>>Main Entry: bas·i·lisk

>>Pronunciation: 'ba-s&-"lisk, 'ba-z&-

>>Function: noun

>>Etymology: Middle English, from Latin basiliscus, from Greek basiliskos, from diminutive of basileus

>>Date: 14th century

>>1 : a legendary reptile with fatal breath and glance



Given that this term goes back to Greek/Roman times, that the Romans had plenty of colonies in N. Africa, and the reference to fatal breath, my stab at the origin of the legend would be that a legionnaire bumped into a spitting cobra while on duty in Egypt...



Justa thought...



Cheers,



WW
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[ Hide Replies ]

• basilisk the king of serpents - thefiradragon, Mon Nov 10 19:36:23 2003
• RE: basilisk the king of serpents - meretseger, Tue Nov 11 03:19:28 2003
• I always pictured the basilisk as more of a ... - kottonmouthking, Tue Nov 11 07:15:38 2003
• This might clear things up... - meretseger, Tue Nov 11 08:26:25 2003
• Also related- - meretseger, Tue Nov 11 08:27:22 2003
• OK, that does clear things up... - kottonmouthking, Tue Nov 11 09:18:55 2003
• RE: Also related- - rearfang, Tue Nov 11 09:38:07 2003
• RE: Also related- - rearfang, Tue Nov 11 09:48:29 2003
• RE: Also related- - Frank_S, Sun Nov 16 13:19:20 2003
• One thing to keep in mind- - meretseger, Tue Nov 11 10:25:27 2003
• RE: One thing to keep in mind-Tatzel who? - rearfang, Tue Nov 11 10:50:49 2003
• RE: One thing to keep in mind- - thefiradragon, Tue Nov 11 20:38:14 2003
• RE: This might clear things up... - WW, Tue Nov 11 17:21:32 2003
• RE: This might clear things up... - meretseger, Tue Nov 11 20:57:48 2003
• more on it - thefiradragon, Tue Nov 11 20:24:55 2003
• RE: basilisk the king of serpents - thefiradragon, Mon Nov 17 12:40:33 2003