A Greek word meaning avenger, it was used as a title of Zeus in His role as the avenger of evil deeds, especially killings within a family. Later, the name was given to any spiritual entity that would punish wrongful human behavior. Still later, it became an insult similar to the concept of a scoundrel. In Christian terms, Alastor was a generic name for certain evil spirits, and specifically for a possessing spirit. Some have referred to it as the “evil genius of a house.”
Readers, please enjoy this guest blog post by Sandra Kynes, author of several books, including The Herb Gardener's Essential Guide, Plant Magic, and the new Witches' Encyclopedia of Magical Plants, among many others.
Although a few old books...