The Legend of the Incubus and Succubus
Demons have existed as long as humans have – at least in story form. And with the tales of demons filtered down to us from the earliest stories come the incubus and the succubus. Ancient civilizations, including the Sumerians, Assyrians, Babylonians, and Jewish people, believed in demons of both genders. However, the Jewish tradition is far more focused on male demons, with the exception of Lilith, who we will discuss here.
You’ve probably heard the terms incubus and succubus, but what are they really? And where did these stories come from? Let’s dive in!
What is an Incubus?
The word “incubus” comes from the Late Latin word incubus, which means “a nightmare induced by a demon,” and comes from an earlier word, incubo, meaning “nightmare; what lies down on one while one sleeps.” In this context, incubi sound an awful lot like sleep-paralysis demons if you ask me!
The tales of the incubus come from earlier than Rome, though. For example, in Mesopotamia, Gilgamesh’s father is named Lilu, who was described as visiting women when they slept and “seducing” them.
Of course, with intercourse comes the possibility of offspring. The child of a human woman and an incubus was called a cambion. This term could also be used in place of changeling, and as we get into it in the next section, people decided children were cambion for many reasons.
What is a Succubus?
A succubus is the female version of an incubus. While a succubus could mother a child, it seems the stories about children of these demons tend to be between a human and an incubus. That said, succubi were often blamed for men’s nocturnal emissions, which, to prudish early Christians, was sinful.
In the Malleus Maleficarum – a text used to harm women and men during the Witch Trials – it’s written that succubi collect semen from men, deliver it to incubi who then use it to impregnate human women. The children from these encounters usually had disabilities or strange birthmarks. Yes, early humans were extremely ableist. According to these records, this was also how witches and demons were born. In the earliest documented story, Merlin the magician of Arthurian legend, was said to have been born from an incubus and a virgin mother.
Repeated activity between a man and a succubus, the latter needing semen to survive, could result in a bond between the two that the man couldn’t escape. The succubus could then drain him of all life. In some tales, a succubus could force a man to return the favor and perform oral sex on her.
The Demons of the Taboo
These depictions of highly sexual demons who could lead a person to literal and spiritual death through seduction are a great example of the restrictive rules of early religion. Such seductions often caused the person to waste away, and in some cases, the repeated visits led to thoughts of self-harm. So, while the demons themselves were trouble, they’re part of a larger message that sexual activity is harmful, except in rare circumstances. This is probably what made the incubus and succubus so alluring to our predecessors. There’s an element of the forbidden in their stories. And powerlessness in the hands of a demon intent on ravaging your body is kinky. I mean, it sounds like many Kindle books out there!
Lilith – Demon to Goddess
No conversation about incubi and succubi is complete without talking about Lilith. According to Jewish folklore, Lilith was Adam’s first wife, created at the same time he was – and not from his rib. She refused to be subservient to Adam and liked to be on top when they got down to business. She also had relations with the archangel Samael, so altogether, she was cast out of the Garden of Eden for being too empowered. Versions of Lilith’s name come up in Mesopotamian texts, and that’s likely where her legend began, but it’s in Jewish folklore that we really see Lilith making a name for herself.
In recent years, we’ve reclaimed Lilith as a feminist icon – a woman who was literally demonized for not being subservient to a man. Many witches revere her as the Dark Goddess of Sexuality and Feminine Power. She embraces her inner demons and brings them to light – a light filled with feminine strength, walking to the beat of her own drum and pure sexual energy. She loves and honors herself above all and teaches us to do the same.
Stay Spooky!
Megan W.