Shades: Lilith in Greek Mythology, Part 1 (Revised, 11/25)

Traces of Lilith occur in Greek Mythology.  To be fair, "traces" is putting it lightly.  Lilith is evident in at least three races of humanoid women, the Lamiai, the Empusae and the Mormo.  She is also similar to the Libyan Queen Lamia and the sorceress Medea. Parallels abound in the the heritage of these creatures, their legacies and physical depictions.  It's very likely they represent a phase in Lilith's evolution from ancient Sumer to the spirit we know today.  Therefore they can be coined "transitional Liliths."

     In this entry, which is part of a series on Lilith's connection to Greek Mythology, we'll explore the parallels between Lamia, her demonic contemporaries and the Semetic Lilim.

Images of Lilith are regularly conjured in the Greek world's "demon" element the Lamiai, Empusae and Mormo.  Each of these classes are known for their seductive demeanor and strong associations with vampires and succubi.  In the case of the Lamiai and the Mormo they were believed to abduct or devour children. The also have strong associations with night time, shapes shifting, magic and snake lore.  Let's examine each species below:

The Lamiai are believed to take their name from a plural-form of Lamia, the Libyan queen who was cursed by Hera, the Queen of Heaven.  Lamia slept with Zeus and boasted of her accomplishment, making her a prime target for his famous wife.  Hera, being the goddess of childbirth, cursed Lamia with continuous still-borns.  This added to her poor reputation and Lamia eventually went mad.  To replace her own children she would steal others in the night and gradually turned into a snake hybrid.  It was said she could resemble either form and tempt men to devour or covet their seed.  Lamia is a truly fearsome, much storied creature worthy of Medusa.

The Empusae were believed to serve Greece's witch queen Hecate.  They are most famous for opposing travelers, perhaps in connection to their mistress who guarded the crossroads.  Their epithet, "Daughters of Hecate" may imply a form of devotion or an actual lineage as the witch's offspring.  They were said to transform like the Lamiai but are generally depicted with ass or goat features and one leg made out of brass.  Their primary function in Greek Mythology was to scare or haunt people.

Less famous is the Mormo or Mormo' Lyceion, a sort of Greek bogey-woman.  Nurses and mothers would tell their children to behave so the Mormo wouldn't get them.  They were believed to bite said children and travel with Hecate.  They also appear in the service of Queen Laestrygonian to steal children.

It's interesting to note the Lamiai, the Empusae and the Mormo share Lilith's association with child theft.  Lilith was threatened by God in the Genesis story to have her children killed if she did not return to Adam.  To compensate, she decided to abduct human children and produce hybrids of her own.  In Greek Myths Lamia is cursed with still-births by Hera, another sky god, and compensates by stealing, devouring and spawning human babies.  The Empusae and the Mormo were believed to share similar succubus rites.  The are each linked to sexuality and procreation. Each of these breeds, in fact, have a recurrence in the film version of Neil Gaiman's Stardust linking them with Lilith. Here the Witch Queens (also called Lilim in the book, a popular name for Lilith's daughters) are named Lamia, Empusa and Mormo.  Their leader Lamia is played by Michelle Pfeiffer.