OFSERPENTS. 55 



of the Cicutdj (an Herb like our Hemlock) was among the Athe- 

 nians. 



Some fay 'tis of the afpick kind, as the Arabians-^ in length a 

 Cubit or more, with two Horns on the Head, refembling Snail- 

 Shells: It lies perdue near travelling Paths, and is very crafty in 

 decoying little Birds into the Snare. 



Its V/ounds foon kill, if one of the Ffylliaii People be not im- 

 mediately called in. A^. B. Thefe Fjjlli are a noted People of 

 Syrenaica in Africa^ endued with a natural Faculty of deftroying 

 Serpents upon light, and curing their Wounds by a Touch of the 



Hand , of whom we have this Account, vvz Crates of Per- 



gamus fays, that about Farium in the HeUejpont, there were Men, 

 named Ophiogenes^ who cured thofe wounded with Serpents with a 

 Touch. Varro teftifies there were Ibnie of them in his time. 

 AGATHERCIDES writes, that in Africa the Pfylllans 

 (a People fo called from King Pfyllus, from whom they were de- 

 fcended, and whofe Sepulchre is to be (ttn at this day in the greater 

 Syrtes) did in the fame manner heal People wounded by Serpents. 

 'Tis faid they had fome extraordinary Quality in their Nature, that 

 would fuddenly kill all Serpents. 



I T was by thefe they tried the Chaflity of their Wives, thus, 

 I'lZ. When a Child was born, and its Legitimacy queftionable, 

 they laid it in a great Vejfel full of thefe Cerajlik Serpents^ that 

 immediately breathed deftrud:ion; but Vv'hen they came near the 

 Child, their Rage foften'd, and they immediately fled from it; 

 which proved the Legitimacy of the Child, that he was a true 

 Pfyllian^ born in Lawful Wedlock, becauie Serpents could not 

 poifon it, nor endure its Prefence*. 



However this romantic Account may appear, it may doubt- 

 lefs be phiiofophically accounted for by Eiiiuviuu^iS emitted from 

 their Bodies, that proved fatal to Serpents. 



The EngUjlj Annotator upon Lucan, who was Nephew to 

 Seneca^ obferves much to the lame purpofe, when he lays, Theie 

 Pfylli (a People inhabiting thofe parts of Africa called Mannarica^ 

 bordering on the Nile) are fortify'd by Nature v/ith an incredible 



Privile2;e 



* In dol'mm cerajl arum ■plenum infantem conjicere^ HLWivt. lib. i. C3p. 57, G)l!ii 

 Acceflio, cap. 37. N. B. Ifthe Child was begotten by a Stranger, 'tws killed by 

 Poifon ; if lawfully begottCDj the Privilege of his Fath.u'^ Uioud ^lo.cclcd iiiin 

 againll the Venom. 



