Basilisk

Nationality/Culture

Greek

Pronunciation

BAS-uh-lisk

Alternate Names

Regulus (Roman)

Appears In

Pliny the Elder's Natural History

Lineage

Born of a serpent's egg incubated by a rooster or toad

Character Overview

In European mythology, the basilisk (pronounced BAS-uh-lisk) was a small serpent that could kill any living thing with its glance or its breath. It was usually represented as a creature with a dragon's body and wings, and a serpent's head. Early myths related that weasels and roosters were enemies of the basilisk. It was believed that a basilisk would die if it heard a rooster crowing. Another way to destroy a basilisk was to hold a mirror up to its face. The creature would die immediately after seeing its reflection. Travelers often carried roosters, weasels, or mirrors for protection when they traveled to regions where basilisks were thought to live.

The Basilisk in Context

The basilisk first appeared in legends from ancient Greece and Rome. Its name is derived from the Greek bctsileus, or “little king.” The basilisk was described in detail by the author, naturalist, and philosopher Pliny the Elder in the first century ce. In the 1100s ce, St. Hildegard wrote of a serpent coming out of an egg sat upon by a toad. Early descriptions of the basilisk indicate that it was simply a small but very lethal serpent. Some historians believe that the legend may have been based on the deadly family of snakes known as cobras.

Key Themes and Symbols

Called the king of serpents, the basilisk was often associated with the devil and symbolized the deadly sin of lust. The fact that it was a serpent born from an egg incubated by a toad was an indication of its unnatural and unholy nature.

The Basilisk in Art, Literature, and Everyday Life

The basilisk appears in many European cultures across different religions and mythologies. Jesus is even depicted fighting one in medieval art. The basilisk is mentioned in literature by the English writers Geoffrey Chaucer and Edmund Spenser, and is referred to in William Shakespeare's plays Romeo and Juliet and Richard III. More recendy, the basilisk has appeared in several role-playing games and the 1998 novel Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J. K. Rowling. The basilisk has also lent its name to a variety of tropical lizards known for their ability to run quickly across the surface of water using only their hind legs.

Read, Write, Think, Discuss

The basilisk is a creature that is often described as having parts similar to a mixture of other creatures. Create your own mythical creature using parts of existing animals and write a description of it. Describe any special powers you think it should have, and be sure to name it.

SEE ALSO Devils and Demons; Serpents and Snakes