See also Empusa In ancient Greek mythology, the Empusae (singular ??????? — Empousa, "forcer-in") were female supernatural monster or demonesses; the daughters of Hecate sent by her to harass travelers. It scared to death or ate anybody that travelled along the paths or roads it inhabited. The empusae are sometimes described as having donkey-like hindquarters or legs and brazen slippers. The Empusae are best known for their appearance in Aristophanes's The Frogs, in which they scared Dionysus and Xanthias on their way to the underworld. They could assume the form of beautiful women, and lie with men and drain their life forces. More recent Greek tales describe the creature as a merely frightening shapeshifter, but blame it for injuring sheep. The Empusae are similar to the lilim of ancient Jewish legend, and the former may be derived from that of the latter. See also Lamia.

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