Cacodemon
Template:Short description Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox mythical creature
A cacodemon (also spelled cacodaemon, cacodaimon, kakodemon, kakodaemon, or kakodaimon) is an evil spirit or (in the modern sense of the word) a demon. The opposite of a cacodemon is an agathodaemon or eudaemon, a good spirit or angel. The word cacodemon comes through Latin from the Ancient Greek Template:Lang Template:Transliteration, meaning an "evil spirit", whereas daimon would be a neutral spirit in Greek. It is believed to be capable of shapeshifting.<ref>Template:Cite encyclopedia</ref> A cacodemon is also said to be a malevolent person, A Cacodaemon is depicted as a horned (or winged browed) youth with oversized genitalia trailing between his legs in greek mythology (source Theoi greek mythology)
In psychology, cacodemonia (or cacodemonomania) is a form of insanity in which the patient believes that they are possessed by an evil spirit. The first known occurrence of the word cacodemon dates to 1593.
In astrology, the 12th house was once called the Cacodemon for its association with evil.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite encyclopedia</ref> Defined as "a noise-making devil", Jane Davidson has noted an illustrated example of a cacodemon in editions of Ulisse Aldrovandi's Monstrum Historia (Story of Monsters) as late as 1696.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
Examples
- There is a painting by Paul Klee called Cacodaemonic (1916).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- In William Shakespeare's Richard III Act 1 Scene 3, Queen Margaret calls Richard a "cacodemon" for his foul deeds and manipulations.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- In John Fletcher's The Knight of Malta, Norandine calls Mountferrat, the play's villain, a "cacodemon" in the final scene.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
- A cacodemon enemy appears in the Doom video game series, starting with the first game in 1993.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- In the Rick Riordan novels The Sun and the Star and The Court of the Dead, a dozen cacodemons are created by the primordial goddess Nyx out of Nico di Angelo's emotions. Affectionately dubbed the Coco Puffs, the cacodemons act as embodiments of Nico's various emotions and help him and Will Solace out on their quests.