Vampires

[Niteshift]

Ok, this is a little off the wall..........

There are a certain segment of kids attracted to the "goth" style. We have had books and movies about vampires forever (but few of them top Buffy the Vampire Slayer ).

Do/did vampires exist? My guess is probably not, but I'm wondering if anyone has any real theories or even facts on how the whole myth (if it is a myth) of vampires got started. Most myths are based on something that did exist. Any ideas?

[Mike Tx]

I read somewhere it started with a cheery litle dude called 'Vlad The Impaler'. He'd do horrible things to his enemys like sit them on big pointy sticks and leave them there for his best friends to see why they should remain his friends.

[Mitzi]

I really don't know.....just myths handed down over the ages, I guess. We had some problems at the beach with teenagers thinking they were REALLY vampires. They would hide on the boardwalk then jump out and chase people and REALLY bite them with false vampire teeth. They even tried to bite the police who arrested them!

[shooter1201]

Myths from the eastern mountain regions of Europe and even from Egypt seem to be the point of origin for most vampire tales. As was said, Dracul or Vlad the Impaler as he was known, was a most horrible person. Not only did he impale his enemies ALIVE on poles around his castle, he had the hats of priests nailed to their heads(they refused to remove them in his presence), he is said to have bathed in the blood of young boys before major battles.

From Egypt, you have tales of the sucubus, a creature said to be capable of draining the 'life force' from a person. Usually, this creature took the form of a beautiful woman.

[ 11-14-2001: Message edited by: shooter1201 ]

[FLLawdog]

From Egypt, you have tales of the sucubus, a creature said to be capable of draining the 'life force' from a person. Usually, this creature took the form of a beautiful woman.

*whistling* as Lawdog calmly walks away from the temptation of any type of remark...

[Niteshift]

Me too brother.......that one is just toooo easy

I've heard a lot of the Vlad legends before, but some cultures who would not have heard these legends had vampire-like myths. That's what throws a wrench into it for me.

[Wannabe2000]

Originally posted by shooter1201:

From Egypt, you have tales of the sucubus, a creature said to be capable of draining the 'life force' from a person. Usually, this creature took the form of a beautiful woman.

[ 11-14-2001: Message edited by: shooter1201 ]

Nevermind. Not going to go there.

[ 11-14-2001: Message edited by: Wannabe2000 ]

[nickg]

believe me, i've know a few "bloodsuckers" in my time!! they hang out with the "Leech" family.

[blondie72]

Shooter is right, stories about vampires can be traced back to ancient cultures such as the Chinese, Mesopotamians, Egyptians, Greeks, Romans, and Eastern Euopeans.

The ancient Chinese myths can be traced back to 3000 BC. I do find it interesting that these myths seem to have sprung up independently in different lands.

I'm including a link to a site called: "Vampires, the Origins Of the Myth". Even if you're only mildly interested, it's a good read.
http://www.parascope.com/en/articles/vampires.htm

As far as the gothy thing goes: I used to be a punk/ goth chick for years. It was all the rage when "The Cure", and "Siouxsie and the Banshees" were at the height of their popularity.

I think that some teens are attracted to the "goth scene" because it is a way of making friends with other kids who are "outsiders". There is also an attraction to the "dark eroticism" aspect of the movement.

[ 11-14-2001: Message edited by: blondie72 ]

[Niteshift]

That's what gets me and makes me curious. How are the Chinese and Egyptians, who had no real contact at that time, coming up with similar myths. Could there have been something that it stemmed from?

Purely in the interest of science, I will continue to watch Buffy to see if I can find more info.

[blondie72]

Purely in the interests of science, of course

Does anyone remember "Freakylinks"? That was a really cool show! They went and cancelled it.

Ethan Embry was adorable as the webmaster of the "Freakylinks" site.

*Sigh*

[shooter1201]

Niteshift...

Something else to ponder:

How is that the ancient Mayans, Incas and Aztecs were all building pyramids, making great advances in medicine, developing a written language, AND....worshipping a similar 'sun god' (Re v Ra)...when they were separated by the Atlantic Ocean???

[Zamboni]

Theres also some others from the middle ages and eastern Europe who gave rise to the legends. Gilles de Rais (spelling?) was a noble and friend of Joan of Arcs. He is also thought to have been one of the worst serial killers of all time having killed hundreds of young boys. Its rumoured he drank their blood. Another female noble would have peasants killed so she could bathe in their blood. She thought this would preserve her delicate skin.

I think that these types of things plus the aforementioned Vlad the Impaler stuff is where all this came from. Then Bram Stoker decided to write a book about it and the vampire legend is huge.

[Zamboni]

Originally posted by Niteshift:
Ok, this is a little off the wall..........
(but few of them top Buffy the Vampire Slayer ).

Little off topic but the musical Buffy was actually pretty cool. It weirded me out for a bit but once I got used to it I liked it.

Sorry! We have flood-control activated. You cannot post within a certain number of seconds of your last post. Please try again after this period of time elapses. The current number of seconds required between posts is: 180 HOW CAN I POSSIBLY FLOOD THE BOARDS WITH FLOOD CONTROL? AAARGH!

[Blonde Heat]

I think i might be married to a vampire.

He works graveyard shift and my bedroom has become the darkest place in the house. Black curtains window sun shades and he is ghostly white when he wears shorts. plus he gets really ****ed when i flick the light on while he is sleeping.

Yep, I think i am definately married to one.