What are incubus and succubus? Succubi and incubi: history of study The difference between a succubus and an incubus.

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✪ INCUBUS AND SUCCUBUS...Dmitry Kryukovsky

✪ Who are: Incubi and Succubi

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Appearance of incubi

In most cases, the incubus is described as an ugly creature, often resembling a goat (one of the images of the devil), although this appearance was attributed to most demons during the Middle Ages. So in the “Compendium Maleficarum” () it is said: “An incubus can take on both male and female guise, sometimes it appears as a man in the prime of life, sometimes as a satyr; in front of a woman, who is known as a witch, he usually takes the form of a lustful goat." Other images include incubi in the guise of a dog, cat, deer, bull, roe deer, bird, especially a crow or stork, and also in the form of a snake. However, even the bestial appearance did not prevent the incubus from having a carnal relationship with a woman.

Although the incubus' propensity for debauchery itself was not questioned, in the Middle Ages there was some discussion about how disembodied demons could acquire a body and get along with women. One of the later demonologists, Sinistari (died in the city) explained that a demon can take on a bodily shell, inhabiting another person, or creating a body for itself from various materials. Others believed that demons used corpses for these purposes, especially the bodies of recently hanged people. A little later, superstitious people said that an incubus is an ethereal shadow. But he is not always like this. When daylight disappeared or in some other way it became dark or simply twilight, the incubus took on the appearance of a man.

Incubus Seed

Even more controversy arose around the question of the origin of the incubi seed.

Some believed that it was possible to become pregnant from an incubus, since the demon collects the semen of corpses or semen emitted during nocturnal eruptions or masturbations, and “thanks to speed and knowledge of physical laws, preserves this seed in its natural warmth.” The medieval treatise “The Hammer of the Witches” states that demons, as succubi, collect male seed, store it in their bodies, and then, as incubi, fertilize women, in accordance with the position of the stars, with the aim of producing offspring initially predisposed to evil under the influence of the planets.

Others, on the contrary, believed that it was impossible to get pregnant from an incubus, since its seed was nothing more than a fake, sometimes even very bad. So Jeanne d'Abadie admitted to de Lancre that "the devil's seed was unusually cold, so she could not become pregnant from him." Cases of children being born from an incubus were explained by such demonologists by the fact that the demon provides kidnapped babies for the birth.

Incubi's desire for intercourse

Demonologists also did not have a clear opinion about the reasons why demons strove for a woman’s womb.

Some believed that the reason for this was the unbridled lust of demons, that incubi seek to satisfy their passion for various kinds of perversions, which is why, instead of getting together with their own kind, they seek contact with women. Others believed that since spirits “cannot experience either joy or pleasure,” they get together with a person only in order to humiliate him, secretly mocking their would-be lovers, who, by the way, sometimes even recognizing the sinfulness of the union, did not strive get rid of the demonic admirer. Another version says that demons and nature spirits, jealous of the immortality of the human soul, strive to give such a soul to their offspring through an alliance with people.

Be that as it may, a relationship with an incubus was considered a much more serious sin than adultery, since it was equated to bestiality, and relationships with succubi were equated to sodomy, because a succubus is the same devil, only in a female form. With the rise of the Inquisition and witch trials, descriptions of incubi and succubi became increasingly terrifying. If in early reports women and men admit to the incredible pleasures that demonic lovers gave them, then in later reports, women admit that intercourse caused them incredible pain.

Parallels

In fact, medieval demonologists were not the inventors of incubi, since stories of human intercourse with nature spirits, demons and pagan gods are present in many cultures and beliefs. In ancient Greek mythology, Zeus was distinguished by great debauchery and fell in love with mortal women, for example, Semele, who gave birth to Dionysus.

Mentions in literature

Incubi are mentioned in the fantastic humorous story by the Strugatsky brothers “Monday Begins on Saturday” and the Gothic novel “Book of Shadows” by James Reese

The incubus is also mentioned in Goethe’s tragedy “Faust” as the spirit of the earth - a brownie.

In Umberto Eco's novel The Name of the Rose, the Incubus is mentioned by the old monk Ubertino of Casal. He accused the young novices of voluptuousness and the desire to have intercourse with an incubus. “There was something of a woman, and therefore of the devil, in this young man who died. Eyes like those of a girl who desires intercourse with an incubus.” Also appears in Rachel Mead's Georgina Kincaid series. In the Dark Tower series of books by Stephen King, an incubus impregnates one of the main characters, Susanna, taking the seed from Roland while being a succubus

In the story “Resort Romance” by Olga Gromyko, the incubus appears as one of the main characters, around whom, in fact, the entire story revolves.

The mythology of the Middle Ages brought to us stories about the existence of close intimate contacts of people with cunning voluptuous demons. These are fallen angels who could take on male or female form. That is why such entities of the subtle world were called, respectively, incubi, which translated from Latin means “to lie on,” and also succubi (from the Latin “to lie under”).

For their association with these demons, people became victims of the Inquisition. After all, who are incubi and succubi? It was believed that the Devil himself was hidden under their appearance. Incubi became the night guests of women, and succubi of men. What are these creatures and what do they represent?

Mentions of incubi

Long before the time when Christianity became widespread, stories about the connections of mortal people with nature spirits, gods and demons began to appear in the mythology of the peoples of various countries. A striking example of this is the ancient Greek Zeus. This god was a strong lover of the female sex. At various times, his chosen ones were the wife of King Leda, the Titanide Leto, the nymph Callisto, the companion of Artemis and many others. Zeus took possession of his lovers, taking on a variety of guises. He came to them under the guise of a bull, a swan, golden shower, etc.

The Slavs also had their own demon incubus. His role was assigned to the Fire Serpent, who appeared at night to widows, as well as to married women, taking on the image of a spouse. Such an entity was often considered one of the hypostases of the devil himself.

The medieval incubus is the demon of lust. He was considered the incarnation of Satan. This creature came to sleeping girls, forcing them to have intimacy. Often, the victims of the incubus talked about the intense pleasure that such contact brought them, but at the same time they noted physical and moral emptiness, depressed mood and poor health after such a meeting.

Origin of the Fallen Angels

What is an incubus? These are creatures that are considered unusual Christian demons. They have the highest degree of cunning and rich knowledge. They say about incubi that they do not arise from simple sinners. This path is followed by the strongest sorcerers. After all, only they are capable of being reborn without losing their memory, and in addition, they are endowed with the powers to control such a process, sometimes turning others into demons.

What is an incubus? This is a very willful fallen angel who does not answer to demons. He does not collect souls and his prey. Incubi are hunters of strength and power, as well as knowledge.

However, becoming an incubus is not so easy. Such magical power is not achieved by every sorcerer, which can explain the enormous rarity of such creatures.

Lust for power

What is an incubus? This is a born leader and leader. However, the most amusing fact related to them is that the incubi keep a harem. Moreover, we are not talking here about mere mortals, although such girls often voluntarily become wives of demons. No, incubi are more interested in gaining power over other creatures - succubi and lamias. This is why female demons try to get rid of their opponents. However, incubi, with their innate knowledge of magic, are practically invulnerable to succubi. In addition, quite often they use their ability to disguise themselves. Incubi pretend to be victims whom their opponents love and do not want to kill. It is thanks to their perfect knowledge of female psychology (and male psychology too) that these demons are considered the most dangerous intriguers of all creatures.

Habitat

According to myths created in the Middle Ages, incubi prefer areas located near nunneries. After all, it is in them that the creature is able to choose one or several victims, while acting calmly and leisurely.

The habitat of incubi is considered to be the space located between the moon and the earth. This is where the demon kingdom is located, in which they feel very comfortable. To satisfy their base needs, fallen angels descend to earth, attacking women. The favorite place of incubi is water. In rivers and lakes they wait for their victims to have sexual intercourse with them.

Sometimes an incubus appears to a woman in a dream. It is there that he immediately “catches” his next victim, and then forces him to enter into intimate contact with him. And even after awakening, the demon, as a rule, does not disappear. Judging by the stories of many women, they see him, but are unable to resist. The fact is that when attacking, the demon completely immobilizes its victim.

Appearance

What is an incubus really and what might it look like? In most myths and legends, this demon is presented in the form of an ugly, ugly and scary creature with horns. Sometimes he appears to a woman in the form of a lustful goat, and sometimes he becomes a quite attractive man.

In some myths, incubi are found in the guise of deer and birds, dogs and crows, storks and bulls, roe deer and snakes. If a woman practices witchcraft, then this lecherous demon is a stinking goat to her. Sometimes a horned creature, partially covered with scales, overtakes its victims.

Copulation

Stories about the incubus say that he is cold and unpleasant. According to one version, these demons in the flesh are constantly busy seeking physical contact with women. But there is also an opposite opinion. According to him, an incubus is a demon of love who is not able to experience true pleasure from sex. Another interesting version is the hypothesis that this creature does not have the ability to fully engage in sexual intercourse. Incubi obtain semen secretly, using a variety of methods. According to one hypothesis, they receive it from recently deceased men, preferring those who have been hanged. In addition, it is believed that incubus seed is sometimes obtained through masturbation, and then stored in its body. After choosing its victim, the demon creates a very believable illusion of sexual intercourse. Moreover, this happens so successfully that his chosen one believes that there were much more copulations than in reality.

In stories about incubi you can find a description of his genitals. He looks just like the demon himself, in different ways. Sometimes it is compared to a forked metal rod, at the end of which there is a hot brand. Sometimes analogies are drawn with the penis of a mule or a snake.

In the Middle Ages, such contact was equated with bestiality. Today, some ladies themselves strive to meet the demon of love and trust the incubus. There are special rituals for this. However, sometimes women summon an incubus on their own, using their good abilities, long-term sexual abstinence, as well as setting clear intentions and using visualization abilities.

Consequences of communication with a demon

It is believed that meetings with an incubus do not end well for a woman. If we consider such copulation from a physiological point of view, it is distinguished by variety, starting from a magnificent connection, which can be compared to a meeting with the best lover, to vile and unpleasant intercourse with a disgusting partner.

After the experiences that women had in connection with such intimacy, they sometimes lost their minds. And if the demon did not let go of his victim for a long time and tormented him, then he could die.

Sometimes the result of an incubus' love was pregnancy. Its consequences were completely unpredictable. A woman could give birth to evil, aggressive and wild children or outright monsters. Such creatures, having a human appearance, lived among people, doing terrible things. After the birth of a demon, the woman usually went crazy or died.

Who are succubi?

From world cinema, literature, and the gaming industry, we are most familiar with three types of creatures. These are werewolves, vampires and succubi. You can find a lot of stories and films about the first two of them. Succubi are much less common, having found their niche in the modern gaming industry. What kind of creatures are these? Succubi are demons. This is precisely their classification that was put forward by cryptozoological experts of the Middle Ages, when only the church could resolve such issues.

It is quite difficult to disagree with this opinion. After all, succubi are the owners of horns (most often those of a ram), wings (usually like those of a bat), and also a tail similar to a horse. In addition, their main mission, designed to test the strength of faith of young novices, also indicates the “title” of a demon.

Origin of the succubi

In addition to the above-mentioned characteristics, these fallen angels have a perfect, attractive and seductive female body. It is on this sign that the behavior of succubi is based. It is believed that they are none other than demonesses. Succubi appear from the ranks of sinners. These are women who, in order to maintain the attractiveness of their bodies, made a deal with a demon or indulged in fornication and adultery. Often in ancient scriptures it is said that such sinners end up in hell, where they are faced with a choice - to suffer a well-deserved punishment or become a succubus. Some of them become demons, for which they undergo a painful rebirth.

The most famous succubus in mythology is Lilith. Based on Jewish traditions, people accuse her of committing sexual violence against unmarried men in order to have children with them. In addition, Lilith harms women. She causes infertility in them, and also abducts newborns and drinks infant blood.

Appearance of a succubus

The opinion that existed in the Middle Ages was clear. According to him, any succubus is a devil. That is why contacts with him were considered sodomy. And this despite the fact that the demoness could appear to a person in the most varied forms. Sometimes she appeared to a man as an attractive girl with voluminous breasts and long hair. Sometimes she appeared to her victim as a young goat, and sometimes she was an ugly witch.

Features of the behavior of a succubus

Demons of love appear only to men. Women also very rarely meet them, although for the latter such a meeting is fatal. Succubi hide their true appearance, fool a man's mind and force him to think only about himself. Demons take away husbands and destroy families. Often they destroy their chosen ones after they simply get bored with them.

As a rule, succubi are depicted with a minimum of clothing or in revealing dresses. However, demonesses look impressive and attractive in any outfit. Such seductiveness is unattainable for ordinary mortal women.

According to some experts, succubi have one weakness. They don't kill their victims. Their feeling of hunger is sexual in nature. And this determines the entire existence of succubi. The hungrier they are, the more open and relaxed their behavior is. At the same time, succubi cannot get enough of just one man, even if he is the best lover. The demoness's hunger demands more. At the same time, they are cruel and uncompromising. Succubi sometimes change roles and try on different masks in order to achieve higher status and be able to satisfy their hunger with as many lovers as possible. She-devils are always attractive to men, even if they are aware of the danger that these creatures carry. After all, succubi are capable of absorbing the life force of the victim, and they allow them to do this because they cannot resist the temptation.

Why do they come?

What is the purpose of demons visiting people? No one can give an exact answer to this question. This is despite the fact that there are a large number of modern stories that tell of connections with these creatures. The fact is that none of the victims was able to get their mysterious lover to talk. There was only silence in response to all the questions asked. However, it is believed that incubi and succubi come to people to:

1. Feed on their power. Indeed, during sexual intercourse, a huge amount of energy is released, which the demon “consumes,” which ensures its existence. This is why fallen angels prefer nuns, novices and other people whose lifestyle does not even involve sexual intimacy, which leads to the accumulation of the necessary energy in them.
2. Continue the line. According to one version, demons strive for intimacy with a person in order to have a child. There is a hypothesis that succubi steal a man's seed and give it to an incubus, who then places this seed in the body of his victim. As a result, the woman gives birth to a child who is the heir of the demons.
3. Feel like a living being. If we consider the settlement of our world, then people can be placed one step above succubi and incubi. It is believed that demons lack a certain inner core, without which it is impossible to indicate the true personality. During sexual intercourse, incubi and succubi are able to connect to the human subconscious for some time and begin to perceive the world through it. This is why they go on their “night adventures”.

All modern people can be divided into two large camps. Some of them believe that succubi and incubi are very real entities that live in the astral plane and sometimes visit their chosen ones. Others consider the description of demons to be nothing more than sleep paralysis, which is accompanied by erotic fantasies.

Books about demons

For those who want to develop their imagination and don’t mind looking at the world from an unusual and unexpected side, Ekaterina Sevastyanova offers her works in the genre of romantic fiction. The books she wrote about incubi are very popular among fans of this topic.

In 2017, readers became acquainted with a new work by E. Sevastyanova. It is the book “Trust the Demon. Kiss of an Incubus." Its main character is Diana Frost. This is an ordinary girl of 20 years old who ran away from her dysfunctional family and moved with her friend to another city. But having gotten away from old problems, she acquired new ones. The plot of the book “Trust the Demon. Kiss of an Incubus" tells us that a girl got a job in one of the prestigious business centers, owned by a thousand-year-old demon. And, of course, it was impossible to avoid meeting him.

The book "Incubus's Kiss" tells the story of the confrontation between the main characters. One of them is a cruel thousand-year-old demon who is trying to become at least a little more humane. The second is an ordinary young girl who has nothing to do with magic. Her future fate depends on the predator, which requires the vital energy of women...

Probably, many readers, even if they are not very closely associated with magic, have heard about creatures such as succubi and incubi. However, I suspect that most of the readers in one way or another had a question: “What, in fact, is differences between succubi and incubi"? An enlightened reader will say: “It’s very simple: succubi and incubi are demons that come to men and women in their dreams and seduce them at night. Succubi seduce men, and incubi seduce women... Or not, on the contrary, succubi seduce women... Or still men...” And then the real thing begins - who seduces whom? By the way, perhaps for some a number of subsequent illustrations may seem a bit overwhelming, so we warn you in advance.

The differences between succubi and incubi, in fact, lie in who seduces whom. But not only. So, you will be surprised, but one of these types arose a very, very long time ago - several thousand years ago. And the other - quite recently, only five hundred years ago. This also applies to the differences between succubi and incubi. And this is not the end yet :)

Naturally, when reading the first two paragraphs, a logical question may arise: “Why, strictly speaking, do you need to know the differences between these ... cubes? They seduce - that’s all!..” To which we will answer: “Uh, don’t tell me.” In terms of difference, perhaps not. But from a practical point of view, this difference is very, very large.

So, a couple of months ago an interesting and informative article “How to summon the devil” was published on our website. “, where we examined in detail how and why this is done. Accordingly, today’s article is a continuation of the theme of the challenge. However, unlike the devil, succubi and incubi are somewhat more useful creatures in terms of pleasure. And much safer.

However, if you are planning to summon a succubus or incubus for yourself, then you may not summon what you wanted. For girls, this may not be a big deal. But for male magicians, sorcerers, and so on, the mistake may turn out to be irreparable, because the anal virginity of the caller will be at stake. Therefore, it is vital for a practicing magician (and even a sorceress - just in case a client orders one) to know the differences between succubi and incubi. And not according to a cheat sheet, but at the subconscious level.

So, let's get started: what is the difference between succubi and incubi?

Everything is very simple. To differentiate, let’s turn to the materials of the Esperanto etymological dictionary (for more details about the dictionary, see the article “Studying the language using etymology using the example of Esperanto”). And, analyzing the word inkub- (“fiend of hell, incubus, monster”), we find that this word is compound. It comes from the Latin word incubo and consists of the prefix in- and roots cubo-. With attachment in-, I think most readers can handle it - this is a fairly international prefix, and it means our Russian “ V". A cubo is a verb whose meaning is “ lying, at rest, lying in bed, cohabiting". Respectively, cubitus- this is a bed, a bed.

What do you get when you add it up? in- And cubo? Incubo= reclining, reclining. I suspect that the reader is perplexed: how is the incubus as a demon of lust, a monster and a fiend of hell and reclining connected in this way? In fact, the connection is not as obvious as it might seem. So let's go in order.

As you understand, originally the word incubo It was purely utilitarian - sleeping on the bed, reclining. Perhaps with someone and for certain purposes.

It should also be mentioned that in parallel with the change in the meanings of this word, there was a very ancient idea of ​​\u200b\u200bsuch creatures as treasure keeper. Treasure Keepers- these are something like spirits guarding treasures (in burials or in simple caches). The treasure keepers reclined ( incubo) on these treasures and protected them from all kinds of robbers, plunderers and other grave diggers.

The logic of the treasure keeper's action is very simple: if the treasure is taken, then the keepers are deprived of a place to lie down. Naturally, they need to lie down somewhere, and therefore, as a replacement, they look for those who stole the treasures and lie down on them, thereby suppressing people. The method is very simple - as beings of the spiritual world, they best contact people in dreams. Therefore, treasure keepers appear to grave diggers in dreams and nightmares, sit on their chests (lying down as if on a treasure) and strangle them. This continues until either the thief dies or until he returns the treasure to its place.

The Slavs also have similar ideas (perhaps under the influence of the Romans, like mermaids - more details in the article “The connection between the Trinity and mermaids”). So, according to Slavic legends, you can not only suffer from the owner of the treasure, but you can also come to an agreement with him and appease him. Well, put the spirit at your service if you bury the treasure yourself. Therefore, it is logical to assume that the Romans could have done the same. Most likely, for them, the owners of the treasures were initially good - defenders of their hidden property.

Thus we have incubo- lying on a treasure, and then on a person with the aim of suppressing it. AND incubo- prophetic dreams in temples. Most likely, this is where the intersection of meanings arose. And with the word " incubus“they began to call the keeper of treasures: for some - a good protector, for others - a vengeful demon.

Further, with the advent of Christianity, the old Roman gods acquired the characteristics of demons. And the incubus, as the keeper of treasures, with whom you can come to an agreement or put into your service, has only one property left - to send nightmares, lying on top.

However, the evolution of the incubus did not end there. We are moving into the Middle Ages, the rise of alchemy and other magic - along with the suppression of them. Thus, incubi appear again, but not among the people (where they retained their overwhelming demonic features), but on the pages of the tomes of alchemists and magicians. Who understood the word “I recline, recline” in a slightly different context.

So, you probably remember, the European magical tradition presents the element of virginity of the magician, the witch, as a significant plus in their witchcraft. Accordingly, magicians and alchemists who seriously practiced their craft abstained from sexual contact for quite a long time.

On the other hand, as you know, when you push something strongly into the subconscious, then this something comes out in very strange, unpredictable images and unconsciously. This is what happened in the case of fortune-telling magicians: the word incubo, I'm reclining took on an erotic connotation. That is, the element of demonicity, sleep and reclining was taken. Only reclining was understood as “lying with someone for the purpose of receiving pleasure.”

However, the knowledge of alchemists and magicians in sex, due to their not very much experience in this matter, was apparently limited to the missionary position. Where, as you remember, the man is on top. He is reclining. He is an incubus.

Naturally, magicians could not use such a thing for themselves (for they cherished anal virginity more than any other). And a new word was needed to describe the lustful demoness. It is logical that if a man is on top, then a woman is on bottom. And bottom in Latin is denoted by the word sub— (in our opinion this is the prefix “ under"). Or, for consonance, suc-. We combine one with the other and get succubo= under-lying. We get a succubus.

Thus, we have a very long, multi-thousand-year, multi-ethnic evolution of the incubus (which changed several professions during this time) and a rather short history of the succubus (immediately appearing in its modern role).

So, to distinguish between a succubus and an incubus, you need to remember: the man is on top, the woman is below. The succubus tempts men, the incubus tempts women. Therefore, if you are afraid for your anal virginity, then remember:

• men call succubi,
• women call incubi.

Naturally, there is no friend according to taste, and you can call those you like best. But now it's your responsibility :)

Well, now a few words about how to summon succubi and incubi.

To begin with, the basic rule is strict abstinence for at least a month. No arms, legs, porn films, etc. Exceptional deaf abstinence. But not only.

Earlier, in the article “Visualization - what is it and how does it work? “We looked at what visualization is and how it works :) And the material in this article is directly related to the current topic. Because the second step, along with abstinence, is visualization of what you want. This is where the knowledge gained above about the differences will come in handy. And so that you are not afraid that your desires have been used, visualize in accordance with the material presented.

Happy experimenting!

Thus, you have learned the differences between succubi and incubi.

So now you can't go wrong. If you have something to tell about this topic, write in the comments!

Long before the spread of Christianity, references to the connection of mortals with gods, nature spirits, and demons appeared in the mythology of different countries. For example, the ancient Greek Zeus was extremely attracted to the female sex: his chosen ones at different times were the titanide Leto, the royal wife Leda, the companion of Artemis, the nymph Callisto, and many others. The Thunderer took on all sorts of guises and took possession of his mistresses under the guise of golden rain, a swan, a bull, etc.

Among the Slavs, the Fire Serpent acted as an incubus, appearing at night to widows and married women in the form of a husband. The essence was often considered one of the hypostases of the devil. The medieval incubus, or demon of lust, is the embodiment of Satan himself. He comes to sleeping girls and forces them to have intimacy. Most often, victims talk about the intense pleasure received as a result of such contact, but they also note emotional and physical devastation, poor health, and depressive moods after the “date.”

The appearance of an incubus can be anything, but basically it prefers the appearance:

• a handsome man;
• a stinking goat (if a woman practices witchcraft);
• a horned creature partially covered with scales.

Usually the incubus comes in a dream. There he “catches” his victim, after which he forces her to have a relationship with him. As a rule, the demon does not disappear after awakening: many women manage to notice it, but they are not able to free themselves of their own free will. The attack is accompanied by complete immobilization, and it is impossible to resist.

In the Middle Ages, contact with an incubus was equated to bestiality, but in the modern world, many ladies themselves seek a meeting with this demon. Although there are special summoning rituals, some women do without special rituals: often long-term sexual abstinence, good visualization abilities and a clear intention are enough to call an incubus.

Succubus - who is it?

A succubus is a female demon whose occupation is the same as that of an incubus. Only sleeping boys and men act as victims. It is believed that there are about ten times fewer demonesses than demons, which is why women are attacked more often.

The most famous succubus is Lilith. In Jewish tradition, she is accused of sexually abusing single men in order to have children with them. Among other things, Lilith harms women in every possible way: it causes infertility in them, abducts newborns, and drinks the blood of babies. Medieval opinion was clear: any succubus is the Devil. Contact with him was condemned as sodomy, despite the variety of forms of the demoness:

• an attractive green-eyed girl with long hair and voluminous breasts;
• ugly witch;
• young goat, etc.

The demoness satisfies the secret desires of men, so intimacy with her is very pleasant. True, with excessively frequent meetings with a succubus, a person risks facing exhaustion: the entity actively absorbs the lover’s energy, leaving him in a state of emotional and physical breakdown. Sometimes, after a stormy night, scratches, abrasions, and bruises appear on the victim’s body.

Like the incubus, the succubus comes in a dream, taking possession of the sleeping person and not stopping copulation even after waking up (although there are exceptions). If desired, the demoness can be summoned using a ritual or simply by focusing on a goal.

Succubus and incubus - why do they come?

The purpose of demons' visits to people cannot be determined precisely. Despite the abundance of modern stories about sex with these entities, none of the victims managed to talk to their mysterious lover. He answers all questions with silence. It is believed that demons of lust come to a person to:

1. Be saturated with strength. During sexual contact, a huge amount of energy is released, which the succubus or incubus simply “eats”, ensuring its existence. The tidbits are considered to be novices, nuns and other people whose lifestyle does not involve intimacy: in this case, a lot of the necessary energy accumulates.

2. Have a child. One of the versions why demons visit a person’s bed is the desire to continue the family line. It is believed that the succubus transfers the semen stolen from the man to the incubus, who in turn places it in the woman's body. As a result, she gives birth to a child who is considered the heir to the demons. Although, according to some legends, entities are capable of conception even without such a complex scheme. The born child has pronounced signs of its otherworldly parent: a tail, scaly skin, etc.

3. Feel alive. In the hierarchy of creatures that populate the world, people are one step above incubi and succubi. The latter supposedly do not have an inner core, without which a true personality is impossible. During sex, demons connect to a person’s consciousness, for a moment perceiving the world through him. For the sake of such a moment, they decide on “night adventures.”

Modern people are conventionally divided into two camps. Some believe that the incubus and succubus are very real entities that live in the astral plane and are capable of looking at a person “at a glance.” Others prefer to attribute the appearance of demons to sleep paralysis and accompanying erotic fantasies. Be that as it may, succubi and incubi have firmly entered human life, not only taking their place among mythological characters, but also becoming regular guests in the bedrooms of men and women.

It doesn’t play a special role whether demons really exist or are depicted by an overexcited brain: the effect is the same - too frequent sex in a dream leads to energy fatigue. Therefore, you should listen to the words of the medieval church fathers and keep your body and mind under control. Self-discipline is the most reliable defense against any demons, real or imagined.

A succubus (from Latin succuba, concubine) is a demoness in medieval legends who visits young men at night and causes them to have voluptuous dreams. Oddly enough, when medieval demonologists described succubi, the word succuba was used extremely rarely.

Incubus, or incubon (incubonius) (incubus, from Latin incubo, to lie supine) - in medieval legends, a dissolute demon seeking sexual relations with women. It is also called: follet (French), alb (German), duende (Spanish), folleto (Italian). The corresponding demon that appears before men is called a succubus.

Another Latin word was used to name this class of creatures: succubus, which is masculine. This is probably due to the fact that, according to demonologists, a succubus is a devil in female form. Often described as a young, attractive female, however, having clawed feet and sometimes webbed wings.

In Christianity, incubi and succubi are considered demons. But even before Christianity, since the times of the Greeks, for example, Ephialtes, strangling demons, have been known. Their Western equivalent is Mara, from whose name the word nightmare itself may be derived. The testimonies of contemporaries who are visited by entities at night, strangle them, sit on their chests, are very similar to the testimonies of other contemporaries who are raped by similar entities.

On the nature of succubi and incubi

As long as the belief in succubi and incubi exists, the number of explanations for the nature of succubi is just as great. And researchers from different eras saw a wide variety of phenomena in succubi.

For early demonologists, apparently, succubi were a kind of dream demons, real beings of the non-human world. In the Middle Ages, their reality was not questioned, only the interpretation changed. Now these were either messengers of the devil, or he himself in female guise. Later, when it is noticed that the appearance of such mysterious lovers often occurs in a special “borderline” state of consciousness: between sleep and wakefulness, for example, skeptics will attribute succubi to various kinds of hallucinations and fantasies of a sexual nature, and occultists to the manifestation of the influence of astral light on a person.

Psychologists also have their own version. In Carl Gustav Jung’s book “Psychological Types” in the chapter “Nominalism and Realism” we can find a description of cases of the devil appearing to confessors. These visions were interpreted as an attempt by the monks' unconscious to compensate for the one-sidedness of their conscious attitude. Since monks appear very often in the stories we know about succubi, we can see in this the same attempts to compensate for the ascetic lifestyle on the part of the psyche.

Appearance of incubi

In most cases, the incubus is described as an ugly creature, often resembling a goat (one of the images of the devil), although this appearance was attributed to most demons during the Middle Ages. So in the Compendium Maleficarum (1608) it is said: “The incubus can take on both male and female guise, sometimes it appears as a man in the prime of life, sometimes as a satyr; in front of a woman who is known as a witch, he usually takes the form of a lustful goat.” Among other images, incubi appear in the guise of a dog, cat, deer, bull, roe deer, bird, especially a crow or stork, as well as in the form of a snake. However, even the bestial appearance did not prevent the incubus from having a carnal relationship with a woman.

Although the incubus' propensity for debauchery itself was not questioned, in the Middle Ages there was some discussion about how disembodied demons could acquire a body and get along with women. One of the later demonologists, Sinistari (died 1701), explained that a demon can take on a bodily shell, inhabiting another person, or creating a body for itself from various materials. Others believed that demons used corpses for these purposes, especially the bodies of recently hanged people.

Incubus Seed

Even more controversy arose around the question of the origin of the incubi seed.

Some believed that it was possible to become pregnant from an incubus, since the demon collects the semen of corpses or semen emitted during nocturnal eruptions or masturbations, and “thanks to speed and knowledge of physical laws, preserves this seed in its natural warmth.” The medieval treatise "The Hammer of the Witches" states that demons, as succubi, collect male semen, store it in their bodies, and then, as incubi, impregnate women, in accordance with the position of the stars, with the aim of producing offspring that are initially predisposed to evil under the influence of the planets.

Others, on the contrary, believed that it was impossible to get pregnant from an incubus, since its seed was nothing more than a fake, sometimes even very bad. So Jeanne d'Abadie admitted to de Lancre that "the devil's seed was unusually cold, so she could not become pregnant from him." Cases of children being born from an incubus were explained by such demonologists by the fact that the demon provides abducted babies for the birth.

Incubi's desire for intercourse

Demonologists also did not have a clear opinion about the reasons why demons sought the bed of a human woman.

Some believed that the reason for this was the unbridled lust of demons, that incubi seek to satisfy their passion for various kinds of perversions, which is why, instead of getting together with their own kind, they seek contact with human women. Others believed that since spirits “cannot experience either joy or pleasure,” they get together with a person only in order to humiliate him, secretly mocking their would-be lovers, who, by the way, sometimes even recognizing the sinfulness of the union, do not sought to get rid of the demonic admirer. Another version says that demons and nature spirits, jealous of the immortality of the human soul, strive to give such a soul to their offspring through an alliance with people.

Be that as it may, however, a relationship with an incubus was considered a much more serious sin than adultery, since it was equated to bestiality, and relationships with succubi were equated to sodomy, because a succubus is the same devil, only in a female form. With the rise of the Inquisition and witch trials, descriptions of incubi and succubi became increasingly terrifying. If in early reports women and men admit to the incredible pleasures that demonic lovers gave them, then in later reports, women admit that intercourse caused them incredible pain.

Parallels

In fact, medieval demonologists were not the inventors of incubi, since stories of human intercourse with nature spirits, demons and pagan gods are present in many cultures and beliefs. In ancient Greek mythology, Zeus was distinguished by great debauchery and fell in love with mortal women, for example, Semele, who gave birth to Dionysus.

The Romans considered incubi to be spirits and attributed to them phenomena that the Russians attribute to the brownie, i.e. attacking sleepy people at night, scaring them, etc.

The Greeks also knew a similar spirit and called it ephialtes (jumping). The Romans considered incubi to be creatures of the same breed as fauns, sylvans, etc. Voluptuous dreams, especially among women, were also attributed to visits from incubi. The flower of paeonia, which was collected in superstitious rituals at night, was used as a cure for strangulation by incubi. According to other beliefs, also reminiscent of Russian brownies, incubi were considered the guardians of household wealth, as well as treasures, which can be easily found if you manage to steal his invisibility cap from the incubus.

The view of official science

Official science adheres to the following point of view on incubi and succubi

As is known, during a period of prolonged sexual abstinence, wet dreams are a natural compensatory mechanism that promotes periodic emptying of the tract and prevents congestion in the genitals. Consequently, the stricter the abstinence, the more often wet dreams and accompanying erotic dreams occur, the more intrusive the caresses of incubi and succubi become. We are dealing with the flow of erotic experiences into erotic dreams, the more vivid the stronger the experiences. Only the national characteristics of poetic consciousness give the hero of these dreams the appearance of either a fiery serpent or a beautiful incubus.

Examples. The fight against night guests in Catholicism

In the city of Koblenz there lives a man who is bewitched in such a way that he, in the presence of his wife, but not with her, performs the entire act of love, as is customary between a man and a woman. He does this several times in a row. Despite the urgent tearful requests of his wife, he cannot stop committing such acts and, it happens, after several acts following one another, he cries out: “Let's start over!” However, bodily vision does not allow him to discern any face serving as his succubus. It happens that after daily similar temptations, this person falls completely powerless on the floor. When, after bringing him to his senses, he is asked the question of how this all happened and whether the succubus appeared to him in the guise of a woman, he usually answers that he sees nothing, but is so deprived of consciousness that he is unable to refrain. One woman was suspected of causing this damage, and she once threatened him with punishment for his refusal to fulfill her wish. There were no suitable laws or judges to condemn her. Bad rumors and strong suspicions were not enough for this. They said that without one's own confession or without the appearance of three legal witnesses, no one could be convicted. As if the signs of a crime and evidence based on grave or grave suspicion are not sufficient for punishment.

Regarding the second kind of people, namely: those forced by witches to have intercourse with demons, we cite the following case, told by Thomas of Brabant in his essay “On Bees.” One modest, pious girl he knew personally began to claim in confession that she had never agreed to sexual intercourse. This made me suspect that she still knew him. Under the threat of God's punishment for concealing her sin, she tearfully confessed to her confessor that she had been corrupted more mentally than physically by the actions of the incubus. The temptations of the incubus lasted for several years and could not be dispelled either by the sign of the cross, or by holy water, or even by the sacrament of the body of Christ, until finally, through prayer and fasting, the spell was destroyed.

Nieder, in his Anthill, reports that girls and men can be freed from the temptations of incubi and succubi in five ways:

1) the sacrament of confession;

2) holy exercises in the form of the sign of the cross and repetition of the prayer “Virgin Mother of God, rejoice”;

3) exorcisms;

4) change of place of residence;

5) careful excommunication pronounced by holy people.

Caesarius of Heisterbach (“Dialogues”) gives a story about the mistress of a hanged priest, who, after entering the monastery, was constantly tempted by an incubus to defilement. With the sign of the cross and sprinkling with holy water, she managed to drive him away from her, but only for a short time. When she said “Mother of God,” he disappeared like an arrow, but then reappeared, without, however, risking coming closer to her.

Regarding the third method, namely the sacrament of confession, Caesar of Heisterbach says that the above-mentioned former mistress of the priest was finally delivered from the persecution of the incubus only after a full confession. It was the same with one man from Lüttich, who freed himself from the temptations of a succubus through a full penitential confession. The same Caesar gives the example of one recluse who saved herself from the machinations of an incubus by pronouncing “Bless” (“Benedicite”). And before that, neither prayer, nor confession, nor other spiritual exercises could stop him from crawling into her bed.

Caesarius gives an example of how a change of location saves from incubi, and talks about the unfortunate daughter of a priest, dishonored by such a demon, going crazy from pain and transported by her father to another area, after which the tempting demon left her, but killed her caring father out of revenge. Caesar also talks about that woman to whom an incubus often appeared at night and bothered her with his temptation, and who because of this invited one pious friend to go to bed instead of her. This friend spent a night full of well-known anxiety, while the other, previously stubbornly tempted, slept completely calmly. Wilhelm notes that incubi appear most often to women and girls with beautiful hair. This happens because such women are more preoccupied with the futility of taking care of their hair.