Λαμια

  1. A daughter of Poseidon who bore by Zeus the Libyan SIBYL.

  2. A female monster who was said to steal children and was a terror to nurses. There were various stories on this theme. In one account Lamia was a young girl of Libyan origin, the daughter of Belus and Libya. Zeus loved her and had an affair with her, but every time she gave birth to a child, Hera, out of jealousy, arranged for it to die. Lamia hid herself in a solitary cave; in despair she became a monster jealous of mothers more fortunate than herself, and she seized and devoured their children. In order to punish her yet more, Hera made it impossible for her to sleep, but Zeus, having pity on her, gave her the power to take out her eyes and replace them when she wished. Female spirits which attached themselves to children in order to suck their blood were also called Lamiae. The legend of ALCYONEUS mentioned a monster called Lamia which lived in the mountains near Delphi. Lamia was also another name for the monster Gelo.

{E2 DICTIONARY OF CLASSICAL MYTHOLOGY}