In Greek mythology, Epiales () was a ghost daemon.RE, s.v. Epiales. Alternate spellings of the name were Epialos (Ἠπίαλος), Epioles (Ἠπιόλης), Epialtes (Ἐπιάλτης) or Ephialtes (Ἐφιάλτης).
Mythology Epiales was also known as Melas Oneiros (Black Dream).Etymologicum Genuinum fr. 151 with a reference to Alcaeus, fr. 406 & Aeschylus, Suppliant Women 886 ff."The words epialos, epiales and epioles denote (1) the feverish chill (2) the daimon who assaults sleepers. Homer and most writers have epioles with the e; the form in -os means something different, namely the feverish chill . . . Alkaios (Alcaeus) called it epialos. Apollonios says that Epialtes itself (the nighmare daimon) is called Epiales and by a change of a to o Epioles."Etymologicum Genuinum fr. 151 with a reference to Alcaeus, fr. 406
"[The goddess Gaia (Earth) is invoked to drive away a nightmare :] Like a spider, he [a rapist] is carrying me [a woman] seaward step by step--a nightmare (oneiros), a black nightmare (melas oneiros)! Oh! Oh! Mother Earth (Ma Ge), mother Earth (Ma Ge), avert his fearful cries! O father Zeus, son of Ge (Earth)!"Aeschylus, Suppliant Women 886 ff.
See also Oneiroi Phobetor
Notes
References
Aeschylus, translated in two volumes. 2. Suppliant Women by Herbert Weir Smyth, Ph. D. Cambridge, MA. Harvard University Press. 1926. Online version at the Perseus Digital Library. Greek text available from the same website. Realencyclopädie der classischen Altertumswissenschaft, Band VI, Halbband 1, edited by Wilhelm Kroll, Stuttgart, J. B. Metzler, 1907. Wikisource.