Cockatrice

See Asp.

צפעכּ , or צפעו , Pro 23:32; Isa 11:8; Isa 14:29; Isa 59:5; Jer 8:17. A venomous serpent. The original Hebrew word has been variously rendered, the aspic, the regulus, the hydra, the hemorhoos, the viper, and the cerastes. In Isa 11:8, this serpent is evidently intended for a proportionate advance in malignity beyond the peten which precedes it; and in Isa 14:29, it must mean a worse kind of serpent than the nahash. In Isa 59:5, it is referred to as oviparous. In Jer 8:17, Dr. Blaney, after Aquila, retains the rendering of basilisk. Bochart, who thinks it to be the regulus or basilisk, says that it may be so denominated by an onomatopoeia from its hissing; and accordingly it is hence called in Latin sibilus, “the hisser.” So the Arabic saphaa signifies “flatu adurere,” [to scorch with a blast.] The Chaldee paraphrast, the Syriac, and the Arabic, render it the hurman or horman; which rabbi Selomo on Gen 49:17, declares to be the tziphoni of the Hebrews: “Hurman vocatur species, cujus morsus est insanabilis. Is est Hebraeis tziphoni, et Chaldaice dicitur hurman, quia omnia facit הרם

vastationem; id est, quia omnia vastat, et ad internecionem destruit.” [The species is called hurman, whose bite is incurable. It is the tziphoni of the Hebrews, and is called in Chaldee hurman, because it makes all things הרם —a waste; that is, because it lays waste and utterly destroys every thing.]

Cockatrice [SERPENT]

An old English word of obscure origin, used by our translators to designate the Hebrew Tzepha, or Tsiphoni, a serpent of a highly venomous character, Isa 14:29 59:5 Jer 8:17 . See SERPENT.\par

Cockatrice. See Adder.

Isa 14:29. (See ADDER.)

properly a fabulous serpent supposed to be hatched from a cock’s egg, is the rather fanciful translation in our version of צֶפִע (tsepha, hissing, Isa 14:29) and צַפְעֹנַי (tsIphoni’, Isa 11:8; Isa 59:5; Jer 8:17). The latter word also occurs in Pro 23:32, where it is translated “adder.” Aquila and the Vulg. understand the basilisk, a fabulous serpent of antiquity, identified by many moderns with the basilicus regulus, a small and exceedingly venomous viper of Africa. By others, however, the cerastes, or “horned viper” (coluber cerastes of Linn., coluber cornutus of Hasselquist), has been more definitely fixed upon as the animal intended, a very poisonous serpent of Egypt and Palestine, about a foot long, brown on the back and sides, with a white belly, about as thick as the finger, and having two knob-like projections upon the head (comp. Pliny, 11:45), which were anciently compared to horns (AElian, Anim. 1, 57; Pliny, 8:35; comp. Herod. 2:74). It buries itself in the sand, from which it is scarcely distinguishable in color, with the horns projecting out like feelers, whence it suddenly darts forth and seizes its prey (Diod. Sic. 3. 50). — (See Bochart, Hieroz. 3. 205 sq.; Hasselquist, Trav. p. 365 sq.; Belon, in Paulus’s Samml. 1, 206; 2:258; Bruce, Trav. 7, pl. 40; Wilkinson, 2d ser. 2:245 sq.; Prosp. Alp. Rer. Egypt. 4, 4, p. 210, pl. 5, 6.) Others, again, refer this last to the “adder,” i.e. viper (q.v.), of Gen 49:17. SEE SERPENT.

Cockatrice. Isa 11:8; Isa 14:29; Isa 59:5, A. V. The R. V. reads in all cases "basilisk" or "adder," margin. The word, in the Scriptures, evidently denotes a very venomous reptile. The original signifies a creature that "hisses," doubtless some species of serpent. Tristram proposes the great yellow viper, the largest of Its kind found in Palestine, and one of the most dangerous.

What reptile is alluded to is not definitely known: the Hebrew words (tsepha in Isa 14:29 only) and tsiphoni are from ’to hiss.’ The texts in which they occur refer to its dangerous character. Its deadly sting will be changed in the millennium, when a little child shall put its hand on its den. Of Israel it is said figuratively ’they hatch cockatrice’ eggs.’ Isa 11:8, Isa 59:5; Jer 8:17. The latter word is translated ’adder’ in Pro 23:32.

See BASILISK:

COCKATRICE.—See Serpent.

kok´a-tris, kok´a-trı̄s (צפע, cepha‛; צפעוני, ciph‛ōnı̄; Septuagint, βασιλίσκος, basilı́skos, “basilisk” (which see), and ἀσπίς, aspı́s, “asp” (see ADDER; ASP; SERPENT)): A fabulous, deadly, monster. The name “cockatrice” appears to be a corruption of Latin calcatrix, from calcare, “to tread,” calcatrix being in turn a translation of the Greek ἰχνεύμων, ichneúmōn, from ἴχνος, ı́chnos, “track” or “footstep.” Herpestes ichneumon, the ichneumon, Pharaoh’s rat, or mongoose, a weasel-like animal, is a native of northern Africa and southern Spain. There are also other species, including the Indian mongoose. It preys on rats and snakes, and does not despise poultry and eggs.

Pliny (see Oxford Dictionary, under the word “Cockatrice”) relates that the ιχνευμον, ichneumon darts down the open mouth of the crocodile, and destroys it by gnawing through its belly. In the course of time, as the story underwent changes, the animal was metamorphosed into a water snake, and was confused with the crocodile itself, and also with the basilisk. According to the Encyclopedia Britannica, 11th edition, the cockatrice was believed as late as the 17th century to be produced from a cock’s egg and hatched by a serpent, and “to possess the most deadly powers, plants withering at its touch, and men and animals being poisoned by its look. It stood in awe however of the cock, the sound of whose crowing killed it.... The weasel alone among animals was unaffected by the glance of its evil eye, and attacked it at all times successfully; for when wounded by the monster’s teeth it found a ready remedy in rue, the only plant which the cockatrice could not wither.” The real ichneumon does kill the most deadly snakes, and has been supposed to resort to a vegetable antidote when bitten. It actually dies however when bitten by a deadly snake, and does not possess a knowledge of herbs, but its extraordinary agility enables it ordinarily to escape injury. It is interesting to see how the changing tale of this creature with its marvelous powers has made a hodge-podge of ichneumon, weasel, crocodile, and serpent.

The Biblical references (the King James Version Isa 11:8; Isa 59:5; Jer 8:17) are doubtless to a serpent, the word “cockatrice,” with its medieval implications, having been introduced by the translators of the King James Version. See SERPENT.

Isa 14:29 (b) This represents the cruel and evil result of plans which are promoted by Satan and carried out by wicked men. (See also Isa 59:5).

See Snake