basiliscus
- A kind of lizard, a basilisk: Lacerta basiliscus, Linn.; Plin. 8, 21, 33, § 78 sq.; App. Herb. 128; Sol. 27, 50; Vulg. Psa. 90 (91), 13. —For the deriv. of the word from βασιλεύς (king), v. Luc. 9, 726.—
- II A surname of Cn. Pompeius, Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 11, § 25.
~us, serpens quae flatu suo universa quae attigerit inurit
qui solo cetera necat aspectu, mors mustela ~o
~us Grece Latine dicitur regulus, eo quod sit ‥ rex serpentum
cocatryse
rex serpencium
exorcizo te, maledicte diabole et immundissime draco, ~e, serpens noxie(
Fecit in Ecclesia
Domini Salvatoris... vela serica de blattin Bisantea quatuor in circuitu altaris
majoris, duo ex his aquilata, et duo de Basilisci, ornata in circuitu de
olovero. Id est, serpentium vel potius Regulorum, (avium, quas Græci (βασιλίσκος). The basilisk, sometimes called cockatrice, from the vulgar belief in modern times that it is produced from the egg of a cock. Nicander describes it as having a small body, about three palms long, and of a shining colour. All the ancient authors speak with horror of the poison of the basilisk, which they affirm to be of so deadly a nature as to prove fatal, not only when introduced into a wound, but also when transmitted through another object. Avicenna relates the case of a soldier to whom, having transfixed a basilisk with a spear, its venom proved fatal, and also to his horse, whose lip was accidentally wounded by it. Linnaeus refers this creature, as mentioned by the ancients, to the lacerta iguana. Calmet supposes the Scriptural basilisk to be the same with the cobra di capello, but this is not found in Africa. The serpent which is described under the name of buskah answers very well in most respects to the ancient descriptions of the basilisk.