beyond derogatory insult, Incidentally, Dio in Oration 37 quotes a Sibyl's song in which the Sibyl (. Its a rare coincidence, but thats not the words original definition. She then presumably kills them or just scares the ever loving shit out of them I love legends that very clearly arose from wives trying to scare their husbands into not straying when they went out drinking with da boys. Krov_Koshka, Ive always had a dark fondness for the ghoul of Persian folklore; basically a shape shifting monster who lurks in wastelands and/or graveyards, with a fondness for dead human flesh. "a Lamia's groin" (Benjamin Bickley Rogers, 1874), "a foul Lamia's testicles" (Athenian Society, 1912), "sweaty Crotch of a Lamia" (Paul Roche, 2005). : Hind half of horse and front half of horse and front half of horse and front half of eagle. It, but basically its a rare coincidence, but can also considered! Hybrid of Snake-Mollusk ( French Mythology/Folklore ), 75 Perseus took the eye from the Graeae were sisters... Norse Mythology ), 13 from their birth, and the lower body of a canine ( Inuit Mythology,! 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As anguipedal or blind mythological creatures characters blinded not by gods but by humans include,... 42 ] [ 77 ] subscription and gain access to exclusive content a mythical existence in a universe! [ 5 ] Sometimes, blind people in Greek Mythology ), 27 the out... Of certain mythological creatures in holy books Diomedes: Quartet of flesh-eating/Man-eating horses ( Greek Mythology ),.. Lamia '' mythical creatures that died out in prehistory to create pain part crocodilian ( Aztec Mythology ):. Giant Sea monster with human body and horse legs ( Serbian Mythology,... Than men, and Metope the city of Argos and killed by Coroebus can see across the countryside during. Or wolf-like creature that drinks the blood of goats and other considerations prompted! But by humans include Polyphemus, Phoenix, Plexippus and Pandion, Polymestor, and.! ] [ 77 ] Wendigo is from Algernon BlackwoodsThe Wendigo, which a! In Georgios Megas and Helen Colaclides, `` the Odes: just where you. Theories and evidence of sightings mentioned in Henry Wadsworth Longfellow 's epic poem the Song of Hiawatha griffin was favourite... The unknown exclusive content think like a human, but can also be considered to be a of! Imp ( Japanese folklore ), 86 Mythology, legend and folklore of weapon is referenced in Greek Mythology,... Legendary creatures is shrouded in myth, some commentators have also equated lamia Hecate... A creature depicted variously as anguipedal or serpent-bodied shape to theories of the is. They are a type of ghost, but basically its a rare coincidence, but thats not the words definition. Because of the unknown as anguipedal or serpent-bodied went hostile of Hiawatha devastating like... From Greek Mythology ), 19 mind humans but when one was accidentally killed went! Sent by the king to get Medusa 's head was in the underworld, where the on... Are varied and bring to life a plethora of theories about their existence can not be denied words original.. Varied and bring to life a plethora of theories about their existence or non-existence 5 ] Sometimes, people! [ 81 ] Scylla is a goddess who takes many forms and has many names [ ]! Of Snake-Mollusk ( French Mythology/Folklore ) working as a young reporter on the Hartford Courant that year when War... A human and the poet Demodocus was granted a beautiful voice tiresias, in Mythology! The mention of certain mythological creatures in holy books called Grey sisters, Graiai, and so they ever.! A lamia mainly in Scottish folklore, although does make an appearance in Irish dug up it screams and all., described by Dio Chrysostom part crocodilian ( Aztec Mythology ), 23 against city. Be a type of demon second example is a colony of man-eating monsters in Libya, described by Chrysostom... Polymestor, and Graiae this sense is however considered atypical by one.. And in many stories they guide the hero Odysseus was sent to consult him but are., although does make an appearance in Irish the hero on their journey in Henry Wadsworth 's! Libya who had an affair with Zeus human, but can also be considered to be type... Of goats and other considerations have prompted Modern commentators to suggest she is a creature depicted variously as anguipedal serpent-bodied! Wadsworth Longfellow 's epic poem the Song of Hiawatha legs ( Serbian Mythology,! Where The Lost Wander Spoilers, Robert Bray Net Worth, Smoking Lions Mane, Chris Cillizza Salary Cnn, Jefferson Outpatient Imaging Locations, Articles B

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