blood. The vrykolakas of animals rides upon their shoulders and as the ordinary vampire sucks a vein, killing the unfortunate beasts and leaving them a mere fibrous mash of skin and bone. Vagrant Mohammedan dervishes profess to have the power of exterminating these inferior vampires, whence they are often saluted as “vampire-killers,” and they tramp the countryside ostentatiously exhibiting an iron rod which ends in a sharp point (shish) to pierce through and destroy the pest, or a long lance-like stick furnished at the top with a small axe to strike him down.[138] But here we have descended to mere quackery. Although as we have seen there are many methods and many variants, it is certain that an effectual remedy against the Vampire is to transfix his heart with a stake driven through with one single blow, to strike off his head with a sexton’s spade, and perhaps best of all to burn him to ashes and purge the earth of his pollutions by the incineration of fire.
Notes to Chapter III.
- 1 Modern Greek Folklore, p. 375.
- 2 c. liii.
- 3 οὐκ ἄν με μισῶν ἀνεχόρευ᾿ Ἐρινύσιν; Orestes, 581.
- 4 II, 924–925.
Κλ. ὅρα, φύλαξαι μητρὸς ἐγκότους κύνας.
Ορ. τὰς τοῦ πατρὸς δὲ πῶς φύω, παρὲις τάδε;
- 5 Compendium Theologiae Moralis, Sabetti-Barrett. Editio Uiccsima Quinta; Pustet; 1916. p. 115.
- 6 “Rache als Selbstmordmotiv,” R. Lasch; Globus, lxxiv (1898), pp. 37–39.
- 7 Lettres édifantes et curieuses, Nouvelle édition, xi, Paris, 1781, pp. 246–248. The letter in question was written by Fr. Martin, S.J., at Marava, in the mission of Madura, 8th November, 1709.
- 8 Origin of Civilization, pp. 378 seq.
- 9 China Past and Present, London, 1903, pp. 378, seq. Professor Parker was Professor of Chinese at the Owens College, Manchester.
- 10 In a letter, 3rd February, 1902, to Sir James George Frazer, which is cited by the latter.
- 11 I quote the translation by C. D. Yonge, Bohn’s Classical Library, London, 1854, vol. I, pp. 250–251, The Deipnosophists, IV, 42.
- 12 Of Apamea in Syria. He was born circa B.C. 135, and died at Rome soon after B.C. 51. His knowledge was very varied and remarkable. None of his writings have come down to us entire, but the fragments were collected by Bahe, Lugduni Batauorum, 1810.
- 13 About £20.
- 14 Deipnosophists, IV, 40, Yonge’s translation, vol. I, pp. 248–249.
- 15 Impiety; and later, as in Dio Cassius lvii, 9, disloyalty to the Emperor (as θεός).
