Werewolves in Apulia ( south Italy )
“Apulia is a land of werewolves, as evidenced by the dozens of stories set in this territory handed down over the centuries, featuring these half-man, half-beast beings. Not only that. It seems that lycanthropy originated right here.”
Lycanthropus derives from Lycaon, king of Arcadia, who was apparently very prolific. He had fifty sons, including Peucezia, who, after arriving in Italy, gave his name to that part of the Apulian territory he called precisely Peucezia. Lycaon, after sacrificing one of his sons to Zeus, was turned into a wolf as punishment for the terrible act he had done.
According to the legend that has come down to us, the loss of his original identity and his transformation into a werewolf occurred in Apulia. In the first century AD. Pliny the Elder, in his Natural History, wrote that the belief regarding the existence of werewolves was widespread among the Roman people.
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He also provided interesting details about the extraordinary powers of the wolf, such as its ability to mute the man who first laid eyes on it, and about the magical character of its tail, in which, he claimed, was an effective love talisman. In the Middle Ages, then, many men considered werewolves were accused of massacres perpetrated against children and acts of cannibalism. For this reason so many of them were hunted down and brutally killed. This veritable devil's disease, as lycanthropy was considered in the past, acted deeply in the imagination of the people. For example, it was believed that those who came into the world between December 24 and 25 became bearers of a dual nature, bestial and human at the same time, because only Christ could be born "pure" on Christmas night.
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It was the little boys who were sick with lycanthropy. On this night, therefore, the fathers of the newborns had to rid the little one of the accursed evil. How? For example, in Lecce, the parent of the unfortunate child would go up on the roof and shout, “È natu nu' sorcerone alla casa mia” (“A sorcerer was born in my house”), and so the wind would carry away what had been shouted. From lycanthropy, moreover, one could be cured. The most suitable way was to hit the werewolf on the forehead during the crisis because it was believed that with the infected blood, evil spirits would also come out.
In the early 19th century, psychiatrists recognized that wolfmen are nothing more than mentally disturbed people. The mental alteration they suffer from is now cataloged among the somatic-type delusional disorders. If you have, however, unfinished business with your psychiatrist and instead of medical theory about werewolves you prefer to give more weight to legendary tales, try to get yourself a silver bullet, or, an ash stake.
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“Documented cases of lycanthropy in Apulia”
Image of a Miniature of the Middle Ages on the Lycanthrope
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“A werewolf in Lecce?”
In the first days of September 1946 in Lecce it was all anyone talked about. The daily newspaper La Provincia di Lecce of September 15, 1946 tells of “scenes of terror” and “harrowing cries.” And of a “ferocious beast” prowling around San Cesario di Lecce. The chronicles describe the life of a quiet worker, “affectionate with his family who, at certain times of the year, under the influence of the moon, turned into a ferocious wolf.” Great fear among the populace. Descriptions are many, in some cases similar, in other cases conflicting. They speak of “very long arms, hooked hands, monstrous fingers,” with “strong nails” over “twelve centimeters” long. Also “terrifying gaze” “deep voice” and “lacerating howls.” And beyond the frightening descriptions? There are the Carabinieri of San Cesareo who for days and days go in search of this being with fruitless outcome.
The werewolf of Bari
On April 4, 1950, another case is reported from around Bari. An article in La Gazzetta del Mezzogiorno talks about it. Newspapers, of course, jump on these stories that are scary yes, but arouse great curiosity among readers. In short, with an article delving into a werewolf story, with news hooks even if a bit forced, it is certain that citizens will not let the tale pass them by. The article reports on a man who allegedly took on the appearance of an animal at midnight. That's not much. And there is no noteworthy ending: the usual searches about which little or nothing was known.
In Rutigliano in 1974
This is the most recent fact. In this case, there is no mention of the involvement of people: the werewolf that roams between the Ciaccia and Casiglio contrats, in Rutigliano territory, is picking on animals, dogs mostly, that were found bitten and partly devoured. Again, searches have not yielded any matches. Although something remains: they are large footprints noticed by farmers in the area. It seems that in the days following the discovery of the large footprints, other mauled dogs were found. There are reports of great fear among the population. At one point a hunt is organized for the beast whose appearance is unknown. But the newspaper does not report whether or not the being was found.
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