Age of the Nandas and Mauryas c9.s24.8

c9.s24.8

The smaller poisonous varieties of the snakes, spotted and nimble in their movements, were noticed by Nearchus who expressed his surprise at the multitude and malignancy of their tribe.³ When the rivers rose in flood and filled the plains with water, they invaded the dwelling houses in villages, and on this account the people had to raise their beds to a great height from the ground, or even to abandon their homes through the presence of these pests in very large numbers. ‘In fact, were it not that a great proportion of the tribe suffered destruction by the waters, the country would be reduced to a desert. The minute size of some and the immense size of others are sources of danger; the former, because it is difficult to guard against their attacks, the latter by reason of their strength, for snakes are to be seen of sixteen cubits in length¹. There were snake-charmers moving about the country and they were able to cure snake-bites, and Alexander collected round him for the benefit of his army a group of the most skilful among the snake-charmers. The longest snake seen by Aristobulus was nine cubits and a span in length, but Onesicritus¹ stated that Abisares, King of the mountain country, kept two serpents one of which was 80 cubits in length and the other 140. Megasthenes knew of pythons that could swallow stags and bulls whole. He also speaks of flying serpents, two cubits in length, which flew by night and dropped a poisonous secretion which blistered the skins of persons on whom it fell. There were also winged scorpions of an extraordinary size.²