Ulysses Aldrovandi

...though the Ancients varied much in that matter, as they prescribed individual types of healing for individual kinds of snakes. To these, let us add the opinion of the most learned man Wotton Edward Wotton, a 16th-century English physician and pioneer in zoology, who accepted Serpent, Snake, and Ophis original: ὄφιν; the Greek word for serpent as synonyms—and not without reason, for many others have established that Snake, Serpent, and Coluber A Latin term for a small snake are synonymous, relying on the authorities of the most distinguished men. Indeed, Virgil, in the second book of the Aeneid, having named them "snakes" in one place, called them "serpents" shortly thereafter. The same author, in the seventh book of the Aeneid, recounting the fury Allecto, who had cast a serpent into the bosom of Amata, called it first a "snake" and then a "coluber." Aristotle also, in his books on the History of Animals, uses the term Ophis original: ὄφις, which Theodorus Gaza A 15th-century translator of Aristotle translates as "snake," while a certain ancient interpreter explains it as "serpents." E

What "Thyrus" denotes. Furthermore, a serpent is also called a "Thyrus," and although Thyrus primarily signifies a viper, as many assert, nevertheless Thyrus is read everywhere in the works of Albertus Albertus Magnus, a medieval scholar simply for "serpent." The reason (as we believe) is because Theria original: θηρία, according to Dioscorides A Greek physician and botanist, refers to venomous beasts that leave behind poison by bite or strike. From this comes Theriacal remedies original: θηριακὰ φάρμακα, which are medicines that treat the afflictions of venomous animals by driving out the virus; hence Theriaca original: θηριακὴ—namely, the antidote—an antidote effective against all poisons, which is prepared from many simple ingredients and the flesh of vipers. It is also called "echidna," a word that properly indicates a female viper. However, Ovid used it for the Hydra slain by Hercules in these verses: F

Book 3 of the Fasti.

The blood of the Lernaean Echidna the Hydra
Mixed with the blood of the Centaur gave no time for help.

Book 9 of the Metamorphoses. The same Ovid used this word for any serpent whatsoever when he wrote:

A part of the Lernaean Echidna will also be one serpent.

Finally, "Dragon" is also read for any serpent among authors not to be disregarded. In Greek, it is Drakon original: δράκων, and today among the Greek commoners, with the name indeed corrupted, it is pronounced Dradi original: δράδι. This name is derived from to see original: παρὰ τὸ δέρκειν, vel ὄπτομαι, either because the serpent sees more sharply than other living creatures, or because it takes its sleep with its eyes open. The Cretans (according to Hesychius) called the serpent Drakauton original: δράκαυτον. G

What "Arges" may be. According to Hesychius, it is otherwise called Argas or Arges, and not without reason, for the Dorians—especially the Argives—called the serpent Argan. Some have wished this to be an epithet for a serpent: since Argos means "white," and sometimes "lazy" or "idle," and occasionally "swift" when interpreted by antiphrasis A rhetorical device where a word is used in a sense opposite to its proper meaning. Timarchus of Rhodes, however, asserts that the serpent is not called so by common tongue original: κατὰ γλῶσσαν, but that it is a specific kind of serpent. It is indeed true that by some authors Argas or Arges is said to be a certain species of serpent, but afterwards it is not explained what kind it is or what qualities it enjoys. Book 5 on Epidemics. Hippocrates also mentions the serpent which is called Arges in these words: "A certain young man, having drunk much unmixed wine, was sleeping on his back in a certain dwelling. To him, a serpent called Arges entered into his mouth, and when he had felt it and could not speak, he ground his teeth and swallowed the serpent; he was gripped by great pain and reached out his hands like one being strangled, and died in convulsions." Nevertheless, from this account of Hippocrates, it cannot be gathered what species of serpent is to be understood by "Arges." It will be better, therefore, to attest from Pausanias A Greek traveler and geographer that this name is general and encompasses any serpent whatsoever. Why Mercury was called "Argiphontes." For he himself called Mercury "Argiphontes" because he was a Serpent-slayer original: ὀφιοκτόνος. Let us add to the aforementioned that Demosthenes was nicknamed "Argas" because his character was by far the most serpentine of all. Besides the fact that many Greek authors write Argen for "serpent," H serpents are finally called Knodala original: κνώδαλα in the works of Nicander. In the Theriaca. The Scholiast An ancient commentator there, however, reports it is said abusively In this context, "abusively" means using a word outside its strict or proper definition, since Knodala in the proper sense are called maritime creatures original: τὰ θαλάσσια, namely those of the sea, because they move in the salt water original: παρὰ τὸ κινέσθαι ἐν τῇ ἁλι. Other Greek poets, however, use this word even for a terrestrial beast.

Hebrew names. The Hebrew words Nachash and Shephiphon designate a serpent: although some write that Shephiphon is a species of serpent so named from its hissing. Exodus Chapter 7. Leviathan is indeed explained by some as an aquatic serpent. Otherwise, Thaninim in Hebrew and Thaninaiah in Chaldean indicate dragons and serpents, which word Moses is said to have employed when he transformed his rod into a serpent before Pharaoh. In Arabic, and especially in the works of Avicenna, Haie is read for serpent. Andreas Bellunensis confirms this when he establishes Haie or Hadare as names common to serpents. In Spanish, Sierpe. In French, un Serpent. In German, Ein schlang, a name perhaps distorted from "anguis" [snake]...