The Serpent

The snake, or serpent as it aptly called is regarded as one of the most beguiling and mystifying creations. Snakes are profound figures and as such have heavily influenced the perceptions of mankind. Perhaps where the serpent is most pervasive is in Babylonian and Egyptian culture and in Greek mythology. In these particular elements, the serpent is held in high esteem so much so that they become characters all in themselves. This high esteem has lent itself to the serpent being cast in deep and occult symbols of immortality, royalty and wisdom scattered across several centuries. Scholars specifically have analyzed each of the representations to better and unearth their origination. This paper will delve into the scholarly arguments that these intellectuals have presented about the basilisk and why this mankind has become so intertwined and enticed by them.

Graves and Patai (2004) account that 19th century British archaeologists discovered tablets known as Enuma Elish, that contained the myths associated with the Babylonian culture about the serpent (22-23). The Babylonians believed in different gods that ruled the cosmos and because of this, the snake became a pivotal symbol of immortality and worship. Their culture conveyed the snake as a bringer of longevity and rejuvenation (Frothingham 177-179). Moreover, these conveyances were incorporated into the way of living through ritualistic practices. One prominent figure in Babylonian myth was Tiamat. Seen as an image of chaos, she was the primordial mother of creation and the personification of the union of fresh and saltwater The myth that the Babylonians followed was that Tiamat, a sea serpent, possessed the Tablets associated with their religion and had multiple offspring. Tiamat would be cut in by Anu, the sky god, seen as a sign of strength by the Babylonians (King). Essentially, the serpent played a pivotal role in the mythology connected to the Babylonians in that it was an epic battle between hero and monster (serpent). The serpent became a crucial part of the Babylonians understanding of creation. In addition to the story of Tiamat, other serpents became noted in Babylonian creation. Such was the case with Ningishzida, who assisted the mythical figure, Adapa, with the gift of immortality. This is when the Babylonians came to believe in worshipping the serpent as a primordial character and a prevailing symbol of immortality and longevity (King). The serpent was sacred in that the creature exhibited a significant part of what they believed to be how they came into existence and how they could enjoy long life and wellbeing.

In addition to the Babylonians, the Egyptians have regarded the basilisk as a charming entity. The Egyptians have long utilized the snake in several ceremonial and religious practices. Several of the Egyptian gods associated snakes with magical and mythical powers. One of the most famous myths in Egyptian religion is the story of how Isis created a snake out of the dust and through a spittle from Ra, a god, who had power over all things. Variations of the myth have swept through classics and historical studies, but nevertheless, exude notable aspects of how the Egyptians viewed the snake (Pinch 24-28).

Some of the gods such as Mehen, protector of the sun and Renenutet, a goddess linked to fertility were depicted and illustrated as snakes and worshipped like so. The goddess, Meretseger would become known as the personification of protection. The Egyptians also wore snake headdresses and believed they would receive blessings through poisonous snake bites (Pinch 164-185). Intellectuals on the subject of Egyptian religion such as Samuel Sharpe have observed that both Upper and Lower Egypt had a fascination with snakes. "Snakes, [both] venomous and not venomous were honoured, first as gods of evil, and second as gods" (Sharpe 16). Another interesting snake figure in the Egyptian culture is Ouroboros, which is a symbol of the snake eating its own tail. The very first appearance of this particular symbol was in a 14th century B.C. text called the Enigmatic Book of the Netherworld. It was a funerary text and the Egyptian people noted that the Ouroboros was to represent cyclicality and a rejuvenation (Hornung 163-164).Thus, the relationship of the serpent to Egypt operated and continues to operate as an undercurrent of their way of life and the essence of who they are.

While the Babylonian and Egyptian culture held the serpent in high regard, perhaps where the snake is most prevalent and discussed among scholars and intellectuals is in Greek mythology. Upon examination of Greek mythology, one of the more prominent figures is Medusa. While prominent, not much is known about Medusa. The Snake Goddess as she was referred to is said to be an adaptation from the Minoan language. Castleden (1993) highlighted that the snakes functioned as a transition and division between the spirit world and the human world for the Greeks. The serpent was considered privileged with the ability to transgress the boundaries of the physical and the spiritual as the Greeks believed they were connected to divine and earthly affairs (123-127). Stanley (2008) stressed that the Greeks were infatuated with serpents and that their culture's mythology is replete with serpent worship including the story of Apollo and Python, Perseus and the aforementioned Medusa, and Hercules and Echidna. Their culture was so taken with the serpent that it "produce[d] a race of serpent-worshipping people through their intercourse" (45).

Snakes were a representation to the Greeks as good and evil. Greek mythology permeates with text about the immortal properties of the venom. In statutes of the goddess of health, Hygeia, a serpent sits on her shoulders; while Aesculapius, considered the god of medicine and son of Apollo is famous for carrying the snake entwined staff. Hermes' wand had two serpents that coiled around his wand that to the Greeks symbolized wisdom (Pafilis 329-330). Much like the Babylonians and Egyptians, the Greeks illuminated the fact that the serpent was both enticing and fascinating with their belief that the snake exhibited both elements of the physical world and the supernatural. Furthermore, Greek mythology appears to be the most intricate in terms of its many legends and stories surrounding the serpent as much of their known texts about who they are feature the serpent in vast amount.

When discussing the serpent overall, much of the debate from scholars and intellectuals has come as a result of the snake that was mentioned in the Bible and this is often why the snake has received such a perception in mankind of being evil and wicked. However, that representation is more or less one culture or rather religion's perspective of the reptile. There is reason to believe that many of the more optimistic aspects of the serpent such as immortality, longevity and wisdom, are the result of the myths of the Babylonian, Egyptian and Greek cultures. This has further cajoled mankind in to understanding the sophisticated creatures and why these cultures have regarded them as gods and godlike. Even though mankind has continued to research the snake and its mythical and captivating properties, there is still a countless amount of information to be discovered. The serpent will continue to live on throughout many cultures as being an unknown quantity in that there is very little rationale on whether the creature is indeed good or evil given the considerable differences that each culture regards it as.

Works Cited

Castleden, Rodney. Minoans: Life in Bronze Age Crete. London, UK: Routledge, 1993.

Frothingham, A L. "Babylonian Origin of Hermes the Snake-God, and of the Caduceus I." American Journal of Archaeology 20.2 (1916): 175-211. http://www.jstor.org/stable/497115.

Graves, Robert, and Raphael Patai. The Hebrew Myths: The Book of Genesis. Manchester, UK: Carcanet Press Ltd., 2004.

Hornung , Erik. Conceptions of God in Egypt: The One and the Many. 1st. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press, 1996.

King, L W. "Enuma Elish." The Seven Tablets of Creation. 1902. Web. 5 Oct. 2013. http://www.sacred-texts.com/ane/enuma.htm.

Pinch, Geraldine. Magic in Ancient Egypt. London, UK: British Museum Press, 1994. Print.

---------------------. Handbook of Egyptian Mythology (World Mythology). Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO, 2002.

Pafilis, Panayiotis. "A brief history of Greek herpetology." Bonn zoological Bulletin 57.2 (2010): 329-345.

Sharpe, Samuel. "Egyptian Mythology and Egyptian Christianity." Online posting. Sacred Text. Egyptian Mythology and Egyptian Christianity index, 1863. http://files.vsociety.net

Stanley, Jonathan W. "Snakes: Objects of Religion, Fear, and Myth ." Journal of Integrative Biology 2.2 (2008): 42-58. http://myweb.astate.edu/strauth/Herpetology/Stanley_snake_myth_paper.pdf.