succubus

succubus
   The term succubus comes from the Latin verb succubare, which means to lie beneath. It refers to a hag or demon who collects semen by causing nocturnal ejaculations. In demonology the term succubus is used to denote an angel that has fallen and in the guise of a woman seeks sexual intercourse with mortal men while they are asleep. The succubus is the conceptual opposite of the * incubus, a fallen angel in the guise of a man who seeks sexual intercourse with mortal women. In the past, * nightmares and sometimes even * daymares experienced by men were attributed to the interference ofsuccubi, although strictly speaking it is more likely that the nocturnal experiences attributed to succubi were night terrors rather than nightmares. As noted by the German classical scholar Wilhelm Heinrich Roscher (1845-1923), a certain analogy would seem to exist between the succubus of classical and medieval times on the one hand and the * mare of Germanic superstition on the other.
   The belief in succubi and incubi has its roots in ancient times. It has been suggested that the concept itself developed out of pagan speculations about the commerce of gods with people. In old Rabinnical writings, even Adam is described as being visited during a 130-year period by female demons and as having sexual intercourse with them.
   References
   Melton, J.G., ed. (1996). Encyclopedia of occultism and parapsychology. Volume 1. Fourth edition. Detroit, MI: Gale.
   Roscher, W.H. (1972). Ephialtes. A pathological-mythological treatise on the nightmare in classical Antiquity. In: Pan and the nightmare.Trans-lated by O'Brien, A.V. Edited by Hillman, J. Dallas, TX: Springfield Publications.

Dictionary of Hallucinations. . 2010.

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  • Succubus — Suc cu*bus, n.; pl. {Succubi}. [See {Succuba}.] 1. A demon or fiend; especially, a lascivious spirit supposed to have sexual intercourse with the men by night; a succuba. Cf. {Incubus}. [1913 Webster] 2. (Med.) The nightmare. See {Nightmare}, 2.… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • succubus — late 14c., alteration (after incubus) of L.L. succuba strumpet, applied to a fiend in female form having intercourse with men in their sleep, from succubare to lie under, from sub under (see SUB (Cf. sub )) + cubare to lie down (see CUBICLE (Cf.… …   Etymology dictionary

  • succubus — ► NOUN (pl. succubi) ▪ a female demon believed to have sexual intercourse with sleeping men. ORIGIN Latin, prostitute , from sub under + cubare to lie …   English terms dictionary

  • succubus — [suk′yo͞o′bə] n. pl. succubae [suk′yo͞o′bē΄suk′yo͞o bəs] n. succubi [suk′yo͞obī΄] [ME < ML (altered by assoc. with INCUBUS) < LL succuba, strumpet < L succubare, to lie under < sub ,SUB + cubare, to lie: see CUBE1] a female evil… …   English World dictionary

  • succubus —    A DEMON who takes the form of a beautiful woman in order to seduce men.    The succubus, along with its male counterpart, the INCUBUS, appears in ancient mythologies. Succubi appear in the flesh as beautiful, voluptuous women. They visit men… …   Encyclopedia of Demons and Demonology

  • Succubus — A succubus (plural succubi) is a demon who takes the form of a beautiful woman to seduce men, especially monks, [Curran, Bob (2006), Encyclopedia of the Undead: A Field Guide to Creatures That Cannot Rest in Peace , p. 21, Career Press, ISBN… …   Wikipedia

  • Succubus — Dieser Artikel oder Abschnitt bedarf einer Überarbeitung. Näheres ist auf der Diskussionsseite angegeben. Hilf mit, ihn zu verbessern, und entferne anschließend diese Markierung. „ …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Succubus — (SUC you bus) Variations: BELILI, Buhlgeist, Compusae, DAITJA, EPHÉLÉS, Hyphialtes, Kiel Gelal, Lilit, Pishauchees, Succuba, Unterliegerinnen Men have been assaulted by the vampiric demon known as the succubus ( spirit bride ) as far back as… …   Encyclopedia of vampire mythology

  • succubus — See incubus. See incubus, succubus …   Dictionary of problem words and expressions

  • succubus —    a prostitute    Originally, a female demon who copulates with men in their sleep, thus for the fastidious providing an excuse for involuntary nocturnal seminal ejaculation:     Yes, thou barbarian, said she, turning to Wagtail, thou tiger,… …   How not to say what you mean: A dictionary of euphemisms

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