basilisk - 12/02/03 04:35 PM
"The Chief Butler, the Avenging Spirit of this great man's life,
relaxed nothing of his severity. He looked on at these dinners
when the bosom was not there, as he looked on at other dinners when
the bosom was there; and his eye was a basilisk to Mr Merdle."
I think I remember a myth about the "basilisk" turning beholder to stone. I'll search for it.
From the Internet:
"Basilisk
No Frames
Navigation Info
Also cockatrice. A mythical monster, sometimes used in heraldry. This fabled king of the reptiles (from Greek basileus 'little king') was said to be hatched from a cock's egg by a serpent. Of all the legendary monsters, none was deadlier. It was also said that it was the incarnation of the Death God.
Part serpent, part rooster (it had the wings of a bird, the tail of a dragon or serpent and the head of a cock), it came from an egg laid in a dunghill by a seven-year-old (some say nine-year-old) cock during the time that Sirius was high in the heavens. The egg was spherical and covered by a thick membrane, and sometimes it was hatched by a toad or serpent, who sat on it for nine years. This elaborate gestation produced a creature whose breath could scorch the earth and kill plants, animals and people alike; whose skin was covered with a slimy deadly poison with the horrible property of spreading rapidly over anything it touched; and whose power of its eyes was so terrible that its glance was lethal — even to itself. Accordingly, anyone who sought to slay the basilisk was wise to carry a mirror, so that it would kill itself with its own look. The other method was to set a weasel on the monster, since it was thought to be the only creature capable of withstanding the cockatrice's deadly stare.
In the 15th century, a decrepit, nine year-old cock was tried in the Basel public court on the charge of having laid an egg during the days of the Dog Star. The cock was found guilty and executed by the official hangman. The last recorded appearance of a cockatrice was in 1587 in Warsaw. There, two girls were killed by its breath, while playing in their cellar."
There was a lot more which I omitted.
relaxed nothing of his severity. He looked on at these dinners
when the bosom was not there, as he looked on at other dinners when
the bosom was there; and his eye was a basilisk to Mr Merdle."
I think I remember a myth about the "basilisk" turning beholder to stone. I'll search for it.
From the Internet:
"Basilisk
No Frames
Navigation Info
Also cockatrice. A mythical monster, sometimes used in heraldry. This fabled king of the reptiles (from Greek basileus 'little king') was said to be hatched from a cock's egg by a serpent. Of all the legendary monsters, none was deadlier. It was also said that it was the incarnation of the Death God.
Part serpent, part rooster (it had the wings of a bird, the tail of a dragon or serpent and the head of a cock), it came from an egg laid in a dunghill by a seven-year-old (some say nine-year-old) cock during the time that Sirius was high in the heavens. The egg was spherical and covered by a thick membrane, and sometimes it was hatched by a toad or serpent, who sat on it for nine years. This elaborate gestation produced a creature whose breath could scorch the earth and kill plants, animals and people alike; whose skin was covered with a slimy deadly poison with the horrible property of spreading rapidly over anything it touched; and whose power of its eyes was so terrible that its glance was lethal — even to itself. Accordingly, anyone who sought to slay the basilisk was wise to carry a mirror, so that it would kill itself with its own look. The other method was to set a weasel on the monster, since it was thought to be the only creature capable of withstanding the cockatrice's deadly stare.
In the 15th century, a decrepit, nine year-old cock was tried in the Basel public court on the charge of having laid an egg during the days of the Dog Star. The cock was found guilty and executed by the official hangman. The last recorded appearance of a cockatrice was in 1587 in Warsaw. There, two girls were killed by its breath, while playing in their cellar."
There was a lot more which I omitted.