Since medieval times, a succubus (plural succubi) has been described as an female demon that appears in dreams and takes the form of an extremely attractive woman who seduces men; this act ends with sexual contact.
The opposite of a succubus is an incubus, a male demon who seduces women and then has sexual intercourse with them. Religious texts refer to repeated sexual encounters with a succubus as potentially harmful to health or even fatal, the demon consuming the victim's energy during the sexual act. In modern times, a succubus may or may not appear in dreams and is often described as a very attractive and seductive woman; this contrasts with the past, when
succubi were generally described as
frightening demons.
The word succubus is derived from Latin (from
succubare 'to lie under', from sub - 'under' and
cubare 'to lie') and was first attested in 1387.
The Legend of the Succubus
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| Notre-Dame Cathedral ~ Lilith seduces Adam and Eve |
According to
Zohar and the
Alphabet of Ben Sira,
Lilith was Adam's first wife, who later became a
succubus. She left
Adam and refused to return to the
Garden of Eden after coupling with the
Archangel Samael. According to
Zoharistic Kabbalah, there were four
succubi who mated with the
Archangel Samael. These were
Lilith,
Agrat Bat Mahlat,
Naama, and
Eisheth Zenunim. Folklore also claims that mermaids were considered
succubi. Throughout history, numerous priests and rabbis, including
Hanina Ben Dosa and
Abaye, tried to reduce the power of these seductive demons over humans. However, not all succubi were malevolent. According to
Walter Mapes in
De Nugis Curialium (Trifles of Courtiers),
Pope Sylvester II (999–1003) was involved with a succubus named
Meridiana, which helped him reach the highest rank in the
Catholic Church. Before his death, he confessed his sins and repented.
Reproductive Ability
According to the
Kabbalah and the
Rashba School, the three demon queens,
Agrat Bat Mahlat,
Naama, and
Eisheth Zenunim, and all their cohorts can give birth, except for
Lilith. According to other legends, Lilith’s children are called
Lilin, so
Lilith can indeed bear children. According to
Malleus Maleficarum, or the '
Hammer of Witches', written by
Heinrich Kramer (
Institoris) in 1486, a
succubus collects the semen of men when she seduces and has sexual intercourse with them. Incubi, or male demons, then use this semen to impregnate their female victims; this explains how demons can have children despite traditional beliefs that they cannot reproduce. Demon children, called
cambions, are believed to be born deformed or sensitive to supernatural influences. The book does not explain why women impregnated by an incubus do not give birth to normal children, since the incubus's semen is, in fact, human.
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| Sleep Paralysis |
Scientific Explanation
In medicine, it is believed that stories of encounters with
succubi are similar and caused by the same phenomena as contemporary reports of abductions (by extraterrestrials), with scientists explaining them as the known condition of sleep paralysis. Therefore, it has been suggested that encounters between men and succubi were actually symptoms of sleep paralysis, accompanied by hallucinations of creatures that come from their contemporary culture. This may explain the changing appearance of succubi over time, leading to the sensual depiction seen today.
