How a Werewolf came to Being

6/5/09

         Origins of werewolves vary between ancient and modern times. The Greek Mythology was the beginning, then a legend in Bedburg spread to what we know are things about the werewolves. There are several ways to become a werewolf. One claim of a man spread the existence of the werewolf legend. This is about how the term werewolf came into being and the origins of it.
         There was the very first werewolf known from the Greek Myth. The Arcadian King Lycaon was in control of a large palace. When Zeus, disguised as a traveler, came over to test his hospitality, Lycaon instead decided to try killing Zeus with human flesh. There was no hospitality in him at all. Any time a God in the Greek Mythology wanted to test someone and that person failed, there was always a consequence. In this case, because Zeus was angered, he was turned into a wolf for the rest of his life and his palaces was completely destroyed. In this way, Lycaon was the very first known werewolf. The definition for werewolf is mainly for someone to transform into a wolf form. The term Lycanthrope comes from this man.
         The legend was also the major factor of how werewolves became known. The man was known as Peter Stubbe. This happened around 1591. He claimed to have, when he was twelve, to practice sorcery even to the point of making a pact with the devil. He believed in putting on wolfskin alone would turn him into a werewolf. His crimes was beyond comparison of any ordinary human crimes. It looked more of like what could have been done by a wolf. Because of that, the term werewolf went into existence. Everyone believed those who was savage was a werewolf. Word spread like wildfire from his case.
         There are several ways the myth and legend combined gives on how someone turns into a werewolf. I will only give a few of those ways. The most popular way, anyone would agree with, is when someone is bitten by a werewolf. Even through the movies I've seen there is the belief that if someone survived a bite from a werewolf, they become the werewolf themselves. Lycaon represents the first werewolf, though a different name may be used. Another popular belief is the curse. I've seen references that a werewolf has no choice due to the curse placed on it.
         The origin of werewolves really began from the Greek Myth, the first werewolf. Lycaos was the condemned person- creating the term Lycanthrope. Lycanthrope is the ability to turn into a werewolf. Then there's the legend, making the werewolf very popular. This is where the term werewolf came into existence. There are several beliefs on how a person changes into a werewolf. Both, Lycanthrope and Werewolf refers to the same thing. If anyone wants to know the origins of the werewolf, reading Werewolves: Truth and Myths would guide you. Both, the myth and legend, is the origins of the existence of werewolves.