The Strix

Charles Meryon (1821-1868), engraver and publisher , 1853
BnF, département des Estampes et de la Photographie, fol.-EF-397
Photo © Bibliothèque Nationale de France
This strix watches over Notre Dame Cathedral. We often forget the ancient origins of some well-known monsters, but the Romans had their own imaginary bogey-creatures, imagined to frighten children or gullible spirits. Their novels tell of werewolves, transformed at full moon in a cemetery, and of winged striges, who came to steal babies from the cradle. As for the lamiae, feminine and evil creatures, they looked a lot like our vampires.