joi, 23 aprilie 2009





Murim cate putin in fiecare zi, trebuie sa ne obisnuim cu asta.


 
                                          Multa libertate duce la multa ratacire.
        (delectati-va cu cateva poze de la olimpiada nationala de Sighetu Marmatiei)

marți, 7 aprilie 2009

Vampires


Vlad Tepes


Vampires are beings of folklore and mythology that basically exist by feeding off the lifeforce of humans and/or animals.Usually, they are “undead” or ressurrected corpses, who live off the blood of other beings. Most popular legends refer to the blood-drinking Undead in Eastern Europe, but many other various cultures and regions have similar creatures. Some are non-human, or animal, bats, dogs, spiders, et cetera. Vampires are an extremely popular inspiration for various fictional works discussed later.

Vampirism itself is the act of drinking a human or animal’s blood. It is a form of cannabalism, however less often occurring, and is popularly regarded throughout modern fiction and legend, as a way to gain supernatural powers. Historically speaking, it was also a way to intimidate an enemy, for the opposing force to claim that they ate flesh or drank blood, and can reflect a culture’s spiritual beliefs.

The word vampire is widely distributed throughout various cultures and languages. The English word vampire, could have been derived from many possible languages, the most forestanding, the German “Vampir” and French “Vampyre”. The German word, vampir, is derived of its many similar variations in most Slavic languages.

The first recorded use of the word is believed to have been used in Old Russian, Upir, in a Book of Psalms, transcribed by a priest, in 1047 AD, who stated that his name was “Upir Iikhyi”, which means “Foul Vampire”. This was debated later, as it was the translated version of the name of a famous Swedish rune carver.

In Babylonian demonology, there were vampiric beings called Lilu, and further back, in Sumerian legend, were Akhkharu, who would prowl the night killing newborns and pregnant women. The Jewish adapted Lilith from one of the demons, called Lilitu. There are vampiric beings in India, found in Sanskrit folklore, called vetalas; ghouls who inhabit corpses. The Indian religion Hinduism has various mythological legends of blood-drinking gods and goddesses, and also humans, considering reincarnation is a part of Hinduism, and one leading a sinful, or unclean life may be reincarnated as reanimated corpse attacking the living at night. The Egyptian goddess Sekhmet became enslaved to her bloodlust after killing humans, and was only sated by drinking alcohol tinted to look like blood. The strix, appearing in Roman stories, was a nocturnal bird who fed on human flesh and blood.
There are three main ways to become a vampire; by birth, by bite, and by death. The second is explanation enough in and of itself. A vampire bites and feeds from a male or female, and whether it is the result of recurring feeding or one incident of feeding that led to death, he or she then becomes on of the undead. According to folklore from different cultures across the globe, there are numerous signs that a child is born a vampire, or that a corpse has become one after death. There are signs that one might give that they have been bitten and are turning into a vampire, such as shying away from religious talk, or items, lessening hygiene and foul breath, have newly begun to sleepwalk, as well as anemic tendencies.

Some of the causes for vampirism in a child are being born on certain holy days, new moons, or seasonal equinox, or being conceived on those days, born with a red caul on their head, too much hair, an extra nipple, two hearts. The habits of the child may also indicate vampirism, such as if it was weaned too soon, or if the baby continues nursing even after it has been weaned. Dying before baptism as a baby is another possible way to turn into a vampire infant. There’s also being born the seventh son of a seventh son; but this can also be taken as a good omen as well. Some reasons fall on the mother; if she stared at a vampire, or did not eat enough salt while she was pregnant, her child might be born a vampire. Other reasons are curses, either after the baby has been born, or while still in the womb.

One can also become a vampire if certain customs are not observed after death. In some areas of Romania it is believed that burying a corpse face up will result in vampirism, while others remain steadfast that the only way is to die as a vampire’s victim. Improper burial ceremonies, no burial, as well as shadows falling across a corpse, the wind from the Russian Steppe blowing over a corpse, even having a cat, dog, or other animal jump over the corpse has been believed to be a certain cause of vampirism. Some believe it is the way the person dies that makes the vengeful spirit of the vampire linger, such as those were died violently, with murders that went unavenged, or even death by drowning. In other cultures, the actions of others dictate the vampire change in a corpse; some believe that stealing the ropes used to bury a corpse will cause the dead to rise, while others believe that if the corpse has a sleepwalking brother, it will come back as a vampire



The abilities of a vampire are numerous, and naturally depends on what vampire is in what area, for one to know what kind of things they might be capable of. For example; many species of vampire are not know to be able to fly, however, the bruxsa in Portugal, the lansuir in Malaysia, and aswang in the Philippines all have the ability to fly. Other vampires native to cultures in different regions must first change shape to fly, which is but one more of their many talents. A vampire might turn into a dog, cat, bat, wolf, insects, and pests or rodents; anything to escape destruction. Many cultures believed that during the cremation of a vampire if you were to let even one maggot, or bug to escape from his corpse during the burning that he would have survived. Vampires also have the ability to defy gravity, in some cases, such as Count Dracula’s nimble talent of scaling walls like a spider, head down facing the ground.

To invade locked doors, or escape in tightly cramped areas, the vampire is able to transform himself into a mist, or vapour, so that he can travel beneath doors or through keyholes. Others believed that he was able to reduce in size or dimension, so that he could slip through narrow spaces. The vampire also possesses great mental and physical strength; if he is not able to hypnotize his enemy, he will surely have the strength of several men to defend himself. Some vampires have the power to control other animals, making them familiars or servants, while others are able to control the elements. Some believe that vampires are responsible for crop failure, and bad harvests. The Balkan people, among a few other cultures believed that a vampire could have intercourse with a human female, producing their dhampir offspring. Many cultures believed that vampires naturally possess eternal life, or at least live very long lives. In India and the Ukraine, some species of vampire stole human organs, while the Romanians believed that vampires caused impotence.

Despite the vampires many numerous strengths, they also have many weaknesses that render them destructible by man, or skilled hunters. For example, many cultures believe that a vampire is unable to cross over a threshold that they have not been invited into. Others believed that vampires could not cross over running water. European cultures maintained the belief that vampires must sleep during the day, which keeps them in a comatose state. The reason being for sleep during the day, is yet another weakness; vampires are unable to withstand direct sunlight. The vampire in many legends is vulnerable to Christian religious objects, as well as hallowed ground. Some cultures also believed that vampires must return to the soil of their native land in order to regenerate their powers, and to sleep. The other weakness, is that vampires are unable to see themselves in mirrors; this would not seem like a weakness, but was actually used to capture Dracula, in the film Dracula 2000.

luni, 6 aprilie 2009

Vampiri-Cronologie

Legenda vampirilor a fost si inca mai este inradacinata in Romania. Aici au fost dintotdeauna vampiri - precum creaturile din mitologia altor culturi. Oricum, vampirul, asa cum a devenit cunoscut in Europa si de aici in America, provine din Europa de Est. O adevarata epidemie de vampirism s-a intins in Europa de Est incepand cu sfarsitul secolului al 17-lea, continuand apoi in Balcani. Din Balcani, mitul s-a raspandit spre vest in Germania, Italia, Franta, Anglia si Spania. Calatorii se intorc din Balcani si aduc cu ei aceste povesti cu vampiri, care mai au continuare si astazi. Filozofii din Vest au inceput sa studieze fenomenul. Era in timpul perioadei lui Dom Augustin Calmet care a scris faimosul tratat despre vampirismul in Ungaria. Romanele lui Stoker au fost pur si simplu culmea unei lungi serii de lucrari originare din Balcani si Ungaria.

Anii 1000

1047 Prima aparitie a cuvantului "upir" ( in prima forma a cuvantului de mai tarziu care a devenit "vampir") intr-un document referitor la un print Rus ca "upir Lichy", sau vampir periculos.
Anii 1100

1190 Walter Map "De Nagis Curialium" includ referiri asupra unui vampir ca existent in Anglia.

1196 Wiliam de Newburgh "Cronicile" inregistreaza cateva povesti despre vampiri ca fiind originari din Anglia.
Anii 1400

1428/29 s-a nascut Vlad Tepes, fiul lui Vlad Dracul.

1463 Vlad Tepes devine Print al Valahiei si se muta la Targoviste.

1442 Vlad Tepes este intemnitat impreuna cu tatal sau de catre turci.

1443 Vlad Tepes devine ostatic la turci.

1447 Vlad Dracul este decapitat.

1448 -Vlad obtine rapid tronul Valahiei. Detronat, el merge in Moldova si are relatii de prietenie cu printul Stefan.

1451 - Vlad si Stefan fug din Transilvania.

1455 - Caderea Constantinopolului.

1456 - Ion Hunyadi la ajutat pe Vlad Tepes sa obtina tronul Valahiei.

1458 - Matei Corvin la succedat pe Ion Hunyadi la rege al Ungariei.

1459 - Masacrul boierilor si recladirea Castelului Bran. S-a stabilit Bucurestiul ca al doilea centru guvernamental.

1460 - Atac asupra Brasovului, Romania.

1461 -Campanie cu succes impotriva stabilirii turcilor de-alungul Dunarii, Retragerea la Tirgoviste pe parcursul verii.

1462 - Urmeaza batalia de la Castelul Dracula, Vlad se refugiaza in Transilvania. Vlad face 13 ani de inchisoare.

1475 - Au loc razboaiele Serbiei impotriva Turcilor pe timpul verii lui 1475. Noiembrie: Vlad recapata tronul Valahiei.

1476 - Vlad este asasinat.
Anii 1500

1560 S-a nascut Elizabeth Bathory
Anii 1600

1610 Bathory este arestata pentru uciderea a cateva sute de oameni si scaldata in sangele lor. Judecata si condamnata la inchisoare pe viata fiind inchisa intr-o camera zidita in castelul ei.

1614 Elizabeth Bathory moare

1610 Leo Alltius termina de scris primul tratat modern despre vampiri, "De Graecorum hodie quirundam opinationabus".

1657 Fr.Francoise Richard " Relatii despre ce s-a petrecut pe insula Sant-Erini", notite despre vampirism si vrajitorie.

1672 Valuri de isteria vampirismului au ajuns pana la Istra.

1679 Un text german despre vampirii, "De Masticatione Mortuorum", scris de Phillip Rohr.
Anii 1700

1710 Isteria vampirilor trece dincolo de Prusia de Est.

1725 Isteria despre vampiri se intoarce in Prusia de Est

1725-30 Isteria despre vampiri staruie inca in Ungaria.

1725-32 Valurile de isterie despre vampiri din Serbia produc faimoasele procese ale lui Peter Plogojowitz si Arnold Paul (paole)

1734 Cuvantul "vampyre" intra in limba englezadin traducerile referintelor din germana referitoare la curentele de vampirism din Europa.

1744 Cardinalul Giuseppe Davanzati publica tratatul sau, "Dissertazione sopre I Vampiri."

1746 Dom Augustin Calmet publica tratatul sau despre vampiri,"Dissertations sur les Apparitions des Anges des Demons et des Espits, et sur les revenants, et Vampires de Hundrie, de boheme, de Moravic, et de Silesie."

1748 Primul poem modern despre vampiri "vampirul", este publicata de catre Heinrich August Ossenfelder.

1750 O alta unda de mitul vampirilor survine in Prusia de Est.

1756 Mitul vampirilor atinge culmea in Valahia

1772 Mitul Vampirilor apare in Rusia.

1797 Este publicata " mireasa Corintului" de catre Goethe (un poem privind un vampir)

1798-1800 Samuel Taylor Coleridge scrie "Christabel," acum recunoscut ca primul poem in engleza despre vampiri.
Anii 1800

1800 "I Vampiri," o opera de Silvestro de Palma, deschisa in Milano, Italia.

1801 "Thalaba" de Robert Southey este primul poem care mentioneaza vampirul in Anglia.

1810 Date despre o oaie care a fost omorata si avea venele jugulare taiate si sangele curgea pana in nordul Angliei."Vampirul", un prim poem de John Stagg este publicat.

1813 Poemul lui Lord Byron "Ghiaurul" contine intalnirea unui erou cu un vampir.

1819 John Polidori "Vampirul", prima poveste englezeasca cu vampiri este publicata intr-un articol din revista "New Monthly" din aprilie al anului 1819.

1820 "Lord Ruthwen ou Les Vampires" de Lord Ruthwen este publicata in Paris sub anonimat. 13 Iunie: "Vampirul" piesa de teatru de Charles Nodier, deschisa la Theatre de la Porte Saint-Martin in Paris. August: "Vampirul; sau, Mireasa insulelor", o traducere (interpretare) dupa piesa lui Nodier de catre James R. Planche, deschisa in Londra.

1829 Martie: Opera lui Heinrich Marschner "Vampirul", bazata pe piesa lui Nodier, deschisa in Liepzig.

1841 Alexey Tolstoy publica o scurta poveste "Upyr", in timp ce locuia la Paris.Este prima poveste moderna despre un vampir publicata de un rus.

1847 S-a nascut Bram Stoker. Incepe serialul "Varney the Vampire".

1851 Alexandre Dumas -ultima lucrare dramatica "Vampirul" deschisa in Paris.

1854Cazul de Vampirism al familiei Ray din Jewell, Connecticut, este publicat in mai multe ziare locale.

1872 "Carmilla" este scrisa de Sheridan Le Fanu. In Italia, Vincenzo Verzeni este condamnat de moartea a doi oameni si ca le-a baut sangele.

1874 date din Ceven, Irlanda, spun despre o oaie cu gatul taiat si sangele scurs.

1888 Emily Gerard publica "Taramul de dincolo de padure". Lucrarea devine o sursa majora de informatie despre Transilvania pentru lucrarea "Dracula" a lui Bram Stoker.

1894 Nuvela "Inflorirea orhideei salbatice" de H.G. Wells, este precursorul povestilor stintifico-fantastice.

1897 Este publicata in Anglia " Dracula" de Bram Stoker. "Vampirul" de Rudyard Kipling devine sursa de inspirattie ca un caracter stereotipic pe scena si ecran