430 
The Animal-Lore of Shalcspeare’s Time. 
this malady were supposed to have been bitten by a 
venomous spider, which was found chiefly in the vicinity 
of the city of Taranto in Apulia. Topsell writes:— 
tc If the speckled phalangie of Apulia, which is usually known by 
the name of tarantula, do bite any one, there will follow divers and 
contrary accidents and symptomes, according to the various constitu¬ 
tions, different complexion, and disposition of the party wounded. 
For after they are hurt by the tarantula, you shall see some of them 
laugh, others contrariwise to weep, some will clatter out of measure, 
so that you shall never get them to hold their tongues, and otliersome 
again you shall observe to be as mute as fishes: this man sleepeth 
continually, and another cannot be brought to rest at all, but runneth 
up and down, raging and raving like a mad man. . . . With others 
again you shall have nothing but sadnesse, and heavinesse of minde, 
brown-studies, unaptnesse to do any thing, as if one were astonyed. 
. . . But let them be affected either with this or that passion, yet this 
is common to them all, as well to one as to another, that they are 
generally delighted with musical instruments, and at their sound or 
noise will so trip it on the toes dancer-like, applying both their 
mindes and bodies to dancing and frisking up and down, that during 
the time of any musical harmony, they will never leave moving their 
members and limbs, like a jackanapes that cannot stand still.” (Page 
772, ed. 1658.) 
The dances and songs composed as a remedy for this 
malady were called tarantella. According to Muffett, 
this poisonous spider was of a light brown colour, with 
dark spots, with short thick, hairy, legs. 
Muffett has much to say on behalf of the “ tame or 
house spider,” and draws many a moral from its in¬ 
dustrious ways and parental affection:— 
“ Aristotle the greatest diver into Nature, saith that this is the 
most magnificent, and wisest of all insects. And Solomon himself, at 
whose wisdome all the world admired, amongst those four animals 
that exceed philosophers for their knowledge, reckons up the spider, 
dwelling as he saith in kings palaces, and weaving webs that man 
cannot do the like. ... I know not whether I were best commend 
the spider for the gifts of her minde, as wisdom, justice, valour, 
temperance, humanity, love of poverty, love of works, sufficiency, 
cunning, cleanlinesse, and her other vertues; or else her admirable art 
and skill in weaving her webs.” (Theater of Insects, p. 1065.) 
