Spirits or ghosts of the departed; specters.

Also known as "larvae", the name given by ancient Romans to evil ghosts or spirits of the dead which returned to torment their relatives and descendants. Sometimes believed to be the "ghosts" of criminals or those who had led wicked lives. Held to be particularly active during the month of May, regular festivals were established in Roman society to propitiate these spirits. To prevent a family member suspected of becoming a lemure from returning, black beans were often burned around a tomb or gravesite as a body was being laid to rest, under the belief that the smell of the burning beans would drive the spirit away. The only way to drive off a lemure was to gather as many family members and friends together to beat drums in an effort to make enough noise to frighten off the spirit.

A ghost who returns to haunt its living relatives. This spirit was so named by ancient Romans.