Lamia (Art by Magali Villeneuve)
Lamia, in ancient Greek mythology, was a child-eating monster and, in other traditions, was regarded as a type of night-haunting spirit.
Description[]
Lamia has been ascribed serpentine qualities, which some commentators believe can be firmly traced to mythology from antiquity, and they have found analogues in ancient texts that could be designated as lamiai (or lamiae) which are part-serpent beings. These include the half-woman, half-snake beasts of the "Libyan myth" told by Dio Chrysostom.
Overview[]
In the myth, the Lamia was born in a cave and grew into a beautiful woman becoming a queen of Libya. She was of course beloved of Zeus, but after Zeus' jealous wife Hera destroyed all her children, or caused Lamia herself to kill her own offspring, she became disfigured from the torment. Hera deprived Lamia of the ability to sleep, making her constantly grieve over the loss of her children, and Zeus provided relief by endowing her with removable eyes.
The Lamia gained a fearsome reputation amongst the commonfolk, becoming a bogeyman or bugbear, and would be used by a mother or a nanny as a method to frighten children who misbehaved, before she begins to hunt and kill said children. Other legends describe her as killing the children of prospering families, depriving them of the happiness that was robbed from her when she was mortal.