Amphisbaena

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This article is about the mythological/legendary/heraldic creature. See Amphisbaenia for information on the type of reptile.

Amphisbaena (pronounced: /ˌæmfɪsˈbiːnə/, plural: amphisbaenae), Amphisbaina, Amphisbene, Amphisboena, Amphisbona, Amphista, Amphivena, or Anphivena (the last two being feminine), a Greek word, from amphis, meaning "both ways", and bainein, meaning "to go", also called the Mother of Ants, is a mythological, ant-eating serpent with a head at each end. According to Greek mythology, the mythological amphisbaena was spawned from the blood that dripped from the Gorgon Medusa's head as Perseus flew over the Libyan Desert with it in his hand. Cato's army then encountered it along with other serpents on the march. Amphisbaenae fed off of the corpses left behind. The amphisbaena has been referred to by the poets, such as Nicander, John Milton, Alexander Pope, and Alfred, Lord Tennyson and the amphisbaena as a mythological and legendary creature has been referenced by Lucan, Pliny the Elder, Isidore of Seville, and Thomas Browne, the last of whom debunked its existence.

1 Appearance
2 Movement
3 Folk Medicine
4 Origins
5 In popular culture
6 See also
7 Bibliography

[edit] Appearance

A 15th century Amphisbaena on a misericord in Buckinghamshire

“

The amphisbaena has a twin head, that is one at the tail end as well, as though it were not enough for poison to be poured out of one mouth.

”

--Pliny the Elder. Naturalis Historia, ca. 77 AD

This early description of the amphisbaena depicts a venomous, duo-headed snakelike creature. However, Medieval and later drawings often show it with two or more scaled feet, particularly chicken feet and feathered wings. Some even depict it as a horned, dragon-like creature with a serpent-headed tail and small, round ears. While others have both "necks" of equal size so that it cannot be determined which is the rear head. Many descriptions of the amphisbaena say its eyes glow like candles or lightning, but the poet Nicander seems to contradict this by describing it as "always dull of eye". He also says: "From either end protrudes a blunt chin; each is far from each other." Nicander's account seems to be referring to what is indeed called the Amphisbaenia.

[edit] Movement

The burrowing amphibaena's heads have two separate minds, and can separate itself into two halves as well as reform back into a single body. According to some accounts, the amphisbaena can slither (or run) very quickly, and, at least in the case of the limbless amphisbaena, it can slither in either direction, as Isidore of Seville indicates: "It can move in the direction of either head with a circular motion." The poet Nicander, however, describes the it as "slow in motion". However, when the heads lock jaws or join in a similar fashion the amphisbaena can roll like a hoop, as depicted by medieval artists. Isidore of Seville indicates: "Alone among snakes, the amphisbaena goes out in the cold." could the amphisbaena be warm-blooded?

On some accounts of the limbed (and occasionally limbless) and depictions in medieval art, the amphisbaena has wings that are scaly to feathered, from external to internal hidden by folds in its scales. However none of these depictions have shown that it has the ability to fly.

[edit] Folk Medicine

In ancient times, the supposedly dangerous amphisbaena had many uses in the art of folk medicine and other such remedies. It is said that expecting women wearing a live amphisbaena around their necks would have safe pregnancies, however if your goal is to cure ailments such as arthritis or the common cold wear only its skin. By eating the meat of the amphisbaena one could attract many lovers of the opposite sex and slaying one during the full moon, could give one pure of heart and mind, power. Lumberjacks suffering from cold weather on the job could nail its carcass or skin to a tree to keep warm, while in the process allowing the tree to fell easier.

[edit] Origins

In The Book of Beasts, T.H. White suggests that the creature derives from sightings of the worm lizards of the same name. These creatures are found in the Mediterranean countries where many of these legends originated.

[edit] In popular culture

Amphisbaena is Monster in My Pocket #75.

Amphisbaena appears in the Square Enix RPG Xenogears under a slightly altered name. Amphysvena is the name given to the omnigear used by Ramsus during his final battle with the party. As well as Square Enix MMORPG Final Fantasy XI as one of the many worm-like creatures.

In Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin, Amphisbaena appears as a monster.

In Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, Luigi tells a story about how he dresses in a bride's dress to fight a giant snake with two heads, one at the end of its tail.

The amphisbaena appears in "There Are More Things", a short story by Jorge Luis Borges that is a tribute to H. P. Lovecraft.

In heraldry, the amphisbaena appears on the crest of Gwilt.