Lamia
Lamia was a beautiful queen of Libya whom Zeus loved; when Hera killed her children in jealousy, Lamia was driven mad and became a child-snatching monster.
The Myth of Lamia
Lamia was once a beautiful queen of Libya who bore Zeus several children. Hera, consumed by jealousy, murdered the children one by one. The grief drove Lamia insane, and she began hunting and devouring other women's children — transforming from a beautiful queen into a monstrous figure with a serpentine lower body. Zeus, pitying her, gave Lamia the ability to remove her own eyes, granting her restless sleep when she wished. With her eyes in, she was compelled to hunt. Greek mothers used Lamia as a bogeyman to frighten children into obedience. She was associated with Hecate and the Empusae, creatures of the night. Her story illustrates Hera's wrath against Zeus's lovers, the same rage that pursued Heracles, Dionysus, and countless others.
Parents
Belus (or Poseidon)
Children
By Zeus — all slain by Hera
Symbols
Fun Fact
Keats wrote a famous poem "Lamia" (1820) about a serpent-woman who assumes human form to seduce a young philosopher — drawing directly from the Greek myth.
Words We Inherited
English words and phrases that trace back to this myth. See our full guide to English words from Greek mythology.
Explore Further
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🐉 creaturemonsters,child-devouring
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