According to the Naturalis Historia of Pliny the Elder , the basilisk of Cyrene is a small snake, "being not more than twelve fingers in length", [2] that is so venomous , it leaves a wide trail of deadly venom in its wake, and its gaze is likewise lethal. Its weakness is the odor of the weasel and the tears of a phoenix , which, according to Pliny, was thrown into the basilisk's hole, recognizable because some of the surrounding shrubs and grass had been scorched by its presence. It is possible that the legend of the basilisk and its association with the weasel in Europe was inspired by accounts of certain species of Asiatic snakes such as the king cobra and their natural predator, the mongoose. The basilisk is called "king" because it is reputed to have on its head a mitre , or crown-shaped crest. Stories of the basilisk show that it is not completely distinguished from the cockatrice. The basilisk is alleged to be hatched by a cockerel from the egg of a serpent or toad the reverse of the cockatrice, which was hatched from a cockerel's "egg" incubated by a serpent or toad. In Medieval Europe , the description of the creature began taking on features from cockerels. It has a venomous strike and in some versions of the myth has the ability to breathe fire. One of the earliest accounts of the basilisk comes from Pliny the Elder 's Natural History , written in roughly 79 AD.
Did You Know?
FIRST IMPRESSIONS
To save this word, you'll need to log in. Adjective In Hellenic and Roman legend, a basilisk also called a cockatrice was a serpent-like creature capable of destroying other creatures by way of its deadly stare. The modern basilisk is a lizard that belongs to the family Iguanidae and supposedly resembles this fabled monster; it has a large, inflatable crest atop its head and is sometimes called a "Jesus Christ lizard" for its ability to run quickly across the surface of water. The use of "basilisk" as an adjective occurs most frequently in phrases such as "basilisk stare"; recalling the notorious gaze of the legendary basilisk, it describes the deep and piercing look of someone who is frightening or seductive. Examples of basilisk in a Sentence Recent Examples on the Web: Noun Small, lightweight water striders, for instance, rely entirely on surface tension to stay afloat, while the larger, heavier basilisk lizards employ a slapping motion with their feet that creates pockets of air bubbles to keep from sinking. Send us feedback. Dictionary Entries near basilisk basilicon ointment Basilidian Basiliscus basilisk basil mint basil oil Basilosaurus. Accessed 30 Aug. Keep scrolling for more More Definitions for basilisk basilisk.
General Information
It started off as a small crowned snake being able to kill with its lethal poison and evil gaze. The poison was so lethal, it left a wide trail of venom in its wake. Despite its cruel nature, it still resembles power and sometimes that of hell in christian mythology , thus it became the guardian creature and the traditional symbol of the Swiss city Basel. The basilisk is believed to be the most poisonous creature ever lived, there are tales where the basilisk was killed by a spear from horse-back, but the poison flowed upward and killed both the man and the ride.
This section is intended to be an exact copy of what the survivor Helena Walker , the author of the dossiers , has written. There may be some discrepancies between this text and the in-game creature. More than twice the size of wild Titanoboa exonantur, Serpens regulus is the largest and most lethal snake I've encountered. With a skull that's more draconic than serpentine, it possesses a powerful bite, made even deadlier by the potent venom dripping from its fangs. The unique shape of its skull allows Serpens to hunt in a way that other snakes cannot: by burrowing. Once underground, it simply waits for its victims to approach. Fortunately its forked tail is usually still visible, poking just aboveground. Miraculously, survivors have not only managed to tame Serpens regulus, but ride it.
