Scitalis
Encyclopedia
The Scitalis or Scytale is a serpent from Medieval bestiaries
with such marvelous markings on its back that its appearance would stun the viewer, slowing the person down so that they could be caught. Its bodily heat was so great that it shed its skin even in the winter.
Bestiary
A bestiary, or Bestiarum vocabulum is a compendium of beasts. Bestiaries were made popular in the Middle Ages in illustrated volumes that described various animals, birds and even rocks. The natural history and illustration of each beast was usually accompanied by a moral lesson...
with such marvelous markings on its back that its appearance would stun the viewer, slowing the person down so that they could be caught. Its bodily heat was so great that it shed its skin even in the winter.
Quotes Pertaining to the Scitalis
- Lucan [1st century CE] (Pharsalia, book 9, verse 841-842): "Sole of all serpents Scytale to shed / In vernal frosts his slough...".
- Isidore of Seville [7th century CE] (Etymologies, Book 12, 4:19): The scitalis (scytale) has a skin that shines with such variety that by these marks it slows down any who see it. It creeps slowly and cannot pursue its prey, so it stupifies with its marvelous appearance. It is so hot that even in winter it sheds its skin."