Ophidians and summer heat: a necessary emendation in Pliny’s text (Nat. XXIX 71)
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.3989/emerita.2019.14.1904Keywords:
Pliny, Natural History, snakes, indirect tradition, text emendationAbstract
According to Pliny (Nat. XXIX 71), the snake is not a poisonous animal, but could become one during a specific period of time by influence of the moon (neque anguis uenenatus est nisi per mensem luna instigatus). The reading per mensem makes no sense because the ophidians remain in lethargy during winter. Therefore, per mensem cannot be referring to just any month of the year. A passage by Gargilius Martialis and a witness of the indirect tradition of the Naturalis Historia support the correction per messem. This way, the passage becomes transparent and Pliny’s doctrine is consistent with reality: snakes become poisonous in summertime, at the time of harvest (messis).
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