SECT. XIX.—ON THE BASILISK.
This reptile seldom comes under the sight of men; but Erasistratus says, when the basilisk bites one the wound becomes of a faint golden colour, and he also says that three drachms of castor taken in a draught proves a remedy in such cases, and in like manner the juice of poppy; but we have had no trial of these things.
Commentary. The basilisk, according to Nicander, has a sharp body about three palms in length, of a bright yellow colour, and is called the king of reptiles, because all the others flee from his hiss. Pliny, Solinus, and most of the ancient authorities seem to copy Nicander’s description of the basilisk. The symptoms produced by his sting are said to be inflammation of the whole body, lividity and putrefaction of the flesh. (Theriac. l. c.) See also Galen (Ther. ad Pison.)
Avicenna states that the basilisk stupefies birds and other animals which approach him. He relates the case of a soldier who transfixed a basilisk with his spear, and the poison proved fatal both to him and his horse, whose lip was accidentally wounded with the spear. Lucan relates the case of a soldier in the army of Cato, who having wounded a basilisk with a spear, and having felt his hand affected with the poison, saved his life by immediately cutting it off with his sword. (Phars. ix, 830.) Similar histories are given by Pliny, Dioscorides, Actuarius, and Isidorus. Solinus affirms that it proves fatal to all beasts, birds, and vegetables.
For an explanation of the passages of scripture wherein mention is made of the basilisk, see Bochart (Hier. ii, 339.)
Sprengel says: “Linnæus omnem fabulam (de Basilisco) ad Lacertæ genus, capite cristato, Iguanæ proximum, reduxit.” (Comment. in Dioscor.) M. l’Abbé Bonneterre also affirms that the basilisk is not poisonous. (Encyc. Méthod.) It may be doubted, however, if we be now acquainted with the basilisk of the ancients. It would appear to us almost certain that the ancient basilisk must have been either the cobra di capello, or one of the serpents described by an intelligent traveller under the names of buskah and el effah as being still found in Morocco. (Jackson’s Account of Morocco, 109.) The former of these, indeed, judging of it from the drawing which he gives must be a variety of the cobra or coluber naja, L. We may add that a very intelligent modern authority on the toxicology of the ancients, Ardoyn, gives such a description of the basilisk as applies very well to the cobra. The crown (corona) on the head can refer to no other serpent than the hooded snake. (De venenis, vi.) It is now well ascertained that the cobra is indigenous in Africa.