Il «tetro» umore genera licantropia. Licantropi criminali tra dottrina e tribunali di età moderna (XVI-XVII secc.)

The following essay examines the juridical implications of lycanthropy during the Early Modern period. Focusing on the perspectives of jurists, demonologists, physicians, and scholars of the time, it explores the figure of the werewolf as a criminal, reflecting on the unexpected connection between lycanthropy and melancholy. Through the study of both legal doctrine and judicial practice, the essay aims to shed light on the peculiar status of the lycanthrope with regard to the imputability of his crimes and their possible punishment, at the blurred crossroads between mental illness and demonic possession.