The Good and Evil Serpent (143 page)

49
. Mattison,
Snakes of the World
, p. 19.

50
. D. Botting,
Humboldt and the Cosmos
(London, 1973) pp. 105, 122.

51
. Mattison,
Snake
, p. 6.

52
. Vestigial limbs are found on some snakes today. It seems evident that the snake evolved from lizards with legs. The legs were worn away and became useless, perhaps due to burrowing. See Mattison,
Snake
, pp. 8, 17 (photograph of vestigial limbs). Also see Mattison,
The Encyclopedia of Snakes
, p. 10 and p. 13 (the color photograph on the bottom right).

53
. It is named
Haasiophis terrasanctus;
see “Fossil gets a leg up on snake family tree,”
Science News
, April 1, 2000.

54
. See J.-P. Gasc, “Fortbewegung,” in Bauchot, ed.,
Schlangen
, pp. 60–73.

55
.
Encyclopaedia of Religion and Ethics
(New York, 1966) vol. 11, p. 407.

56
. Coborn,
The Atlas of Snakes
, p. 38.

57
. Coborn,
The Atlas of Snakes
, pp. 19–20.

58
. See Greene,
Snakes
, pp. 143–53. The South African Blind Snake (Bibron’s Blind Snake,
Typhlops bibronii)
is covered with scales and has minute eyes that “appear as black dots below the head shields.” R. Patterson,
Snakes
(Cape Town, 1986) p. 4. R. Patterson is the director of the Transvaal Snake Park. B. Branch points out that snakes’ eyes, “when present, lack eyelids and have an unblinking stare; many legless lizards retain eyelids. However, burrowing snakes and lizards require neither eyes nor enlarged ventral scales, and many have lost both.” B. Branch,
South African Snakes and Other Reptiles
(Cape Town, 1993) p. 6.

59
. For pictures of a Boomslang, see the photographs in Mattison,
Snake
, pp. Hull; for a photograph of a Yellow Blunt-headed Vinesnake, see the color photograph in Greene,
Snakes
, p. 29.

60
. Lear has used the colloquial “sarpint” (which is not a word) to stress the vulgarity of the limerick. The German version is a free composition: “Es lockt’ ein Flötist vom Trifels / eine Schlange ins Innre des Stiefels; / doch er spielte—o Graus!—/ tagein und tagaus—/ da verliess sie den Mann vom Trifels.” See E. Lear,
Sämtliche Limericks: English/Deutsch
, ed. and trans. T. Stemmler (Stuttgart, 1988) p. 15.

61
. For a color photograph see Bauchot, ed.,
Schlangen
, p. 102; also see the diagram on p. 25. Also see Mattison,
Snake
, p. 30 (color photograph at top right of page). A picture of hemipenes removed from a rattlesnake is shown in J. Coborn,
The Atlas of Snakes
, on p. 95 (bottom right color photograph) and one removed from a cobra is presented on p. 96 (top color photograph).

62
. See the arresting color photographs in Bauchot, ed.,
Schlangen
, p. 53.

63
. Sometimes the snake swallows its prey headfirst, sometimes tail-first; for the latter, see the picture of the Coral snake swallowing a Northern Cat-eyed Snake, whose mouth protrudes from the victor’s mouth. See Greene,
Snakes
, p. 67.

64
. Using the language of W. Rose in
Reptiles and Amphibians of Southern Africa
, according to Greene,
Snakes
, p. 143.

65
. Greene reports that scientists discovered that a snake weighing 23 grams had eaten a 29-gram mouse. See Greene,
Snakes
, p. 51.

66
. See the color photographs in Bauchot, ed.,
Schlangen
, pp. 108–17.

67
. I am indebted to Dr. Haast who along with his assistants shared similar thoughts with me in 1954.

68
. Baltasar Graciän (1601–1658) thought that after “20 years the human is a peacock, after 30 a lion, after 40 a camel, after 50 a serpent, after 60 a dog, after 70 a monkey, after 80 nothing” (p. 275). See B. Graciän,
Handorakel und Kunst der Weltklugheit
, trans. A. Schopenhauer (Stuttgart, 1961). For the concept that the snake and pigeon evoke wonder, see p. 103.

69
. Anonymous,
Meisterwerke der Kunst: Malerei von A-Z
(Chur, Switzerland, 1994) p. 403.

70
. Note, e.g., how the green parrotsnake looks like depictions of aliens. See the color picture in Greene,
Snakes
, p. 3. Long after finishing this chapter, I came across J. Lewis’ “The Reptilians: Humanity’s Historical Link to the Serpent Race,”
Fate
(June 1996). I read the work from the web, Reptilian Research Archives. I wish to disassociate myself from his claims. He seems not to know the difference between the caduceus and the Asclepian staff.

71
. For color photographs of cobras, see J. Coborn,
The Atlas of Snakes
, esp. pp. 445–52.

72
. See the color photograph in Bauchot, ed.,
Schlangen
, front page, before title page, and p. 11.

73
. See the color photograph in Bauchot, ed.,
Schlangen
, p. 83.

74
. The behavior of snakes when faced with apparent danger is difficult to access. In 2000, I was in a bass boat fishing with my son. We saw what we thought might be three cottonmouth moccasins swimming toward the boat. I watched as one swam by and climbed up on the bank. It moved through the grass, without disturbing the grass and without giving any sign of moving. I have been told, while living near the Everglades, that moccasins are mean-tempered and have been known to chase someone up a path. The published reports tend to claim that “some cottonmouths are quick to retreat; others will coil, vibrate the tail, and open the mouth in a threatening pose.” W. M. Palmer,
Poisonous Snakes of North Carolina
(Raleigh, 1978) p. 13.

75
. Mattison is convinced that snakes “rely on passive strategies as a first line of defense.”
Snake
, p. 26.

76
. The python is the longest snake; it has been recorded to reach about 10 meters. There is reason to doubt the claim in 1907 that Sir Percy Fawcett killed an anaconda that measured 19 meters. See Mattison,
Snake
, p. 12.

77
. See the magnificent color photographs and insightful reflection in M. Klum’s “King Cobra: Feared, Revered,”
National Geographic
(November 2001) 100–113, and p. 126 (not numbered).

78
. C. Burland and W. Forman.
Gefiederte Schlange und Rauchender Spiegel
, trans. H. Schmidthüs (Freiburg, Basel, 1977).

79
. See esp. the photographs in M. Schmidt,
Der Basler Medeasarkophag
(Tübignen, n.d. [c. 1998]) pp. 3, 28, 31, 32. The Medeasage Sarkophag in the Antikensammlung of the Pergamon Museum is arresting. It is Roman and dates from the second century CE. The marble is intricately carved. On the right are two large serpents with large eyes, scales, and wings. The serpents are curled around the wheels of Medea’s chariot. She raises her right hand and directs the powerful creatures forward to her destiny.

80
. See R. Bauchot and Y. Vasse, “Die Häuntung,” in
Schlangen
, pp. 18–21. Mammals and birds shed skin continuously, but shedding “occurs from every four days for some amphibians to once or twice every year for old, large reptiles” ([No editor],
Reptiles and Amphibians
[Discovery Channel; New York, 2000] p. 34).

81
. The serpent appears repeatedly in ancient fables, see esp. J. Irmscher, trans.,
Antike Fabeln
(Berlin and Weimar, 1991). See the index, pp. 491–92.

82
. T. Weber and R. Wenning, eds.,
Petra: Antike Felsstadt zwischen Arabischer Tradition und Griechischer Norm
(Mainz am Rhein, 1997) illustrations 129a, 129b, 129c on p. 117.

83
. R. Briffault, “The Serpent and Eternal Life,” in
The Mothers: A Study of the Origins of Sentiments and Institutions
, 2 vols. (New York, 1927) vol. 2, pp. 641–51.

84
. G. Balanchine and F. Mason,
Balanchine’s Festival of Ballet
(London, 1978) pp. 204–5. See the color photographs on pp. 204–5. The gold serpent was found in Chiriqui, Panama.

85
. Mattison,
Snake
, p. 120.

86
. See the color photograph in A. B. Amaducci,
Die Brancacci-Kapelle und Masaccio
(Florence, 1978). Also see U. Baldini and O. Casazza,
The Brancacci Chapel
, trans. R. Sadleir (Florence, 1996 [rev. ed.]) esp. p. 16.

87
. See the color photograph of the cigarette case in G. von Habsburg,
Faberge: Hofjuwelier der Zaren
(Munich, 1986) p. 237. Also see the serpent on the sketches for an inkwell (p. 63). The sun umbrella is shown in color on p. 123 (no. 122). The pen, also in vivid color, is found on p. 169 (no. 237).

88
. Greene points out the vast amount of unknown data regarding biochemistry, pharmacology, and the biological roles of venoms. See his
Snakes
, pp. 86–88.

89
. See the color photographs in C. Laisne,
Kunst der Griechen
(Paris, 1995) pp. 172–73.

90
. Fahmüller et al.,
Das grosse Lexikon der Malerei
, p. 265 (in color).

91
. See the color photographs in Bauchot, ed.,
Schlangen
, p. 23.

92
. Priapus appears in a wall-painting in the House of the Vettii in Pompeii. For a color photograph, see C. Jones,
Sex or Symbol? Erotic Images of Greece and Rome
(London, 1989) illus. 6.

93
. See, e.g., H. Schmökel,
Ur, Assur und Babylon
(Stuttgart, 1955) esp. Plates 58 and 83.

94
.
Farvardin Yasht (Yasht
13, 131); see V. S. Curtis,
Persian Myths
(London, 1998) p. 26. Also see “Zahhak, the serpent-shouldered ruler” on pp. 33–34. Curtis is the editor of
Iran
, which is published by the British Institute of Persian Studies.

95
. See W. W. Malandra, trans. and ed,
An Introduction to Ancient Iranian Religion
(Minneapolis, 1983) p. 91.

96
. The mithraea at Ostia are late, dating from the second to third centuries CE.

97
. In the second-century CE mural painting in Marino’s Mithraeum, the serpent is depicted either drinking the blood of the injured bull or helping Mithra defeat the monster. In the mural painting in the Mithraeum in Via Morelli, S. Maria Capua Vetere, the serpent occupies the ground beneath Mithra. In all scenes the serpent is depicted as Mithra’s assistant. See B. Andreae,
L’Art de l’ancienne Rome
(Paris, 1973) illustrations 105 and 106.

98
. See the comments by E. M. Yamauchi,
Persia and the Bible
(Grand Rapids, 1996) pp. 502–14.

99
. I have been able to discern a vast difference among examples of the Tauroctony in Cologne, Berlin, London, and elsewhere. In some, I am convinced, the serpent helps Mithra to slay the bull. The scorpion, which Cumont also thought was an evil creature, also helps Mithra; he is often depicted biting the testicles of the bull. The scorpion is frequently portrayed as a companion of the human as well as one who helps in copulation and creation, providing nourishment and prosperity. I am grateful to Professor O. Keel for discussion regarding the meaning of the scorpion. See Keel and C. Ueh-linger,
Gods, Goddesses, and Images of God in Ancient Israel
, trans. T. H. Trapp (Minneapolis, 1998) esp. pp. 149–50.

100
. R. Merkelbach,
Mithras: Ein persisch-römischer Mysterienkult
(Wiesbaden, 1998) p. 91; see the serpent apparently biting the bull in Plate 18 on p. 279. Also see p. 395.

101
. See W. and B. Forman (illustrations) and N. Chotas, H. Kreutz (text), et al., “Die Kunst der Luristanischen Hirten,” in
Kunst ferner Länder
(Prague, [1969?]) pp. 28–33.

102
. For a similar object, see H. Henning von der Osten,
Die Welt der Perser
(Stuttgart, 1956) Plate 31, and [R. Ghirshman, ed.?],
7000 Jahre Kunst in Iran
(Villa Hügel and Essen, 1962) Plate 139.

103
. Dante Alighieri,
Die Göttliche Komödie: Italienisch und Deutsch
, ed. and trans. H. Gmelin, 2 vols. (Stuttgart, 1949 [reprinted in 1988 by Deutscher Taschenbuch Verlag in Munich]) vol. 1, p. 106. Also see Canto Decimosettimo for the depictions of monsters with long tails whose bodies are mostly serpents. In Canto Nono 76, Dante refers to the frogs, the damned, that are devoured by the evil serpent (vol. 1, p. 110; cf. vol. 2, p. 174 for a commentary). For the water serpent
(chelidri)
, see Canto Ventesimoquarto 86 (p. 286). For the serpent with six feet
(un serpente con sei pie si lancia)
, see Canto Ventesimoquinto 50 (p. 296).

104
. K. O. Conrady, ed.,
Das grosse deutsche Gedichtbuch
(Königstein, 1978) p. 861.

105
. See the color photograph in Bauchot, ed.,
Schlangen
, p. 3.

106
. This is true of the Uropeltidae family, in which there are two types, Cylin-rophiinae and Uropeltinae. See Bauchot, ed.,
Schlangen
, p. 36, also see the color photograph on that page.

107
. See the color photographs in Bauchot, ed.,
Schlangen
, pp. 106–7; also see G. Matz, “Teratologie,” on the same pages.

108
. Mattison reports that much of “the information” in his
Snake
is “quite new, since snakes, being secretive, are among the most difficult animals to study in their own habitat.”
Snake
, p. 6. There are many unresolved controversies among herpetolo-gists; see, e.g., Zug et al.,
Herpetology
, pp. 3–10.