Folio 69v - the iaculus, continued. De sirenis; Of sirens. [De sepe]; Of the seps. [De dipsade]; Of the dipsa. De lacerto; Of the lizard. De salamandra; Of the salamander.
fly' (Pharsalia, 9, 720). For they spring into trees and when anything comes their way, throw themselves on it and kill it. As a result, they are called iaculi, 'javelin-snakes'. Of sirens
In Arabia there are white snakes, with wings, called sirens, which cover the ground faster than horses, but are also said to fly. Their is poison is so strong that if you are bitten by it you die before you feel the pain. [Of the seps]
The seps is a small snake which consumes with its poison not just the body but the bones. The poet refers to it as: 'The deadly seps, that destroys the bones with the body' (Lucan, Pharsalia, 9, 723).
[Of the dipsa]
The dipsa is a snake which is said to be so small that you tread on it without seeing it. Its poison kills you before you feel it, with the result that the face of anyone dying in this way shows no sadness from the anticipation of death. The poet says of it: 'So Aulus, a standard-bearer of Etruscan blood, trod on a dipsa, and it drew back its head and bit him. He had hardly any pain or feeling of the bite' (Lucan, Pharsalia, 9, 737).
Of the lizard
The lizard is called a kind of reptile, because it has arms. There are many kinds of lizards, such as the botrax, the salamander, the saura and the newt.
The botruca is so called because it has the face of a frog and the Greek word for 'frog' is botruca.
Of the salamander
The salamander is so called because it is proof against fire. Of all poisonous creatures, it has the strongest poison. Other poisonous creatures kill one at a time; it can kill several things at the same time. For if it has crawled into a tree, it poisons all the apples
- Commentary
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Commentary
Text
The siren can run faster than horses and can fly; seps, dipsa, lizard with arms and salamander.
Illustration
The speedy siren is at the top of the page. The small seps is seen in profile. The lizard has legs as well as arms.
Comment
Initials type 2.
Folio Attributes
- Transcription and Translation
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Transcription
Iaculus serpens volans, de quo Lucanus: Iaculique volantes.\ Exiliunt enim in arboribus, et dum aliquid obvium fu\erit, iactant se super eum et perimunt. Unde et iaculi dicti sunt.\ De sirenis \ In Arabia autem serpentes albi sunt cum alis, que sirene\ vocantur, que plus currunt ab equis, sed etiam et volare\ dicuntur, quorum tantum virus est ut morsum ante mors\ insequatur quam dolor.\ [De sepe] \ Seps exigua serpens que non solum corpus sed et ossa\ veneno consumit, cuius poeta sic meminit: Ossa que\ dissolvens cum corpore tabificus seps. \ [De dipsade] \ Dipsa serpens tante\ exiguitatis fertur ut cum calcatur non videatur, cuius venenum\ ante extinguit quam sentiatur, ut facies preventa morte nec\ tristiciam inducat morituro, de quo poeta: Signiferum iu\venem Tyreni sanguinis Aulum Torta caput retro dipsa\ calcata momordit. Vix dolor aut sensus dentis fuit.\ De lacerto \ Lacertus reptile genus\ est vocatus, ita quod\ brachia habeat. Genera\ lacertorum plura, ut\ botrax, salamandra,\ saura, stellio. Botruca\ dicta quod rane ha\beat faciem, nam Greci ranam botrucam vocant.\ De salamandra \ Salamandra vocata quod\ contra incendia valeat, cuius inter omnia venenata\ vis maxima est. Cetera enim singulos feriunt, hec plurimos\ pariter interimit. Nam et si arrepserit omnia poma inficit\Translation
fly' (Pharsalia, 9, 720). For they spring into trees and when anything comes their way, throw themselves on it and kill it. As a result, they are called iaculi, 'javelin-snakes'. Of sirens In Arabia there are white snakes, with wings, called sirens, which cover the ground faster than horses, but are also said to fly. Their is poison is so strong that if you are bitten by it you die before you feel the pain. [Of the seps] The seps is a small snake which consumes with its poison not just the body but the bones. The poet refers to it as: 'The deadly seps, that destroys the bones with the body' (Lucan, Pharsalia, 9, 723). [Of the dipsa] The dipsa is a snake which is said to be so small that you tread on it without seeing it. Its poison kills you before you feel it, with the result that the face of anyone dying in this way shows no sadness from the anticipation of death. The poet says of it: 'So Aulus, a standard-bearer of Etruscan blood, trod on a dipsa, and it drew back its head and bit him. He had hardly any pain or feeling of the bite' (Lucan, Pharsalia, 9, 737). Of the lizard The lizard is called a kind of reptile, because it has arms. There are many kinds of lizards, such as the botrax, the salamander, the saura and the newt. The botruca is so called because it has the face of a frog and the Greek word for 'frog' is botruca. Of the salamander The salamander is so called because it is proof against fire. Of all poisonous creatures, it has the strongest poison. Other poisonous creatures kill one at a time; it can kill several things at the same time. For if it has crawled into a tree, it poisons all the apples
![Folio 69v - the iaculus, continued. De sirenis; Of sirens. [De sepe]; Of the seps. [De dipsade]; Of the dipsa. De lacerto; Of the lizard. De salamandra; Of the salamander. | The Aberdeen Bestiary | The University of Aberdeen](/bestiary/pinterest/f69v.jpg)