Lyssa

Lyssa is a figure in Greek mythology described as the personification of madness, rage, and frenzy. In classical literature she is treated as a minor deity or spirit whose influence can inflame anger or delirium in mortals and, in some traditions, even in animals. Her exact parentage varies by source, with some authors naming her as a daughter of Nyx and Erebus and others as a daughter of Eris. She is typically associated with contagious or sudden outbreaks of fury rather than a specific illness.

Etymology and meanings are closely tied to her role. The name Lyssa originates from the Greek word lyssa, meaning rage or frenzy. In ancient medical and literary contexts, the term is used to denote madness or delirium, and the association with rabies as a disease is reflected in later symbolic and linguistic usage. In this sense, Lyssa functions as a mythic explanation for uncontrollable violence or madness rather than a clinical diagnosis.

In culture and later usage, Lyssa appears in various retellings and discussions of myth as a symbol of uncontrolled emotion. The name is also encountered in non-mythical contexts, where it may be used as a proper name or thematic reference to madness or ferocity. In some scientific and folkloric traditions, the term has been adopted in broader, non-mythological ways to denote intense frenzy or rabies-like symptoms.

Overall, Lyssa remains a compact emblem of frenzy in classical imagination, while the word continues to surface in linguistic and literary contexts as a reminder of uncontrollable passion.