The corpse of Thelyphron
The tale of Thelyphron in Apuleius's novel contains one of antiquity's best-known reanimations. A dead man is raised in the street to settle a murder accusation and uses his moment to expose what was done to the man guarding him. The episode treats the temporary revival of a corpse as a recognised, if rare, service. It is an early example of the dead brought back to testify.1
When did it first appear?
170Apuleius, The Golden Ass (Metamorphoses), late 2nd century AD
What the sources say
The story is told at a dinner by a man who was hired to guard the corpse overnight1
Thessalian witches were said to steal flesh from the dead for their spells1
The revived corpse confirms that his wife murdered him1
He then reveals that the witches came in the night and called his name1
Because the guard had the same name, he answered too, and the witches cut off his nose and ears and replaced them with wax1
Sources
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Erichtho's reanimated soldier
Vrykolakas
Philinnion
Vrykolakas of Mykonos
Bouplagos
Polykritos
Ishtar's army of the dead
Lugnano child burial