Devilish and demonic forces have taken many shapes and forms around the world. Frightening and dramatic stories and images of them have always had considerable appeal.
Egyptian Mythology The devil could be seen in the evil god Set in ancient Egyptian mythology. Once a helpful god who ruled the kingdom of the blessed dead, Set’s place in the Egyptian pantheon—or collection of recognized gods—changed after he murdered his brother. Followers of the supreme god Horus conquered Set’s followers, and the priests of Horus made Set the enemy of the other gods and the source of evil.
The Egyptians believed in the existence of demons. One such demon was Nehebkau (pronounced neh-HEB-kah), who appeared at times as a powerful earth spirit, a source of strength for the other gods. At other times, though, he was a menacing monster, a serpent with human arms and legs who threatened the souls of the dead. Like many demons, Nehebkau had more than one role.
Persian Mythology In the mythology of Persia, now known as Iran, two opposing powers struggled for control of the universe. Ahura Mazda (pronounced ah-HOO-ruh MAHZ-duh) was the god of goodness and order, while his twin brother, Ahriman (pronounced AH-ri-muhn), was the god of evil and chaos (disorder). The Zoroastrian religion that developed in Persia pictured the world in terms of tension between opposites: God (Ahura Mazda) and the Devil (Ahriman), light and darkness, health and illness, life and death. Ahriman ruled demons called daevas that represented death, violence, and other negative forces.
Judaism and Christianity Hebrew or Jewish tradition, later adopted by Christians, calls the Devil Satan, which means “adversary.” Satan took on qualities of Ahriman, becoming the prince of evil, lies, and darkness. Jewish tradition also includes a female demon known as Lilith. Said to be the first wife of Adam, Lilith was cast out when she refused to obey her husband and was replaced by Eve.
In Christian belief, the Devil came to be seen as a fallen angel who chose to become evil rather than worship God. Satan rules the demons in hell, the place of punishment and despair. In the Middle Ages, some Christians believed that a separate devil—or a separate aspect of the
Devil—existed for each of the seven deadly sins. In their view, Lucifer (pronounced LOOS-i-fur) represented pride, Mammon (pronounced MAM-uhn) greed, Asmodeus (pronounced az-MOH-dee-us) lust, Satan anger, Beelzebub (pronounced bee-ELL-zuh-bub) gluttony, Leviathan (pronounced luh-VYE-uh-thuhn) envy, and Belphegor (pronounced BEL-feh-gore) sloth.
The common image of the Devil in Western culture is drawn from many sources. The Devil’s pointed ears, wings, and sharp protruding teeth resemble those of Charu (pronounced CHAH-roo), the underworld demon of the Etruscans of ancient Italy. The Devil’s tail, horns, and hooves are like those of satyrs (half-man, half-goat creatures) and other animal gods of ancient Greece, and Cernunnos, the ancient Celtic lord of the hunt. The trident he is often shown brandishing is similar to those carried by the Greek gods Poseidon (pronounced poh-SYE-dun), god of the sea, and Hades (pronounced HAY-deez), lord of the underworld. The Hindu god Shiva (pronounced SHEE-vuh), who represents the powers of destruction, also carries a trident. The Devil sometimes appears in other forms, such as a winged snake or dragon.
Islam In the Muslim religion of Islam, which shares many elements of Jewish and Christian tradition, the Devil is called Iblis (pronounced IB-liss) or Shaitan (pronounced SHAY-tan). Like Satan, he is a fallen angel. He commands an army of ugly demons called shaitans, who tempt humans to sin. The shaitans belong to a class of supernatural beings called djinni (pronounced JEE-nee) or jinni (genies). Some djinni are helpful or neutral toward the human world, but those who do not believe in God are evil.
Hinduism and Buddhism In the earliest form of Hinduism in India, the gods were sometimes called Asuras (pronounced ah-SOO-rahs). But as the religion developed the Asuras came to be seen as demons who battled the gods. Another group of demons, the Rakshasas (pronounced RAHK-shah-sahs), served the demon king Ravana. Some were beautiful, but others were monstrous or hideously deformed. One demon, Hayagriva (pronounced hah-yah-GREE-vah) (meaning “horse-necked”), was a huge and powerful enemy of the gods whose troublemaking constantly threatened to overturn the cosmic order.
World History
