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The jaculus (or iaculus, pl. ''jaculi'', meaning "thrown" in Latin) is a small mythical serpent or
The jaculus (or iaculus, pl. ''jaculi'', meaning "thrown" in Latin) is a small mythical serpent or dragon
A dragon is a Magic (supernatural), magical legendary creature that appears in the folklore of multiple cultures worldwide. Beliefs about dragons vary considerably through regions, but European dragon, dragons in Western cultures since the Hi ...
. 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 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
Marcus Annaeus Lucanus (3 November AD 39 – 30 April AD 65), better known in English as Lucan (), was a Roman poet, born in Corduba, Hispania Baetica (present-day Córdoba, Spain). He is regarded as one of the outstanding figures of the Imper ...
also describes the attack of the jaculus in the ''Pharsalia
''De Bello Civili'' (; ''On the Civil War''), more commonly referred to as the ''Pharsalia'' (, neuter plural), is a Latin literature, Roman Epic poetry, epic poem written by the poet Lucan, detailing the Caesar's civil war, civil war between Ju ...
''. 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 1452 - 2 May 1519) was an Italian polymath of the High Renaissance who was active as a painter, draughtsman, engineer, scientist, theorist, sculptor, and architect. While his fame initially rested o ...
'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
Strategy video game is a major video game genre that focuses on analyzing and strategizing over direct quick reaction in order to secure success.
Although many types of video games can contain strategic elements, the strategy genre is most commo ...
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 manga magazine ''Weekly Shōnen Jump'' between September 1996 and March 2004, with its chapters collected in 38 volumes. The ...
'', the monster "Mecha Phantom Beast Jaculuslan" is partly based on a Jaculus.
See also
* '' Chrysopelea'' — a genus of Southeast Asian flying snakes whose arboreal launching andgliding
Gliding is a recreational activity and competitive air sports, air sport in which pilots fly glider aircraft, unpowered aircraft known as Glider (sailplane), gliders or sailplanes using naturally occurring currents of rising air in the atmospher ...
behavior resembles that attributed to the jaculus
* '' Jaculinykus'' — an alvarezsaurid
Alvarezsauridae is a family of small, long-legged dinosaurs. Although originally thought to represent the earliest known flightless birds, they are now thought to be an early diverging branch of maniraptoran theropods. Alvarezsaurids were highly ...
theropod dinosaur genus named after the jaculus
* Hoop snake — a mythical creature known for rolling by grasping its tail in its mouth
References