In ancient Greek mythology, the Empusa (Εμπουσα — Empousa) was a female supernatural monster or demoness. Hecate sent Empusa to harass travelers. It scared to death or ate anybody that travelled along the paths or roads it inhabited.
Family
Empusa is the daughter of the goddess Hecate. The Lamiae and Mormolyceia, who assumed the form of handsome women for the purpose of attracting young men, and then sucked their blood like vampyrs and ate their flesh, were reckoned among the Empusae. (Philostr Vit. Apoll. iv. 25; Suid. s. v.)
Description
The empusae are sometimes described as having donkey-like features and/or bronze feet. It was believed usually to appear with one leg of brass and the other of an ass. (Aristoph Ran. 294, Eccles. 1094.) Whenever a traveller addressed the monster with insulting words, it used to flee and utter a shrill sound. (Philostr Vit. Apoll. ii. 4.) This demonic female has and the occupation of pursuing travelers and eating them - although one can save oneself by insulting her.
Powers
Empusa also has the remarkable ability of transforming herself. Sometimes she transforms herself into a gorgeous woman to seduce young men, she then sucks blood from them until they die. By the slightest insult, she flees.
The Mormo
More recent Greek tales describe the creature as a merely frightening shapeshifter, but blame it for injuring sheep. Mormo (Mormô Mormo’lyce or Mormolyceion), a female spectre, with which the Greeks used to frighten little children.
Story
Empusa is best known for her appearance in Aristophanes's The Frogs, in which she scared Dionysus and Xanthias on their way to the underworld.
- "[Comedy-Play in which Dionysos travels to Haides. He and his slave Xanthias have just crossed Lake Akheron and encounter an Empousa amongst the guardian-monsters of Haides:]
Xanthias: We'd best be moving on. This is the spot where Herakles declared those savage monsters dwell ... Hallo! I hear a noise. Dionysos: Where? what? Xanthias: Behind us, there. Dionysos: Get you behind. Xanthias: No, it's in front. Dionysos: Get you in front directly. Xanthias: And now I see the most ferocious monster. Dionysos: O, what's it like? Xanthias: Like everything by turns. Now it's a bull: now it's a mule: and now the loveliest girl. Dionysos: O, where? I'll go and meet her. Xanthias: It's ceased to be a girl: it's a dog now. Dionysos: It is Empousa! Xanthias: Well, its face is all ablaze with fire. Dionysos: Has it a copper leg? Xanthias: A copper leg? yes, one; and one of cow dung. Dionysos: O, whither shall I flee? Xanthias: O, whither I? Dionysos: My priest, protect me, and we'll sup together. Xanthias: King Herakles [Dionysos is dressed up as Herakles], we're done for. Dionysos: O, forbear, Good fellow, call me anything but that. Xanthias: Well then, Dionysos. Dionysos: O, that's worse again, Xanthias (to the Spectre): Aye, go thy way. O master, here, come here. Dionysos: O, what's up now? Xanthias: Take courage; all's serene. And, like Hegelokhos, we now may say 'Out of the storm there comes a new weather.' Empousa's gone. Dionysos: Swear it. Xanthias: By Zeus she is. Dionysos: Swear it again. Xanthias: By Zeus. Dionysos: Again. Xanthias: By Zeus. O dear, O dear, how pale I grew to see her, but he, from fright has yellowed me all over." - Aristophanes, Frogs 288