Vampire

Today we have a new interesting creature for you. I am sure you know it very well, because all over the world you can find books, movies, musicals or legends with it. Let's talk about the vampire.

Since the 18th century, the belief in vampires was becoming very famous. The people were looking for something, which shows their inner fears and wanted to find explanations for mysterious things happening in their daily life. In their imagination vampires are death people, who can not find never ending peace because of their faults during their lifetime. The people thought that these humans become transformed into undead monsters with magical skills and wander about the earth.

The most popular vampire is for sure “Dracula”. Iren Bram Stoker wrote 1897 this famous novel, which influences our current imagination of vampires. Dracula is a seductive and dangerous aristocrat with pale skin and long canine teeth, who lives in a horrible castle in Transylvania. The template for this main character was Lord Vlat Tepes, which was also called Vlad Dracula. This means “Son of the dragon” and he was born 1431. He was a very cruel man, who liked to impale his enemies. His home, castle Bran, is today a very famous place for tourists. In 1477 the tyrant was murdered and buried in a monastery near Bucharest. When his grave was opened later, they found it alleged empty.

But what other qualities has a vampire? Of course, they need energies to live. So they drink the blood of healthy people to become strong. Vampires can walk up walls, and they can become invisible or transform into other creatures like bats or wolves. They don't like sunlight and prefer to sleep in their coffins during daytime. Vampires do not have a mirror image, their skin is icy and their heart does not beat. In many stories they have also supernatural skills like they are indescribable fast and strong. A vampire can move without noises and read thoughts. His never ending life gives him furthermore wisdom, power and riches.

A vampire can not die by himself. He has to be killed ideally with a stab wound though his heart with a wooden stake. Otherwise, he should be headed, divided or burnt. It is possible to protect yourself from vampire with garlic or religious utensils like holy water. But the simplest method is not to invite a vampire into a house because they can not cross the threshold with their own will.

A vampire bites his victim in the carotid artery. Afterwards the person, who has been bitten becomes also a vampire, or he dies, or he becomes a slave of the vampire. Other legends are saying that a person has to bit fist another human too, before he becomes a real vampire. But very modern vampires are able to survive only with animal blood or synthetic blood.

While the years were passing by the imagination of vampires changed and every movie or book gave them new characteristics. But what do you think: Are there already vampires in the Greek mythologies or does this creature appeared later?