Lyssa

Lyssa ( ancient Greek Λύσσα, in the Attic dialect Lytta, Λύττα ) In Greek mythology, the personification of madness, especially the angry frenzy.

Its Greek name, (as well as the names of their Roman version Ira Fury and Rabies ) means " anger ", in Greek, especially " rabies ". This disease is called in medical terminology to date with the Latin or Greek name of the goddess. As an allegorical figure Lyssa occurs in several classical dramas. Personifications Lyssa on crater paintings they show as a hunter with animal skins, also with dogs attributes. It is similar to the Erinyes and maenads, without that it is more closely associated with them.

Transferred to the Battlelust especially Hector and Apollo, the word appears as early as the Iliad .. Another transfer is sometimes directed in the direction of the " burning love ", so is used by Sophocles " Lyssa " even as epithet of Cypris.

Lyssa appears in its capacity as the bearer of the " Rabies " in the 6th century often myth of the death of Actaeon, the tear his own dogs depicted. As dramatis persona of the tragedy seal Lyssa plays an important role since the beginning of the 5th century. In Aeschylus ' Xantriai ( The Wollkremplerinnen ) she rushes to the maenads, possibly killing Pentheus '. ; in the tragedy of " The Raging Hercules " of Euripides, it occurs in dialogue with Iris, concerns about the Heras command Commenting. The poet calls her a daughter of Nyx and the blood that was shed in the castration of Uranus.