A bracket carved as a winged succubus on the outside of an English inn, suggesting that a brothel could have been found inside.

A succubus (plural succubi) is a demon who takes the form of a beautiful woman to seduce men, especially monks,^[1] in dreams to have sexual intercourse, according to the medieval European legend. Their male counterpart is the incubus. They draw energy from the men to sustain themselves, often until the point of exhaustion or death of the victim.^{[citation needed]} One such story^[2] relates to a man in the town of Coblenz, who has been bewitched by a succubus, with whom he is forced to repeatedly fornicate, whilst in the presence of his wife. The story goes on to say that "after an incredible number of such bouts, the poor man at last sinks to the floor utterly exhausted." From mythology and fantasy, Lilith and the Lilin (Jewish) and Lilitu (Sumerian) are in redactive Christian fables (folktales not part of official Christian theology), considered succubi.

According to the Malleus Maleficarum, or "Witches' Hammer", written by Heinrich Kramer (Insitoris) in 1486, succubi would collect semen from the men they slept with, which incubi would then use to impregnate women,^[3] thus explaining how demons could apparently sire children in spite of the traditional belief that demons were incapable of reproduction through generative or gestative means. Children so begotten were supposed to be those that were born deformed, or more susceptible to supernatural influences.^[4]

Etymology

First attested 1387, derived from Late Latin succuba "strumpet", used to describe the supernatural being aswell. From succubare "to lie under", from sub- "under" and cubare "to lie".^[5]

Use in popular culture

Succubi often feature in fantasy role-playing games. In Dungeons & Dragons succubi are numerous tanar'ri demons, many under the command of the Abyssal Lord Graz'zt. Succubi are featured prominently in the Planescape games, and in D&D the female child of a succubus and a human is traditionally called an "Alu-demon" and the male child a "Cambion". Also, the offspring of an alu-demon or cambion's union with a human is known as a tiefling. They are also frequently seen in the Castlevania video game series as enemies. Succubi are also featured in several Blizzard Entertainment games, such as Diablo and World of Warcraft. Another popular succubus is Morrigan Aensland from the Darkstalkers series, also appearing in many of other Capcom fighting games. Another succubus, Lilith, later made an appearance in Darkstalkers 3 - Jedah's Damnation. Succubi also appeared in the Starship Titanic game, although not intended as a demonic figure. Succubi and incubi also appeared within an online game called Ragnarok Online as enemies. They have also appeared in the online game called Mabinogi as the boss of Rabbie Dungeon. It was also featured in the supernatural show "Charmed" in which a witch had to transform herself into a man so to attract the succubus and vanquish her.

See also

References