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Intro : Snakes have several characteristics that have long fascinated humans and have led to superstitions and religious myths . Snakes are one of the few groups of animals on earth that can produce a painful and spectacular death with a single bite .
Their habit of periodically shedding their skin was also noted by most ancient cultures , which view this as an act of rebirth and renewal . The staring , unblinking eyes , the fluid legless movements and the cold body and smooth scales were all inspirations for numerous human myths and legends concerning snakes .



Greek : According to some Dionysus had snake form . Eurydice was killed by snakebite on her wedding day . Orpheus tried to get her back . Laocoon and his two sons were killed by Minerva's serpents . [Greek/Roman] Hercules killed two of Hera's serpents while an infant . For his second labor , Hercules killed the hydra . [Greek/Roman] Python was a serpent that dwelt in the caves of Mount Parnassus and was slain by Apollo , who then founded the sacred oracle at Delphi or took it over from Python's guardianship . According to one version , jealous Hera sent Python to harm Leto , impregnated by Zeus . Zeus helped Leto escape , and soon afterward she bore Apollo and Artemis . When Apollo was still an infant , he avenged the wrong done his mother by slaying Python with his arrows , which he had never before used against any but the feeblest animals . He then took the name Pythius and organized the Pythian Games-which tested a man in strength , swiftness of foot , and chariot racing--to celebrate his victory . In other versions Apollo killed Python simply because it would not allow him to found the oracle . Our medical symbol of two snakes wrapped around a staff comes from ancient , Greek mythology . According to the myth , the mythical figure Asclepius (the son of Apollo and Coronis) discovered medicine by watching as one snake used herbs to bring another snake back to life . For Asclepius brought his patients back from the dead Zeus killed the healer with a thunderbolt . At Apollo’s request , Asclepius was placed among the stars as Ophinchus , the serpent-bearer .



Hebrew : A serpent tempted Eve . Satan is often identified with a serpent . [Hebrew/Arabic] People looking at Moses' bronze snake were cured of snakebite .



Roman : The Roman Furies have snake hair , as does Medusa . [Greek/Roman] Jupiter (Roman name for Zeus) , under the disguise of a bull , had carried away Europa , the daughter of Agenor , king of Phoenicia . Agenor commanded his son Cadmus to go in search of his sister , and not to return without her . Cadmus went and sought long and far for his sister , but could not find her , and not daring to return unsuccessful , consulted the oracle of Apollo to know what country he should settle in . The oracle informed him that he should find a cow in the field , and should follow her wherever she might wander , and where she stopped , should build a city and call it Thebes . Cadmus had hardly left the Castalian cave , from which the oracle was delivered , when he saw a young cow slowly walking before him . He followed her close , offering at the same time his prayers to Phoebus . The cow went on till she passed the shallow channel of Cephisus and came out into the plain of Panope . There she stood still ; raising her broad forehead to the sky filled the air with her lowings . Cadmus gave thanks , and stooping down kissed the foreign soil , then lifting his eyes , greeted the surrounding mountains . Wishing to offer a sacrifice to Jupiter, he sent his servants to seek pure water for a libation. Near by there stood an ancient grove which had never been profaned by the axe, in the midst of which there was a cave, thick covered with the growth of bushes, its roof forming a low arch, from beneath which burst forth a fountain of purest water. In the cave lurked a horrid serpent with a crested head and scales glittering like gold. His eyes shone like fire, his body was swollen with venom, and he vibrated a triple tongue, and showed a triple row of teeth. No sooner had the Tyrians dipped their pitchers in the fountain, and the in-gushing waters made a sound, than the glittering serpent raised his head out of the cave and uttered a fearful hiss. The vessels fell from their hands, the blood left their cheeks, and they trembled in every limb. The serpent, twisting his scaly body in a huge coil, raised his head so as to overtop the tallest trees, and while the Tyrians from terror could neither fight nor fly, slew some with his fangs, others in his folds , and others with his poisonous breath . Cadmus lifted a huge stone and threw it with all his force at the serpent . Such a block would have shaken the wall of a fortress , but it made no impression on the monster . Cadmus next threw his javelin , which met with better success , for it penetrated the serpent's scales , and pierced through to his entrails . Fierce with pain , the monster turned back his head to view the wound , and attempted to draw out the weapon with his mouth , but broke it off , leaving the iron point rankling in his flesh . His neck swelled with rage , bloody foam covered his jaws , and the breath of his nostrils poisoned the air around . Now he twisted himself into a circle , then stretched himself out on the ground like the trunk of a fallen tree . As he moved onward , Cadmus retreated before him , holding his spear opposite to the monster's opened jaws . The serpent snapped at the weapon and attempted to bite its iron point . At last Cadmus , watching his chance , thrust the spear at a moment when the animal's head thrown back came against the trunk of a tree , and so succeeded pinning him to its side . His weight bent the tree as he struggled in the agonies of death .



South American Indian : The Yanomamo flood receded when a woman dove into it and became a snake-like monster . The first Ceubo emerged as anaconda and became human upon shedding their skins . The Desana emerged from the underworld in a canoe , which was the body of an anaconda .



Sumerian : A serpent stole Gilgamesh's herb of immortality



Aztec / Mesoamerican : Huitzilopochtli wielded a serpent as a sword . The Aztecs knew their new homeland by the sign of an eagle eating a snake . Tezcatlipoca and Quetzalcoatl turned to serpents and squeezed Tlaltechutli in two-the earth and the firmament . Quetzalcoatl was known as the Master of Life by Aztecs of Central America . He was the feathered serpent God .



African : Some African cultures worshipped Rock Pythons and considered the killing of one to be a serious crime .



Indian : In India , cobras were regarded as reincarnations of important peopled called Nagas .