Polycrites

The incident about Polycrites was recorded Colin de Plancy in his literary work Dictionnaire Infernal during 1818.  He was a writer during the early part of the 19th Century.

Based on the story Polycrites was a man of reputation in some parts of the Greece.  He was asked to take the post of a governor of Thermon.  He ruled for three years and by the time that he was able to leave his post, he married a beautiful woman.  But after four days of being married with the woman, Polycrites died.  His wife was pregnant when he died. 

Months have passed and he gave birth to a hermaphrodite. Aetolia believed that this kind of defection is cursed and would bring terrible omen to the land.  They believe that it might cause a civil war between Aetolia and Locri.  There was a belief that the only thing that can save them from an impending civil war was to burn the child and also the mother. 

On the day that the child and the mother was about to be burned, Polycrites supposedly appear looking pale and gruesome.  He was wearing a robe with spots of blood.  The terrified people flee but Polycrites call them back.  They told them that if they burn his wife and his child, he will send the worst calamity in the land.  The people did not believe him; he apparently grabbed his own kid and began eating him.  The people started to throw stones at him hoping that they will stop the horrific scene but they failed in doing so.

The authorities sent a delegation to investigate the bizarre incident but Polycrites is no longer around the area. The head of the kid which was the only thing left apparently said that a calamity will soon hit the land.  The prophecy of Polycrites did happen in time.