What is a Temptress?
tempt·ress
/ˈtem(p)trəs/
noun
a woman who tempts someone to do something, typically a
sexually attractive woman who sets out to allure or seduce someone.
In the Biblical Account the temptress Delilah wooed and
seduced the hero Samson in a plot to steal his strength by shaving his head.
She was successful in her endeavors.
In the epic of Gilgamesh Gilgamesh, king of Uruk, abuses his people. In
response to complaints from the citizens, the goddess Aruru creates Enkidu in
the steppe. Abundantly hairy and primitive, he lives roaming with the herds and
grazing and drinking from rivers with the beasts. One day a hunter watches
Enkidu destroying the traps he has prepared for the animals. The hunter informs
his father, who sends him to Uruk to ask Gilgamesh for help. The king sends
Shamhat, a prostitute, who seduces Enkidu. After two weeks with her, he becomes
human, intelligent and understanding words, however the beasts flee when they
see him. Shamhat convinces Enkidu to face the tyrant Gilgamesh in combat.
The Goddess Inanna famously attempted to seduce Gilgamesh
King of Urak. He rejected her, infuriating the proud gods. In retribution she
unleashed the bull of heaven on Earth. The bull caused tremendous damage and
killed people until he was slain by Gilgamesh and the now civilized Enkidu.
Circe the Siren of Greek myth seduced the Trojan Hero Odysseus.
He spent a year on her isle before he was able to break free of her spell.
Lilith, the rebel turned demon of Abrahamic beliefs became a
succubus as she was fully corrupted. She survived by seducing been in the guise
of a beautiful temptress. Those who tell into her trap were drained of the life
force.
The Kemetic Goddess Nephthys yearned for a child but was
married to Set who rejected her. She seduced her sister Auset’s husband Ausar
and conceived the Under world god Anubis (Anpu).
