The Mythological Basilisk

[David Atherton]

I recently read an article which discussed the mythological monster the Basilisk, a half rooster half snake concoction. http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/history/2012/07/on-the-trail-of-the-warsaw-basilisk/

Pliny mentioned it in Book VIII of his Natural History -  "It is produced in the province of Cyrene, being not more than twelve fingers in length. It has a white spot on the head, strongly resembling a sort of a diadem. When it hisses, all the other serpents fly from it: and it does not advance its body, like the others, by a succession of folds, but moves along upright and erect upon the middle. It destroys all shrubs, not only by its contact, but those even that it has breathed upon; it burns up all the grass too, and breaks the stones, so tremendous is its noxious influence. It was formerly a general belief that if a man on horseback killed one of these animals with a spear, the poison would run up the weapon and kill, not only the rider, but the horse as well. To this dreadful monster the crow of a rooster is fatal, a thing that has been tried with success, for kings have often desired to see its body when killed; so true is it that it has pleased Nature that there should be nothing without its antidote. The animal is thrown into the hole of the basilisk, which is easily known from the soil around it being infected. The weasel destroys the basilisk by its odour, but dies itself in this struggle of nature against its own self."

Pliny also relates that it could kill with a glance. I had never heard of such a creature and thought it interesting enough to share it here. Was it ever featured on any Greek or Roman coins?

I'm such a sucker for monster folklore like this.

[Jochen]

Not Greek nor Roman but a Basilisk!

[David Atherton]

That is a fantastic coin Jochen! The creature looks very menacing in that depiction. Do you know anything about the coin and why it was struck?

[benito]

Doppeltaler 1741. Stadtansicht von Osten her mit den acht Vogteiwappen. Rv. Nach links blickender Basilisk mit Wappenschild.

[Lloyd Taylor]

Not Greek nor Roman but a Basilisk!

As the Red Queen would yell ....  Release the Jabberwocky!!!!!!  

Now we know where Lewis Carroll, John Tenniel and Tim Burton got their inspiration.

Jabberwocky

'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.

"Beware the Jabberwock, my son!
The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!
Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun
The frumious Bandersnatch!"

He took his vorpal sword in hand:
Long time the manxome foe he sought—
So rested he by the Tumtum tree,
And stood awhile in thought.

And as in uffish thought he stood,
The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame,
Came whiffling through the tulgey wood,
And burbled as it came!

One, two! One, two! and through and through
The vorpal blade went snicker-snack!
He left it dead, and with its head
He went galumphing back.

"And hast thou slain the Jabberwock?
Come to my arms, my beamish boy!
O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!"
He chortled in his joy.

'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.

[Lloyd Taylor]

Another very nicely detailed portrayal bearing out the "half rooster half snake concoction"  http://www.mcsearch.info/record.html?id=485515 although why such an offensive beast needs a shield is anyone's guess!

[David Atherton]

By nature I'm a skeptic, but I've always enjoyed learning about mythology and cryptozology (aren't they really just one and the same?). The basilisk is a nice meeting of the two.

And the coins posted above beg the question of why the basilisk figured on so many 18th century coins? Monster turned defender?

Anyone who wishes to indulge in a bunch of skeptics (as opposed to "believers") discussing such matters, visit this link: http://www.skeptic.com/podcasts/monstertalk/episodes2012.html

[benito]

Another very nicely detailed portrayal bearing out the "half rooster half snake concoction"  http://www.mcsearch.info/record.html?id=485515 although why such an offensive beast needs a shield is anyone's guess!

Its the coat of arms of Basilea. The basilisk is more a protector than an agressor.

[Lloyd Taylor]

Its the coat of arms of Basilea. The basilisk is more a protector than an aggressor.

Makes sense, but it looks like the Basilisk has taken a bite out of the coat of arms on the second example!  However, the punning relationship between the name of town and the beast answers David's question as to why it was so popular in the 18th century.

[benito]

Recent basilisk in Austria EUR. Going strong the little beast.

[David Atherton]

However, the punning relationship between the name of town and the beast answers David's question as to why it was so popular in the 18th century.

I had no idea that the the city of Basel once equated its name with a mythological beast. How fascinating!

[Jochen]

The Austrian 10 EUR coin depicts a well known myth from Vienna: The Schönlanterngasse is a famous small street in the historic city of Vienna. The most famous house is Nr. 7, the House of the Basilisk. The myth tells that in AD 1212 a Basilisk dwelled in its fountain. A baker's boy detected the monster and in front of a big crowd of people he tried to eliminate it. With a mirror he climbed down the fountain because he has heard that the glance of a Basilisk could turn a creature into stone. When he came to the ground of the fountain he held the mirror up to the face of the Basilisk and the Basilisk turned to stone. This story is shown in a fresko of the House of the Basilisk from AD 1577.(Wikipedia)

Jochen