Luke's apocalyptic discourse (Luke 21:11) lists φόβητρα among the signs preceding the end: great earthquakes, famines, plagues, and fearful sights from heaven. The plural neuter noun names terror-inducing phenomena, whether natural or supernatural. Classical usage included scarecrows (things meant to frighten) and tragic masks of Furies, always emphasizing their function to inspire dread. Luke's context suggests cosmic disturbances that shatter normal reality, signs unmistakable in their otherworldly terror. The multilingual evidence (terrores, chose-effrayante) preserves the fear-inducing function rather than specifying particular phenomena.