The Werewolf in the Ancient World
- ISBN-10
- 0192596292
- ISBN-13
- 9780192596291
- Category
- Body, Mind & Spirit
- Pages
- 272
- Language
- English
- Published
- 2021-01-07
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press
- Author
- Daniel Ogden
Description
In a moonlit graveyard somewhere in southern Italy, a soldier removes his clothes in readiness to transform himself into a wolf. He depends upon the clothes to recover his human shape, and so he magically turns them to stone, but his secret is revealed when, back in human form, he is seen to carry a wound identical to that recently dealt to a marauding wolf. In Arcadia a man named Damarchus accidentally tastes the flesh of a human sacrifice and is transformed into a wolf for nine years. At Temesa Polites is stoned to death for raping a local girl, only to return to terrorize the people of the city in the form of a demon in a wolfskin. Tales of the werewolf are by now well established as a rich sub-strand of the popular horror genre; less widely known is just how far back in time their provenance lies. These are just some of the werewolf tales that survive from the Graeco-Roman world, and this is the first book in any language to be devoted to their study. It shows how in antiquity werewolves thrived in a story-world shared by witches, ghosts, demons, and soul-flyers, and argues for the primary role of story-telling-as opposed to rites of passage-in the ancient world's general conceptualization of the werewolf. It also seeks to demonstrate how the comparison of equally intriguing medieval tales can be used to fill in gaps in our knowledge of werewolf stories in the ancient world, thereby shedding new light on the origins of the modern phenomenon. All ancient texts bearing upon the subject have been integrated into the discussion in new English translations, so that the book provides not only an accessible overview for a broad readership of all levels of familiarity with ancient languages, but also a comprehensive sourcebook for the ancient werewolf for the purposes of research and study.
Get the book
Other editions
Similar books
-
The Light Of Conscience: How A Simple Act Can Change Your Life
By Bill ShoreDuring our ride, they discussed MTV's rumor that 'N Sync star Justin Timberlake had assaulted a female fan. Mollie has been to two 'N Sync concerts, ...
-
Llewellyn's 2022 Sabbats Almanac: Samhain 2021 to Mabon 2022
By Natalie Zaman, Tess Whitehurst, LupaAround Mabon, you may start to notice frost forming on the ground ... or quality of yourself you'd like to strengthen and incorporate it into a ritual.
-
Healing Thoughts: Workable Views for Healing and Inspiration
By Marjorie Daun Timberlake-LintonIt is the living Spirit of God. In Healing Thoughts, author Marjorie Daun Timberlake-Linton shares that when there is a conscious realization of the presence and power of God within, we can handle any situation that confronts us.
-
Change Your Mind and Your Life Will Follow: 12 Simple Principles
By Karen CaseyFinding happiness, peace, and purpose really can be as simple as changing our minds. This little book will show you how. “Change Your Mind and Your Life Will Follow tells the truth and tells it well.
-
La promesa de un nuevo día: meditaciones diarias
By Karen Casey, Martha VanceburgEn esta exquisita recopilacion, las palabras de Virginia Woolf, Joan Baez o Carlos Castaneda vienen acompanadas de reflexiones profundas y enriquecedoras. Cada pagina sera un rayo de luz y un oasis de serenidad para tu nuevo dia.
-
Oggi è un nuovo giorno. Meditazioni giorno per giorno per donne che vivono momenti difficili
By Karen CaseyOggi è un nuovo giorno. Meditazioni giorno per giorno per donne che vivono momenti difficili
-
Sunken Realms: A Survey of Underwater Ruins Around the World
By Karen MuttonRobson proposes to present the relics to the British museum at London upon his return to Liverpool.” Investigations into this story by journalist N.L Hills revealed that it is unlikely that this story was a hoax as there really had been ...
-
Marvels & Mysteries of the Unexplained: An Imagination-Defying Exploration of our World's Strangest Secrets
By Karen FarringtonGuy Gibson wasa different brandof celebrity. He came to prominence during the Second World War, after leading the 1943 raid againsttwo hydroelectric dams in industrial Germany, using speciallydesigned bouncing bombs.
-
Judy Hall's Complete Crystal Workshop
By Judy HallJudy Hall's Complete Crystal Workshop is interactive, practical, and includes a step-by-step learning program to guide you toward the profound wisdom within crystal lore.
-
Crystal Skulls: Ancient Tools for Peace, Knowledge, and Enlightenment
By Judy HallIn this book, best-selling occultist and crystal expert Judy Hall provides a basic primer on crystal skulls: What they are Where they are found Their role in legend and lore around the world Their uses for physical and psychic healing Also ...