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cover of episode Who Was Lilith? The Semen-Stealing First Wife Of Adam

Who Was Lilith? The Semen-Stealing First Wife Of Adam

2025/1/28
logo of podcast Betwixt The Sheets: The History of Sex, Scandal & Society

Betwixt The Sheets: The History of Sex, Scandal & Society
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Kate Lister
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Sarah Clegg
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Kate Lister: 我认为利利斯的故事不仅仅是一个关于性的故事，更重要的是她挑战了亚当的权威，她拒绝屈服于亚当的统治地位，并为自己的平等而斗争。尽管她因此被逐出伊甸园，但她仍然是一个值得敬佩的人物。她的故事也反映了不同时代对女性的看法和对男女平等的不同理解。 利利斯的故事跨越数千年，她既被视为偷精的恶魔，也被视为与亚当平等的第一任妻子，她的形象反映了不同时代对男女平等的看法。 利利斯的故事不仅仅是关于性，更重要的是她拒绝服从亚当，这让她付出了巨大的代价。 Sarah Clegg: 利利斯的故事可以追溯到4000年前的美索不达米亚，她的形象在不同文化和时期都有所不同。最普遍的利利斯故事是她是亚当的第一任妻子，因为亚当不承认他们的平等而被逐出伊甸园，之后成为杀死婴儿和女性的恶魔。利利斯拒绝以传教士体位与亚当发生性关系，这在利利斯故事的早期版本中就有体现。利利斯是两个古代美索不达米亚恶魔的结合体：拉玛什图（Lammashtu）和莉莉图（Lilitu）。拉玛什图是婴儿死亡和分娩死亡的恶魔，而莉莉图是死前从未发生性关系的女孩的鬼魂，她会寻求与凡人发生性关系。利利斯最终融合了拉玛什图和莉莉图的特点，成为一个会与人发生性关系、引诱人、偷走男人精液并杀死婴儿和母亲的恶魔。在《本·西拉字母》中，利利斯与亚当的故事被重新诠释，暗示亚当与恶魔发生性关系或精液被恶魔偷走，这与利利斯的形象相符。《本·西拉字母》中描述了亚当和利利斯争论平等，利利斯使用神圣的名字逃离伊甸园。《本·西拉字母》将利利斯的故事与驱魔咒语结合起来，这反映了当时女性对婴儿死亡和分娩的恐惧。在犹太教中，利利斯最终成为所有恶魔的母亲，她生育众多孩子的事实被男性视为一种厌恶。根据故事的逻辑，利利斯是对的，她和亚当都是由泥土创造的，应该平等。利利斯的故事可以追溯到公元前2000年左右，从对拉玛什图的咒语中可以看出她的演变过程。美索不达米亚的泥板文字为研究利利斯提供了丰富的资料。古代美索不达米亚人对性的态度较为开放。犹太教对自慰和梦遗的态度较为保守，这使得利利斯偷精的形象变得更加可怕。利利斯是男性对性和女性的恐惧的体现。利利斯没有出现在圣经中，但圣经中关于女性创造的两种说法为利利斯进入伊甸园的故事提供了可能性。圣经中关于亚当与恶魔发生性关系或精液被恶魔偷走的暗示，为利利斯与亚当的联系提供了另一种解释。中世纪学者对伊甸园中的性行为进行了大量的思考，这与他们对快乐是罪恶的观念有关。对利利斯的驱魔咒语一直延续到现代，直到现代医学的出现才有所减少。文艺复兴时期的基督教对卡巴拉产生了兴趣，这导致利利斯出现在米开朗基罗的西斯廷教堂壁画中。现代艺术家对利利斯的形象进行了重新诠释，将她塑造成女权主义的象征。利利斯的现代女权主义诠释始于第二波女权主义浪潮。利利斯的故事可以被解读为一个女性拒绝服从、追求性自主的象征。利利斯可能是现存最古老的神话人物之一，她的故事和驱魔咒语一直延续至今。利利斯与美人鱼等神话生物有联系。美人鱼的形象也反映了中世纪教会对女性的性压抑和恐惧。

Deep Dive

Chapters
Lilith, often portrayed as Adam's first wife, is explored in this chapter. Her expulsion from the Garden of Eden and subsequent demonization are discussed, along with her multifaceted portrayal throughout history. The chapter introduces Sarah Clegg, historian and author of _Woman's Lore_, who will provide further insights.
  • Lilith's story originates from Mesopotamia and Babylonia.
  • She's depicted as Adam's first wife, equal to him, and expelled for refusing subservience.
  • Her story reflects male anxieties about sex and women.

Shownotes Transcript

Lilith's story goes back 4,000 years, and she's still making an impact today.

She takes on different forms, depending on where you're looking, but a popular one was that she was the first wife of Adam, long before Eve, and was expelled from the Garden of Eden to go and live as a promiscuous, baby-killing, semen-stealing demon. As you do.

In short, she's embodies a lot of male anxieties about sex and women.

What are her true origins? What's with all the semen-stealing? And what's her connection to mermaids?

Joining Kate today is historian Sarah Clegg, author of Woman's Lore: 4,000 Years of Sirens, Serpents and Succubi), to help us get to know this fascinating woman better.

This episode was edited by Tom Delargy and produced by Stuart Beckwith. The senior producer was Charlotte Long.

All music from Epidemic Sounds/All3 Media.

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Betwixt the Sheets: History of Sex, Scandal & Society is a History Hit podcast.