Byatis
Encyclopedia
Byatis is a fictional deity
in the Cthulhu Mythos
. The Great Old One was first mentioned in Robert Bloch
's short story
"The Shambler From the Stars", originally published in the September 1935
issue of Weird Tales
. It plays a central role in Ramsey Campbell
's 1964
short story "The Room in the Castle".
The first full description of Byatis occurs in "The Room in the Castle" where an 18th century document relates that a statue of the creature
Later the document says the monster is "somewhat like a Spider, somewhat like a Crab, and somewhat like aHorrour in Dreams." It reports that the "Romans
found[ it] behind a stone Door in a Camp which was here long before the Invasion."
Campbell's story also quotes from De Vermis Mysteriis
(an imaginary book invented, like Byatis, by Bloch):
The creature is depicted as incredibly large—one of its face tentacles is as thick as a man—which makes it about the size of the castle that it is trapped beneath. Byatis can be repelled by the Elder Sign
.
s. Some time later, under unknown circumstances, Byatis itself was sealed behind a stone door in what would later be the Severn Valley
. Most likely, the Elder Gods were responsible. When the Romans
conquered Britain
, a small group of soldiers formed a cult to the god, which was annihilated upon Byatis' short-lived escape. Centuries later, a Norman
castle was built over the spot where Byatis was trapped, near what would later become Berkeley
and Severnford.
During the 18th century, Byatis came under the control of the warlock
Sir Gilbert Morley, who trapped the monstrous creature in the dungeon of the castle and used its powers to enhance his own. He fed it by setting it loose during the night to devour the townsfolk, then returned it to the castle and locked it away once more. However, with each living thing it ate, Byatis grew larger. Eventually it became too big for its prison and finally trapped itself when it consumed its keeper. This event and the memory of the Great Old One's earlier escapes developed into the legend of the Berkeley Toad.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
in the Cthulhu Mythos
Cthulhu Mythos
The Cthulhu Mythos is a shared fictional universe, based on the work of American horror writer H. P. Lovecraft.The term was first coined by August Derleth, a contemporary correspondent of Lovecraft, who used the name of the creature Cthulhu - a central figure in Lovecraft literature and the focus...
. The Great Old One was first mentioned in Robert Bloch
Robert Bloch
Robert Albert Bloch was a prolific American writer, primarily of crime, horror and science fiction. He is best known as the writer of Psycho, the basis for the film of the same name by Alfred Hitchcock...
's short story
Short story
A short story is a work of fiction that is usually written in prose, often in narrative format. This format tends to be more pointed than longer works of fiction, such as novellas and novels. Short story definitions based on length differ somewhat, even among professional writers, in part because...
"The Shambler From the Stars", originally published in the September 1935
1935 in literature
The year 1935 in literature involved some significant events and new books.-Events:* June 15 - W. H. Auden enters a marriage of convenience with Erika Mann.* July 30 - Allen Lane founds Penguin Books to publish the first mass market paperbacks in Britain....
issue of Weird Tales
Weird Tales
Weird Tales is an American fantasy and horror fiction pulp magazine first published in March 1923. It ceased its original run in September 1954, after 279 issues, but has since been revived. The magazine was set up in Chicago by J. C. Henneberger, an ex-journalist with a taste for the macabre....
. It plays a central role in Ramsey Campbell
Ramsey Campbell
John Ramsey Campbell is an English horror fiction author.Since he first came to prominence in the mid-1960s, critics have cited Campbell as one of the leading writers in his field: T. E. D. Klein has written that "Campbell reigns supreme in the field today", while S. T...
's 1964
1964 in literature
The year 1964 in literature involved some significant events and new books.-Events:*Jean-Paul Sartre becomes head of the Organization to Defend Iranian Political Prisoners....
short story "The Room in the Castle".
Summary
In Bloch's story, "serpent-bearded Byatis" is merely alluded to, along with "Father Yig" and "dark Han", as among the "gods of divination".The first full description of Byatis occurs in "The Room in the Castle" where an 18th century document relates that a statue of the creature
had but one Eye like the CyclopsCyclopsA cyclops , in Greek mythology and later Roman mythology, was a member of a primordial race of giants, each with a single eye in the middle of his forehead...
, and had claws like unto a Crab ... a nose like the Elephants that'tis said can be seen in Africa, and great Serpent-like Growths which hung from its Face like a Beard, in the Fashion of some Sea Monster.
Later the document says the monster is "somewhat like a Spider, somewhat like a Crab, and somewhat like a
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
found
Campbell's story also quotes from De Vermis Mysteriis
De Vermis Mysteriis
De Vermis Mysteriis, or Mysteries of the Worm, is a fictional grimoire created by Robert Bloch and incorporated by H. P. Lovecraft into the lore of the Cthulhu Mythos.-Creation:...
(an imaginary book invented, like Byatis, by Bloch):
Byatis, the serpent-bearded, the god of forgetfulness, came with the Great Old Ones from the stars, called by obeisances made to his image, which was brought by the Deep OneDeep OneThe Deep Ones are creatures in the Cthulhu Mythos of H. P. Lovecraft. The beings first appeared in Lovecraft's novella "The Shadow Over Innsmouth"...
s to Earth. He may be called by the touching of his image by a living being. His gaze brings darkness on the mind; and it is said that those who look upon his eye will be forced to walk to his clutches. He feasts upon those who stray to him, and from those upon whom he feasts he draws a part of their vitality.
The creature is depicted as incredibly large—one of its face tentacles is as thick as a man—which makes it about the size of the castle that it is trapped beneath. Byatis can be repelled by the Elder Sign
Elder Sign
The Elder Sign is an icon in the Cthulhu Mythos, first mentioned in H. P. Lovecraft's The Dream Quest of Unknown Kadath, written in 1926.-Description:...
.
"The Room in the Castle"
In ancient times, Byatis' idol was brought down to earth by the Deep OneDeep One
The Deep Ones are creatures in the Cthulhu Mythos of H. P. Lovecraft. The beings first appeared in Lovecraft's novella "The Shadow Over Innsmouth"...
s. Some time later, under unknown circumstances, Byatis itself was sealed behind a stone door in what would later be the Severn Valley
Severn Valley (Cthulhu Mythos)
The Severn Valley is the setting of several fictional towns and other locations created by horror writer Ramsey Campbell. Part of the Cthulhu Mythos started by H. P. Lovecraft, the fictional milieu is arguably the most detailed mythos setting outside of Lovecraft Country itself.-Real-world...
. Most likely, the Elder Gods were responsible. When the Romans
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
conquered Britain
Roman Britain
Roman Britain was the part of the island of Great Britain controlled by the Roman Empire from AD 43 until ca. AD 410.The Romans referred to the imperial province as Britannia, which eventually comprised all of the island of Great Britain south of the fluid frontier with Caledonia...
, a small group of soldiers formed a cult to the god, which was annihilated upon Byatis' short-lived escape. Centuries later, a Norman
Normans
The Normans were the people who gave their name to Normandy, a region in northern France. They were descended from Norse Viking conquerors of the territory and the native population of Frankish and Gallo-Roman stock...
castle was built over the spot where Byatis was trapped, near what would later become Berkeley
Berkeley, Gloucestershire
Berkeley is a town and civil parish in Gloucestershire, England. It lies in the Vale of Berkeley between the east bank of the River Severn and the M5 motorway within the Stroud administrative district. The town is noted for Berkeley Castle where the imprisoned Edward II was murdered.- Geography...
and Severnford.
During the 18th century, Byatis came under the control of the warlock
Warlock
The term warlock in origin means "traitor, oathbreaker".In early modern Scots, the word came to be used as the male equivalent of witch ....
Sir Gilbert Morley, who trapped the monstrous creature in the dungeon of the castle and used its powers to enhance his own. He fed it by setting it loose during the night to devour the townsfolk, then returned it to the castle and locked it away once more. However, with each living thing it ate, Byatis grew larger. Eventually it became too big for its prison and finally trapped itself when it consumed its keeper. This event and the memory of the Great Old One's earlier escapes developed into the legend of the Berkeley Toad.