his widow and know her, or he even seduces other women whilst their husbands are away, or what is more striking still he will betake himself to some town where he is not recognized, and he will even wed, children being born of such unions. Mr. Lawson (Modern Greek Folklore) informs us that in Thessaly he was actually told of a family in the neighbourhood of Domoko, who reckoned a vrykolakas among their ancestors of some two or three generations ago, and by virtue of such lineage they inherited a certain skill which enables them to deal most efficaciously with the vrykolakas who at intervals haunt the country-side, indeed so widely was their power esteemed that they had been on occasion summoned as specialists for consultation when quite remote districts were troubled in this manner.
Alardus Gazaeus in his Commentary on Cassian’s Collationes, VIII, 21, (Migne, Patrologia Latina, xlix) plainly teaches: “Devils, although incorporeal and spiritual, can take to themselves the bodies of dead men, and in such bodies can copulate with women, as commonly with striges and witches, and by such intercourse can even beget children.” The Strix we have just considered, and in the passage quoted from Gazaeus it would not, I think, be far amiss simply to translate striges as “vampires.” If it be asked how an incubus or succubus, or a vampire, can fornicate with human beings we may refer to the famous treatise by the learned Ludovico Maria Sinistrari, the De Daemonialitate where that great Franciscan theologian has in detail discussed and admirably resolved these difficulties.
It has been said that “there is no trace of vampires in Jewish literature,” but this would not appear to be strictly accurate for, Proverbs xxx, 15, we have: “Sanguisugae duae sunt filiae, dicentes: Affer, Affer.” The LXX has βδέλλη for the equivalent of the Hebrew עֲלוּקָם which the Vulgate renders sanguisuga. Douay translates: “The horseleach hath two daughters that say: Bring, bring.” The Authorised Version renders: “The horse-leach hath two daughters, crying: Give, give.” The Revised Version prefers: “The horseleach hath two daughters, crying, Give, give.” There are marginal notes, upon horseleach, “Or, vampire.” Upon crying; “Or, called.” This sanguisuga is probably a vampire or blood-sucking demon, and thus the passage is explained by
