The Werewolf in Lore and LegendWritten by a venerable author of occult studies, The Werewolf in Lore and Legend is the first definitive book on werewolfery and the remarkable successor to Montague Summers's popular work, The Vampire. Unsurpassed in its sheer scope and depth, it employs an extensive range of historical documentation and folklore from throughout Europe to powerfully portray the horror associated with belief in werewolves. Summers adopts a comprehensive theological and philosophical approach, cataloging a series of literary connections between witch and wolf. Drawing upon the work of anthropologists, totemists, and rationalists, he examines the supernatural practice of shapeshifting, notes the finer distinctions between werewolfery and lycanthropy, and explores the differences of opinion on exactly how ordinary humans are transformed into creatures of "unbridled cruelty, bestial ferocity, and ravening hunger." The author's Gothic style, rich in fascinating examples and anecdotes, offers compelling fare for lovers of esoteric lore. Even the most skeptical of readers can appreciate the evocative ways in which The Werewolf in Lore and Legend conveys the dread of those for whom these monsters were not mere superstition but terrifying reality. |
Contents
HIS SCIENCE and PRACTICE | |
THE WEREWOLF IN GREECE AND ITALY SPAIN AND PORTUGAL | |
THE FRANCE VI THE WEREWOLF IN WEREWOLF IN THE NORTH IN RUSSIA AND GERMANY | |
INDEX | |
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Common terms and phrases
ancient animal Apuleius authority beast believe Bisclavret Bishop blood Bodin body Boguet Canon Episcopi cats century chapter Clauda confessed demon Der Werwolf Devil diabolical Discours edition English ensorcelled etiam evil eye flesh folio Folk-Lore forest France Gervase of Tilbury Gilles Gamier glamour Greek Guazzo hare haue holy horrid howling human John killed King Lancre legend Libri London loup loup-garou Loups-garoux lupa lupi lupine lupos lupus Lycaeus lycanthropy Lycaon Lykaios magic Maleficarum Malleus Malleus Maleficarum metamorphosis Migne Montague Summers night notes Opera Omnia Paris Pausanias Peter Pierre qu’il quae quod quote remarked Saint Satan says Sennert shape shape-shifting sorcerers soul speaks spell story sunt tells thing tradition transformation translation unguent vampire viii W. W. Skeat warlock werewolf werewolfery whilst William witch Witchcraft wolf wolf’s wolues wolves woman Woolfe word wounded writes Zeus κα