tself from young to old, as can the Antichrist, by its association with the snake and regeneration through the shedding of skin (Barber 161­162 and Du Boulay 93). Another characteristic power of both the vampire and the Antichrist is their ability to command animals like the mosquito that, coincidentally, has been noted to carry pestilence and disease due to its unsightly habit of bloodsucking (Summers 198).

在撒旦的子嗣中，变身也是一个很突出的能力。在Apocalypse of Ezra中的反基督者"他一会儿变成一个小孩，一会儿变成一个老人，没人相信他就是我心爱的儿子" (Bousset 151)。Apocalypse of Zephaniah 和 Apocalypse of Elijah里也讲述了反基督者所拥有的强大的变身能力(Bousset 151 and Wintermute 746)。说到吸血鬼，他们变身的能力来自于他们和strigoi（吸血蝙蝠？）的同质性。Strigoi是一种能将自己变成任意动物的恶魔鸟(Klaniczay147-148)。事实上，"strigoi"在罗马尼亚语里的意思就是吸血鬼，并且在以赛亚书34：14里讲到巴比伦的堕落时，也有所暗示(Florescu, In Search 145 and Wright 138)。吸血鬼和反基督者一样，也有能将自己变得年轻和年老的能力，这种能力与蛇所拥有的蜕皮的能力相关(Barber 161­162 and Du Boulay 93)。另外，吸血鬼和反基督者还共同拥有另外的一种能力，那就是能够命令蚊子这样通过吸血来传播瘟疫和疾病的动物(Summers 198)。

One of the more questionable powers, supposedly assumed by these two demonic beings, is the gift of a somewhat limited immortality. I call it a limited immortality due to the fact that Christ eventually overcomes the Antichrist and vampires are vulnerable to some methods of death. The Antichrist, when described in Revelation 13 as the beast from the sea, is also described as having "...been mortally wounded, and his deadly wound was healed." The vampire likewise is a re-energized dead body (A. Masters 179). However, to spend eternity walking the earth doesn't seem to be a chosen activity for the vampire. Eternal sleep seems to be a reward for those who worship Christ,"...the first-fruits of them that sleep" (Summers 6-7). The Antichrist, as an opposition to Christ, thus seems doomed to never attain this peaceful slumber. Why then do some vampires choose such an unfulfilling life? Frost says that, like the Antichrist,

吸血鬼和反基督者共同拥有的另外一个更值得疑问的能力，就是他们都有着"有限的"不死之身。我称之为"有限的"不死之身，是因为实际上基督最后终于打败了反基督者，并且吸血鬼在某些情况下，是极脆弱和易死亡的。在启示录第13章里描绘的反基督者是从海上来的怪兽，它们被描绘为"......受到了死伤。那死伤却医好了。"相似的，吸血鬼是一种被重新注入能量的死尸(A. Masters 179)。不过，吸血鬼的永生并不是让他们用来在地上闲逛的。永恒的睡眠似乎是给尊敬基督者的一种奖赏，"......最初的能使人睡眠的果实" (Summers 6-7)。反基督者，作为基督的敌人，因此命中注定永远得不到安息。那么为什么吸血鬼还是要选择这样的没有尽头的生命呢？Frost说，他们有着和反基督者一样的理由：

...'true' vampires are, above all, people in revolt against the inevitable principle of corporeal death. Having led extremely evil lives they know only too well the dreadful fate awaiting them in the afterlife, and are prepared to go to any lengths to sustain a semblance of life in their bodies in order to remain earthbound. (8)

......最重要的是，"真正的"吸血鬼们是那种极端厌恶不可避免的肉体死亡的人们。他们非常了解在他们极端邪恶的生命之后会有多么可怕的命运等待着他们，他们也宁愿付出任意代价，只要能够披着生命的伪装，继续留在人间。（8）

The question still remains, how do they die and yet live? Philip Rohr, a prominent scholar of the occult, framed the same question, and though he was not willing to attribute this power of life to the Devil, he did recognize the possibility of their resurrection through "...Divine permission, with the help of some devilish agency" (A. Masters 179-180). The Antichrist uses his supposed resurrection as evidence of his immortality, and by being the antithesis of Christ himself, promises to share this life with those who choose to follow him. The vampire claims immortality through blood, and can share it with others through the same method by which he takes life away. After all, for the vam

上一页  [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8]  下一页