ON THE SERPENT

IN GENERAL.

Chapter One.

A rectangular decorative woodcut divider featuring symmetrical scrolling foliage and floral motifs.

A large decorative woodcut initial 'C' depicting a scene with classical figures in a landscape setting.

The Seps and Salamanders are called Serpents.

Since this name "Serpent" original: "Serpens" is not used among the Latins in a fixed way and is not free from all marks of ambiguity, it will be our first concern to rescue it from every equivocation. For sometimes "Serpent" is a participle derived from the verb "to creep" original: "serpo", and it indicates everything that creeps and wanders far and wide. Otherwise, it is a substantive noun of common gender, and it encompasses all terrestrial living creatures that do not lift themselves up when walking but crawl upon the ground—even if they are distinguished by having four feet, such as the Seps A type of lizard or skink with very small legs and the Salamander; and even those provided with many feet, such as the Scorpion and the Centipede original: "Scolopendra". For this reason, Cornelius Celsus is wrongly criticized by some, for he once counted scorpions and spiders among the serpents. Pliny also called Salamanders serpents. Indeed, among some writers, Lice were even nicknamed "Serpents"; for several have written that Pherecydes of Syros, the teacher of Pythagoras, perished from "Serpents," and yet it is clearly established that he was consumed by the "louse-disease" Phthiriasis, a condition where a person was said to be eaten alive by lice. The Greeks also used the term "creeping things" original: ἑρπετὰ (herpeta) to refer not only to those small animals that crawl in the manner of serpents, such as worms, but also to small quadrupeds which, leaning on shorter feet, seem in a way to creep. Indeed, in the schools of the Greeks, though the word "to creep" original: ἕρπειν (herpein) properly applies to the movement of serpents and worms, it nevertheless is seen to suit even those land animals that walk slowly.

By what names the Greeks call snakes.

From this comes the word "reptile" original: ἑρπετὸν (herpeton): a term which properly includes serpents, but improperly includes lizards, scorpions, and other small animals of this kind. In another sense, by the name of "Serpent," one should understand a blooded and egg-laying animal that creeps without the use of feet and only by the strength of its ribs; it was in this sense that the term was accepted by Aristotle in his books On the Generation of Animals, and by Galen in his book On Theriac A famous ancient medicinal compound used as an antidote to poison addressed to Piso. Moreover, this understanding is more in harmony with our history. Unless, perhaps, "Serpent" is taken by Pliny for only one species—as the word "snake" original: ὄφις (ophis) is used among the Greeks—namely for the viper, which is what Oppian did when he spoke of the meeting of the moray eel and the serpent. Furthermore, it should be noted that "Serpent" in this sense also denotes a celestial constellation, which is placed by Ausonius among the northern stars, where he sings:

Book 29.

Idyll 13.

Toward the regions of the North, the Bears are joined, and the Snake.

Sometimes "Serpent" is customarily used by the poets for any venomous animal whatsoever, which Virgil did when he wrote:

Eclogue 4.

The serpent too shall die, and the treacherous poison-herb
Shall die; Assyrian spice original: "Amomum," a fragrant Eastern plant shall grow everywhere.

Chapter 23.

Metaphorically, a "Serpent" is afterward called a malignant man, and one who tries to deceive the minds of others with insidious allurements and the vainest fictions; for this reason, Christ, in the Gospel of Matthew, called the Pharisees "Serpents" with these words: Woe to you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, and a little lower down: Serpents, brood of vipers. Likewise, this word "snake" original: ὄφις (ophis), which indicates a serpent among the Greeks, is not without ambiguity. Primarily, it is used as the proper name of a certain man, whom Eustathius mentions; then as the name of a river in Pontus Serpent as the name of a man and a river. washing the region of the Colchians, as Arrian testifies in his Voyage Around the Euxine Sea. Further...