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      Basilisk - the History of the Legend Translated title: O basilisco - a história da lenda

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          Abstract

          Abstract The article traces the development of the legendary features of one of the most menacing creatures of Graeco-Roman antiquity, i.e., the basilisk. The authors refer to the earliest description (Nicander of Colophon), where the basilisk’s extraordinary features are “limited” (it cannot yet kill with its sight, breath or hiss). Later depictions, however, do endow the creature with these abilities. The authors aim to demonstrate that various corruptions of the source texts have occurred in the transmission of the content. Later the creature’s characteristics were exaggerated and dramatized. The pre-existing topoi depicting other dangerous creatures and their venomousness - after their import and adaptation - have further embellished the basilisk’s description. Some mutually exclusive qualities have even been combined. Due to textual errors some features (ill-fitting to the convention of this creature’s characterisation) have appeared, i.e., the power to crack rocks. The authors try to establish how such mistakes might have happened.

          Translated abstract

          Résumé Cet article retrace l’évolution des caractéristiques légendaires de l’une des créatures les plus menaçantes de l’antiquité gréco-romaine : le basilic. Les auteurs examinent tout d’abord la description la plus ancienne du basilic (Nicandre de Colophon) dans laquelle ses caractéristiques extraordinaires sont encore « limitées » (il ne peut en effet tuer avec sa vue, son souffle ou son sifflement). En étudiant les représentations ultérieures de cette créature, on constate qu’elles le dotent de ces nouvelles capacités. Ils essaient de démontrer que diverses corruptions des sources textuelles ont eu lieu lors de la transmission des descriptions du basilic. Avec le temps, les caractéristiques du basilic ont été exagérées et dramatisées. Ayant été importés et adaptés, des topoï préexistants décrivant d’autres créatures dangereuses et leur vénénosité, ont enjolivé les descriptions du basilic. Certaines qualités, qui s’excluaient pourtant mutuellement, ont même été combinées. En raison d’erreurs textuelles dans les sources, certaines caractéristiques (ne correspondant pas à la caractérisation conventionnelle de cette créature) sont apparues, comme par exemple le pouvoir de fendre les rochers. Les auteurs essaient d’établir comment de telles erreurs ont pu se produire.

          Translated abstract

          Resumo O artigo traça o desenvolvimento das características lendárias de uma das criaturas mais ameaçadoras da antiguidade greco-romana: o basilisco. Os autores referem-se à descrição mais antiga (Nicandro de Cólofon), na qual as características extraordinárias do basilisco são ‘limitadas’ (ainda não pode matar com sua visão, respiração ou sibilo). Representações posteriores, no entanto, dotam a criatura com essas habilidades. Os autores pretendem demonstrar que várias corrupções dos textos de origem ocorreram na transmissão do conteúdo. Mais tarde, as características da criatura foram exageradas e dramatizadas. Os topoi pré-existentes representando outras criaturas perigosas e sua venenosidade - após a sua incorporação e adaptação - embelezaram ainda mais a descrição do basilisco. Algumas qualidades mutuamente exclusivas foram misturadas. Devido a erros textuais, algumas características (mal adequadas à convenção de caracterização desta criatura) apareceram, por exemplo, o poder de fender pedras. Os autores tentam estabelecer como tais erros podem ter acontecido.

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          Most cited references69

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          The Feejee Mermaid and Other Essays in Natural and Unnatural History

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            Biblia Sacra iuxta Vulgatam Versionem

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              Manual de zoología fantástica

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                Author and article information

                Journal
                alea
                Alea: Estudos Neolatinos
                Alea
                Programa de Pos-Graduação em Letras Neolatinas, Faculdade de Letras -UFRJ (Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil )
                1517-106X
                1807-0299
                January 2023
                : 25
                : 1
                : 277-306
                Affiliations
                [1] Wrocław orgnameUniversity of Wrocław Poland
                Article
                S1517-106X2023000100277 S1517-106X(23)02500100277
                10.1590/1517-106x/202325116
                28381646-411b-4cbf-b0fe-9ddff0b315db

                This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

                History
                : 30 November 2022
                : 14 June 2022
                Page count
                Figures: 0, Tables: 0, Equations: 0, References: 69, Pages: 30
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                SciELO Brazil

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                Articles

                Pliny the Elder,tópos na literatura,serpentes na literatura,basilisco,paradoxografia,Nicandro de Cólofon,Plínio, o Velho,topos in literature,snakes in literature,basilisk,paradoxography,Nicander of Colophon,topos en littérature,serpents en littérature,basilic,paradoxographie,Nicandre de Colophon,Pline l’Ancien

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