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The jaculus (or iaculus, pl. ''jaculi'', meaning "thrown" in Latin) is a small mythical
The jaculus (or iaculus, pl. ''jaculi'', meaning "thrown" in Latin) is a small mythical serpent
Serpent or The Serpent may refer to:
* Snake, a carnivorous reptile of the suborder Serpentes
Mythology and religion
* Sea serpent, a monstrous ocean creature
* Serpent (symbolism), the snake in religious rites and mythological contexts
* Serp ...
or dragon. It can be shown with wings and sometimes has front legs. It is also sometimes known as the javelin snake.
In Greek mythology
It was said that the jaculus hid in the trees and sprang out at its victims. The force of it launching itself at the victim led to the association with javelins.Pliny
Pliny may refer to:
People
* Pliny the Elder (23–79 CE), ancient Roman nobleman, scientist, historian, and author of ''Naturalis Historia'' (''Pliny's Natural History'')
* Pliny the Younger (died 113), ancient Roman statesman, orator, w ...
described it as follows: "The jaculus darts from the branches of trees; and it is not only to our feet that the serpent is formidable, for these fly through the air even, just as though they were hurled from an engine."
Lucan also describes the attack of the jaculus in the ''Pharsalia
''De Bello Civili'' (; ''On the Civil War''), more commonly referred to as the ''Pharsalia'', is a Roman epic poem written by the poet Lucan, detailing the civil war between Julius Caesar and the forces of the Roman Senate led by Pompey the Gr ...
''. He explains that it is the wound caused by the jaculus hitting the victim that causes death. The jaculus does not kill with venom.
This is similar to Malagasy folklore concerning the fandrefiala, identified with '' Ithycyphus miniatus'', a small snake with v-shaped markings on its head resembling a speartip. After carefully plotting its trajectory with the aid of thrown leaves, the fandrefiala is said to hurl itself at potential victims with enough force to break a metal pot; the impact of this collision inevitably proves fatal to both snake and target.
A ''jaculus'' is also found in the Old Norse romance ''Yngvars saga viðfǫrla''. Here it is actually said to be an extremely large dragon (''dreki''). See Olson, Emil, ed. ''Yngvars saga viðfǫrla'' ''Jämte ett bihang om Ingvarsinskrifterna''. Copenhagen: S. L. Møllers, 1912, p. 42.
The ''iaculus'' is described as a 'javelin-snake,' or a snake that flies from trees, in the medieval Aberdeen Bestiary
The ''Aberdeen Bestiary'' (Aberdeen University Library, Univ Lib. MS 24) is a 12th-century England, English illuminated manuscript bestiary that was first listed in 1542 in the inventory of the Old Royal Library at the Palace of Westminster. Du ...
.Aberdeen Bestiary
The ''Aberdeen Bestiary'' (Aberdeen University Library, Univ Lib. MS 24) is a 12th-century England, English illuminated manuscript bestiary that was first listed in 1542 in the inventory of the Old Royal Library at the Palace of Westminster. Du ...
, folio 69v.
In the Renaissance
Leonardo da Vinci
Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci (15 April 14522 May 1519) was an Italian polymath of the High Renaissance who was active as a painter, Drawing, draughtsman, engineer, scientist, theorist, sculptor, and architect. While his fame initially res ...
's notebooks mention an Iaculus who leaps from trees and impales its victims.
In popular culture
*One of the units available in the 1999turn-based strategy
A turn-based strategy (TBS) game is a strategy game (usually some type of wargame, especially a strategic-level wargame) where players take turns when playing. This is distinguished from real-time strategy (RTS), in which all players play si ...
game ''Heroes of Might and Magic III
''Heroes of Might and Magic III: The Restoration of Erathia'' (commonly referred to as ''Heroes of Might & Magic 3'', or ''Heroes 3'', or abbreviated HoMM 3) is a turn-based strategy game developed by Jon Van Caneghem through New World Comput ...
'' from Fortress towns is the Jaculus-like Serpent Fly and its upgraded Dragon Fly form.
*Jaculi are briefly mentioned in '' Monsterology: The Complete Book of Fabulous Beasts'', as ''Serpens volucer''. Signs of the Jaculus are impaled prey, and pools of pink dung.
*In ''Yu-Gi-Oh!
is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Kazuki Takahashi. It was serialized in Shueisha's ''Weekly Shōnen Jump'' magazine between September 1996 and March 2004. The plot follows the story of a boy named Yugi Mutou, w ...
'', the monster "Mecha Phantom Beast Jaculuslan" is partly based on a Jaculus.
See also
*''Chrysopelea
''Chrysopelea'', more commonly known as the flying snake or gliding snake is a genus that belongs to the family Colubridae. Flying snakes are mildly venomous, though the venom is dangerous only to their small prey. Their range is in Southeast A ...
'', the flying snakes, a genus of Southeast Asian colubrids whose arboreal launching and gliding behavior resembles that attributed to the Jaculus.
References