In folklore that stems from medieval legend[clarification needed], a succubus (plural succubi) is a demon who takes the form of a woman to seduce men in dreams to have sexual intercourse. In modern times, a succubus may or may not appear in dreams and is often depicted as highly attractive, while in the past succubi were frightening and demonic. The male counterpart is the incubus.
Succubi draw energy from men to sustain themselves, often until the victim becomes exhausted or dies. In one such story, a man in the town of Koblenz is bewitched by a succubus, with whom he is forced to repeatedly fornicate in the presence of his wife. The story says that, "After an incredible number of such bouts, the poor man at last sinks to the floor utterly exhausted and disgusted beyond belief." From mythology and fantasy, Lilith and the Lilin (Jewish) and Lilitu (Sumerian) are in redactive Christian fables (folktales not part of official Christian theology), considered forms of succubi.
According to the Malleus Maleficarum, or "Witches' Hammer", written by Heinrich Kramer (Insitoris) in 1486, a succubus collects semen from the men she sleeps with, which incubi then use to impregnate women, thus explaining how demons could apparently sire children despite the traditional belief that they were incapable of reproduction. Children so begotten were supposed to be those that were born deformed, or more susceptible to supernatural influences.
First attested 1387, derived from Late Latin succuba "strumpet", used to describe the supernatural being as well. From succubare "to lie under", from sub- "under" and cubare "to lie". They are also believed to be vampires in some cultures. Earlier stories of them were said to drink blood from their sleeping victims or take blood from the willing. The legend of this account was first established in 300 B.C. maybe earlier.
