| Incubus | |
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 | |
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Real Name |
Incubus (pl.: Incubi) |
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First Appearance |
World Myth |
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Created by |
Unknown |
Origin[]
An incubus (pl.: incubi) is a male demon in human form in folklore that seeks to have sexual intercourse with sleeping women; the corresponding spirit in female form is called a succubus.
In medieval Europe, union with an incubus was supposed by some to result in the birth of witches, demons, and deformed human offspring. The half-human offspring of such a union is sometimes referred to as a cambion. For example, legendary magician Merlin was said to have been fathered by an incubus.
One of the earliest evident mentions of a demon sharing qualities with an incubus comes from Mesopotamia on the Sumerian King List, circa 2400 BC, where the hero Gilgamesh's father is listed as Lilu. Lilu is described as "disturbing" and "seducing" women in their sleep, while Lilitu, a female demon, is described as appearing to men in erotic dreams. Two other corresponding demons appear as well: Ardat lili, who visits men by night, and Idlu lili, a male counterpart to Ardat lili who visits women by night and begets from them. Ardat lili is derived from ardatu, the word for "a woman of marriageable age", while idlu lili is derived from idlu, meaning a "grown man". These demons were originally storm demons. They eventually became regarded as night demons, potentially due to mistaken etymology.
In the Malleus Maleficarum, exorcism is presented as one of the five ways to overcome the attacks of incubi. The others are Confession, the Sign of the Cross or recital of the Hail Mary, moving the afflicted to another location, and by excommunication of the attacking entity, "which is perhaps the same as exorcism"
A number of variations on the incubus theme are seen around the world. The alp of Teutonic or German folklore is one of the better known while in Zanzibar, Popo Bawa primarily attacks men and generally behind closed doors.
"The Trauco", according to the traditional mythology of the Chiloé Province of Chile, is a hideous deformed dwarf who lulls nubile young women and seduces them. In Hungary, a lidérc can be a Satanic lover that flies at night and appears as a fiery light (an ignis fatuus or will o' the wisp) or, in its more benign form as a featherless chicken.
In Brazil and the rainforests of the Amazon basin, the Amazon river dolphin (or boto) is believed to be a combination of siren and incubus that shape-shifts into a very charming and handsome man who seduces young women and takes them into the river.
The Southern African incubus demon is the Tokolosh. Chaste women place their beds upon bricks to deter the rather short fellows from attaining their sleeping forms. They also share the hole in the head detail and water-dwelling habits of the boto.
In Swedish folklore, the mara or mare is a spirit or goblin that rides on the chests of humans while they sleep, giving them bad dreams (or "nightmares").
In Assam, a northeastern state of India, it is mostly known as pori. According to the mythology, Pori comes to a man at night in his dreams and seduces him.
In Turkish culture, the incubus is known as Karabasan. It is an evil being that descends upon some sleepers at night. These beings are thought to be spirits or jinns. It can be seen or heard in the nightmare and a heavy weight is felt on the chest. Yet, people cannot wake up from that state. Some of the causes are sleeping without adequately covering the body (especially women) and eating in bed.
In Ukrainian folklore, the "perelesnyk" is a significant figure resembling an incubus and associated with meteors, lightning, and fire. This supernatural being was believed to transform into a fiery dragon or young man, entering homes through chimneys, doors, or windows to seduce women by taking on the appearance of deceased spouses or lovers.
In the Xhosa, Pondo and Zulu cultures of South Africa, some variations of the impundulu resemble incubi as they are believed to appear as handsome men to seduce women and drink their blood.
Public Domain Appearances[]
All published appearances of Incubi from before January 1, 1930 are public domain in the US.
Some notable works are listed below:
Public Domain Literary Appearances[]
- Malleus Maleficarum
- Historia Regum Britanniae