Throughout dynastic and Roman Egypt, the asp was a symbol of royalty.[4] Moreover, in both Egypt and Greece, its potent venom made it useful as a means of execution for criminals who were thought deserving of a more dignified death than that of typical executions.
In some stories of Perseus, after killing Medusa, the hero used winged sandals to transport her head to King Polydectes. As he was flying over Egypt, some of her blood fell to the ground, which spawned asps and amphisbaena.[5]
According to Plutarch, the Egyptian queen Cleopatra, in preparing for her own suicide, tested various deadly poisons on condemned people and concluded that the bite of the asp (from the Greek word aspis, usually meaning an Egyptian cobra in Ptolemaic Egypt, and not the European asp) was the least terrible way to die; the venom brought sleepiness and heaviness without spasms of pain.[6] Some believe it to have been a horned viper,[3][7] though in 2010, German historian Christoph Schaefer and toxicologist Dietrich Mebs, after extensive study into the event, came to the conclusion that rather than enticing a venomous animal to bite her, Cleopatra actually used a mixture of hemlock, wolfsbane and opium to end her life.[8]
Nonetheless, the image of suicide-by-asp has become inextricably connected with Cleopatra, as immortalized by William Shakespeare:
With thy sharp teeth this knot intrinsicate Of life at once untie: poor venomous fool Be angry, and dispatch.
Othello also famously compares his hatred for Desdemona as being full of "aspics' tongues" in Act 3, Scene III of Shakespeare's play Othello.
Legend
The hypnalis is a legendary creature described in medieval bestiaries. It is described as a type of asp that kills its victim in their sleep.[9] "Cleopatra placed it on herself (at her breasts) and thus was freed by death as if by sleep."[10]
^Shorter Oxford English Dictionary. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press. 2007. ISBN978-0199206872.
^Gotch AF. 1986. Reptiles – Their Latin Names Explained. Poole, UK: Blandford Press. 176 pp. ISBN0-7137-1704-1.
^ abSchneemann, M.; R. Cathomas; S.T. Laidlaw; A.M. El Nahas; R.D.G. Theakston; D.A. Warrell (August 2004). "Life-threatening envenoming by the Saharan horned viper (Cerastes cerastes) causing micro-angiopathic haemolysis, coagulopathy and acute renal failure: clinical cases and review". QJM: An International Journal of Medicine. 97 (11): 717–27. doi:10.1093/qjmed/hch118. PMID 15496528. Whether Cleopatra used a snake as the instrument of her suicide has been long debated. Some favour the idea that she chose C. cerastes, but its venom is insufficiently potent, rapid and reliable. A more plausible candidate is the Egyptian cobra or 'asp' (Naja haje).
^"Battle of Actium (31 B.C.)". The Greenhaven Encyclopedia of Ancient Greece. Don Nardo. Ed. Robert B. Kebric. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2007. 71-72. World History in Context. Web. 30 Mar. 2016.\
^Lucan, Pharisaical, (c.61-65), trans. Robert Graves, book IX
^Crawford, Amy (April 1, 2007). "Who Was Cleopatra? Mythology, propaganda, Liz Taylor and the real Queen of the Nile". Smithsonian.com. Retrieved 4 September 2009.
^Kinghorn, A. M. (March 1994). "'All joy o' the worm' or, death by asp or asps unknown in act v of Antony and Cleopatra". English Studies. 75 (2): 104–9. doi:10.1080/00138389408598902. The venomous reptile commonly known today as 'Cleopatra's asp' is a Cobra (Cerastes cornutus)
^Melissa Gray (2010-06-30). . CNN. Archived from the original on 2012-09-12. Retrieved 2012-04-13.
^Grant, Robert McQueen (2002). Early Christians and Animals. Taylor & Francis. p. 139. ISBN978-0-203-01747-0.
^Clark, Willene B. (2006). A Medieval Book of Beasts: The Second-family Bestiary : Commentary, Art, Text and Translation. Boydell Press. p. 198. ISBN9780851156828. Retrieved 25 August 2020.
August 17, 2023
snake, this, article, about, anglicised, word, various, species, snake, species, known, european, vipera, aspis, modern, anglicisation, word, aspis, which, antiquity, referred, several, venomous, snake, species, found, nile, region, specific, epithet, aspis, g. This article is about the Anglicised word for various species of snake For the species known as the European asp see Vipera aspis Asp is the modern anglicisation of the word aspis which in antiquity referred to any one of several venomous snake species found in the Nile region 1 The specific epithet aspis is a Greek word that means viper 2 It is believed that aspis referred to what is now known as the Egyptian cobra 3 European asp Vipera aspis Contents 1 Historic representation 2 Legend 3 See also 4 ReferencesHistoric representation EditThroughout dynastic and Roman Egypt the asp was a symbol of royalty 4 Moreover in both Egypt and Greece its potent venom made it useful as a means of execution for criminals who were thought deserving of a more dignified death than that of typical executions In some stories of Perseus after killing Medusa the hero used winged sandals to transport her head to King Polydectes As he was flying over Egypt some of her blood fell to the ground which spawned asps and amphisbaena 5 According to Plutarch the Egyptian queen Cleopatra in preparing for her own suicide tested various deadly poisons on condemned people and concluded that the bite of the asp from the Greek word aspis usually meaning an Egyptian cobra in Ptolemaic Egypt and not the European asp was the least terrible way to die the venom brought sleepiness and heaviness without spasms of pain 6 Some believe it to have been a horned viper 3 7 though in 2010 German historian Christoph Schaefer and toxicologist Dietrich Mebs after extensive study into the event came to the conclusion that rather than enticing a venomous animal to bite her Cleopatra actually used a mixture of hemlock wolfsbane and opium to end her life 8 Nonetheless the image of suicide by asp has become inextricably connected with Cleopatra as immortalized by William Shakespeare With thy sharp teeth this knot intrinsicate Of life at once untie poor venomous fool Be angry and dispatch Cleopatra Act V scene II Antony and Cleopatra Othello also famously compares his hatred for Desdemona as being full of aspics tongues in Act 3 Scene III of Shakespeare s play Othello Legend EditThe hypnalis is a legendary creature described in medieval bestiaries It is described as a type of asp that kills its victim in their sleep 9 Cleopatra placed it on herself at her breasts and thus was freed by death as if by sleep 10 See also EditSerpent symbolism Snakebite Vipera aspisReferences Edit Shorter Oxford English Dictionary Oxford UK Oxford University Press 2007 ISBN 978 0199206872 Gotch AF 1986 Reptiles Their Latin Names Explained Poole UK Blandford Press 176 pp ISBN 0 7137 1704 1 a b Schneemann M R Cathomas S T Laidlaw A M El Nahas R D G Theakston D A Warrell August 2004 Life threatening envenoming by the Saharan horned viper Cerastes cerastes causing micro angiopathic haemolysis coagulopathy and acute renal failure clinical cases and review QJM An International Journal of Medicine 97 11 717 27 doi 10 1093 qjmed hch118 PMID 15496528 Whether Cleopatra used a snake as the instrument of her suicide has been long debated Some favour the idea that she chose C cerastes but its venom is insufficiently potent rapid and reliable A more plausible candidate is the Egyptian cobra or asp Naja haje Battle of Actium 31 B C The Greenhaven Encyclopedia of Ancient Greece Don Nardo Ed Robert B Kebric Detroit Greenhaven Press 2007 71 72 World History in Context Web 30 Mar 2016 Lucan Pharisaical c 61 65 trans Robert Graves book IX Crawford Amy April 1 2007 Who Was Cleopatra Mythology propaganda Liz Taylor and the real Queen of the Nile Smithsonian com Retrieved 4 September 2009 Kinghorn A M March 1994 All joy o the worm or death by asp or asps unknown in act v of Antony and Cleopatra English Studies 75 2 104 9 doi 10 1080 00138389408598902 The venomous reptile commonly known today as Cleopatra s asp is a Cobra Cerastes cornutus Melissa Gray 2010 06 30 Poison not snake killed Cleopatra scholar says Cleopatra died a quiet and pain free death historian alleges CNN Archived from the original on 2012 09 12 Retrieved 2012 04 13 Grant Robert McQueen 2002 Early Christians and Animals Taylor amp Francis p 139 ISBN 978 0 203 01747 0 Clark Willene B 2006 A Medieval Book of Beasts The Second family Bestiary Commentary Art Text and Translation Boydell Press p 198 ISBN 9780851156828 Retrieved 25 August 2020 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Asp snake amp oldid 1169861218, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
