Origins of the Mythical Nightmare Monster

We are most vulnerable to attack when we are asleep. Even in safe houses with sturdy locks, this ancient fear has never left us. This may be one reason why our ancestors believed that horrifying dreams were another form of attack, sent by demons known as mara in Norse and old English.

These demons not only plagued people, but their valuable livestock. Horses and ponies discovered to be tired and in a messy stall in the morning were thought to have been ridden all night by these spirits.

Which Mare Is Which?

However, over the centuries, the words 'mara' and 'mare' got mixed up. 'Mare' (pronounced MAR ee) is Latin for 'sea', which also added to the confusion. Mares - as in female horses older than four years old - were thought to have been created in the ocean by the Greek god Poseidon. In a contest where all the gods was to make the most perfect thing ever, Poseidon came in second with the horse to Athena's olive tree. The craters on the moon are referred to as seas or 'mares'.

Over the centuries, when the teaching of Latin declined, native English speakers misunderstood "mare" as being a being a female horse than a demon or a sea.

Henri Fuseli's Painting (pictured above)

As the centuries wound on, the mares of the moon and the mara demons that sat on a sleeper's chest and transmitted horrific images became wrapped up in one creature - the Nightmare. This was a horse-like wild-eyed beast best shown in the popular 1782 oil painting, "The Nightmare" by Henri Fuseli.

Unlike many painting of the late 1700s, this one does not directly refer to a popular story or event from classical mythology. Fuseli made up his image through use of his imagination. It's vague enough so that people can put their own interpretations on the painting. The Nightmare pictured with tangled mane and white-hot burning eyes looming over the hapless victim was the image people now tend to think of when they think of a Nightmare.

Peirs Anthony and Role Playing Games

The late 1970s saw the introduction of Dungeons and Dragons role-playing games. Over the years, numerous monster books were published in order to keep up with player's demands for new and dangerous monsters. Inevitably, the Nightmare was drafted and can also be seen in Magic: The Gathering fantasy card playing games. This Nightmare had bat wings instead of ears, had pupilless blood-red eyes, snorted fire and had flaming hooves. This creature was a cross between a dragon and a horse.

This image was reinforced with the publication of Night Mare (1983), the sixth book in the immensely popular fantasy series by Peirs Anthony, The Magic of Xanth. The protagonist was named Mare Imbrium - named after one of the seas of the moon. She communicated through telepathy, but grew increasingly afraid of scaring her clients. Mare Imbrium showed that even Nightmares had good intentions.