Vote on Mythical creatures:　Basilisk vs Biscione

Basilisk

In European bestiaries and legends, a basilisk ( or ) is a legendary reptile reputed to be a serpent king, who can cause death with a single glance. A...

In European bestiaries and legends, a basilisk ( or ) is a legendary reptile reputed to be a serpent king, who can cause death with a single glance. According to the Naturalis Historia of Pliny the Elder, the basilisk of Cyrene is a small snake, "being not more than twelve fingers in length", that is so venomous, it leaves a wide trail of deadly venom in its wake, and its gaze is likewise lethal. The basilisk's weakness is the odor of the weasel, which, according to Pliny, was thrown into the basilisk's hole, recognizable because some of the surrounding shrubs and grass had been scorched by its presence. It is possible that the legend of the basilisk and its association with the weasel in Europe was inspired by accounts of certain species of Asiatic snakes (such as the king cobra) and their natural predator, the mongoose.

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Biscione

The biscione ("grass snake"), also less commonly known as the vipera ("viper"), is a heraldic charge showing on argent an azure serpent in the act of...

The biscione ("grass snake"), also less commonly known as the vipera ("viper"), is a heraldic charge showing on argent an azure serpent in the act of consuming a human (usually a child and sometimes described as a Moor or an Ottoman Turk). It is a historic symbol of the city of Milan.

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