108 POISONOUS SNAKES AND SNAKE POISONS. 



been grossly and even ridiculously exaggerated. Allow 

 me to read to you a report of the Roman author, Lucanus, 

 who describes Cato's expedition through the African 

 deserts after the battle of Pharsalus. He first mentions 

 the legend how poisonous snakes originated from the 

 drops of blood which fell from the head of Medusa, and 

 then he proceeds : 



" Right through these horrid monsters Cato led his 

 veteran army, and many of his men he saw miserably 

 dying of insignificant wounds. The color-bearer Aulus 

 stepped on a Dipsas : it bent back its head and bit him. 

 He scarcely felt the sting of the animal, and the wound 

 itself seemed entirely harmless. Soon however the pain 

 penetrated his whole body, even to the marrow of the 

 bones ; mouth and tongue became parched, and his skin 

 dried up. The unfortunate man threw away the colors 

 and sought water, crazy and tormented by horrible 

 thirst. He drank and drank, and became more and more 

 thirsty ; at last he tore open his veins and sucked his 

 own blood, but was not able to quench his terrible thirst. 

 Exceedingly frightened Cato ordered the army hastily 

 to continue their march, but soon death was to be seen 

 in still more horrible form. The leg of one of the officers, 

 Sabellus, was bitten by a little Seps. With his hand he 

 tore the snake away from the wound and killed it with 

 his sword ; it was only a small animal, but round about 

 the bitten spot the flesh began at once to fall off in rags, 

 so that one could see the bare bones. Rising higher and 

 higher, the disease spread throughout his whole body 

 which was gradually changed into a filthy, stinking 

 liquid ; and when the flesh had disappeared from his 

 head, the very bones were dissolved so that not even the 

 corpse of the man could be found, but instead of it, an 

 ugly spot colored by that filthy liquid." 



''The Marsian warrior, Nasidius, was bitten by an 

 adder. His face became at once fiery red, and the body 



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