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the rear head. Many descriptions of the amphisbaena say its eyes glow like candles or lightning, but the poet
Nicander, the first to speak about it, described it as "always dull of eye". He also wrote: "From either end protrudes a blunt chin; each is far from each other." Nicander's account seems to be referring to a group of real lizards what is today called the
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and later drawings often show it with two or more scaled feet, particularly chicken feet, and feathered wings. Some even depict it as a horned, dragon-like creature with a serpent-headed tail and small, round ears, while others have both "necks" of equal size so that it cannot be determined which is
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The
Amphisbaena however is a snake with two heads, one at the top and one in the direction of the tail. When it advances, as need for a forward movement impels it, it leaves one end behind to serve as tail, while the other it uses as a head. Then again if it wants to move backwards, it uses the two
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The amphisbaena appears also in the saying "to the amphisbaena, Perseus is good" which can have various meanings depending in the connotation in which it is used. However, one main meaning lies in the connection between
Perseus and the creation of the amphisbaena. Though created out of the violent
855:, an amphisbaena (called a 'Vanterviper' in the film) appears as a minor antagonist. The two heads, a red one named Edil and a blue one called Fice, frequently disagree and argue, and sing a song about their miserable plight.
773:". It is possible a sighting of an animal like this was the origin of the amphisbaena, or that the Greek mythological creature is used, as well as others, to literaryly embellish the description of an exotic country.
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suggests that the creature derives from sightings of the worm lizards of the same name. But it is the other way around. These creatures are found in the
Mediterranean countries where many of these legends originated.
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The amphisbaena grows twin heads, one in the proper place, and the other where the tail should be. For this reason the snake glides in a circular shape, as the heads, contrary to what is right, strain from both
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but bears little resemblance to other renditions of the creature, appearing as an eyeless 4-legged reptile with the upper body of a human woman sprouting from its long tail instead of a double-headed serpent.
519:'s army encountered in Libya. Amphisbaena fed on the corpses left behind. Although it is a legendary creature, it has been referred to by various Greek and Latin authors, scientists as well as poets:
808:, after the Fall and the return of Satan to Hell, some of the fallen angelic host are transformed into the amphisbaena, to represent the animal by which the Fall was caused, i.e. a snake.
891:, in the form of an evil creature called Grimm. Of the different Grimm, the amphisbaena appears to be the King Taijitu, a two-headed snake or serpent. The king's name references the
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has a character named
Enrique whose bit beast (ancient spirits contained within spinning tops) named Amphilyon. It takes the form of a Medieval amphisbaena with bat wings.
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in both its monist and dualist aspects. The Grimm's coloration visually symbolizes the taijitu, with one head and body section black and the opposite side white.
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suffering from cold weather on the job could nail its carcass or skin to a tree to keep warm, while in the process allowing the tree to be felled more easily.
769:. One of the animals shown is a two-headed snake (conjoined twin snakes), with one head on each end, much like an amphisbaena. The image is captioned, "
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The amphisbaena has a twin head, that is one at the tail end as well, as though it were not enough for poison to be poured out of one mouth.
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and other magical remedies. Pliny notes that expecting women wearing a live amphisbaena around their necks would have safe pregnancies (
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and Meat Sweats compete to feed each of its heads in order to satisfy the amphisbaena. They managed to work together to pull it off.
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By eating the meat of the amphisbaena, one could supposedly attract many lovers of the opposite sex, and slaying one during the
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765:), a Portuguese book describing the areas the Portuguese had visited, includes an illustration of the flora and fauna of
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recalls past events. The amphisbaena was endangering the region of Kovir until the beast was slain by Geralt's hand.
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Illustration of the flora and fauna of India, c. 1540, including a pair of conjoined snakes resembling an amphisbaena
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episode "Battle Nexus: New York." This version is one of the known champions of the Battle Nexus. Big Mama had
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with her head in his hand: in "Pharsalia" (IX, 719), the Roman poet names it along with other serpents that
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murder of Medusa by
Perseus, it shows that the creation will always see the creator in a positive light.
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These early descriptions of the amphisbaena depict a venomous, dual-headed snakelike creature. However,
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468:(the last two being feminine), and is also known as the "Mother of Ants". Its name comes from the
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791:, the amphisbaena is listed as one of the types of reptiles that torment thieves in the
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Amphisbaena has appeared in several video games as an enemy or boss monster, including
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940:: Shadow of the Erdtree, Messmer the Impaler, is conjoined with a winged amphisbaena.
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In ancient times, the supposedly dangerous amphisbaena had many uses in the art of
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has a character whose name is Arturo Mendez. His call sign is amphisbaena.
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with a head at each end. The name of the creature is alternatively written
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This article is about the mythological creature. For the suborder, see
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Amphisbaena appears in some editions of the tabletop roleplaying game
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XXX, 128); however, if one's goal was to cure ailments such as
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heads in exactly the opposite manner from what it did before.
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Ritual significance of personal ornament in Roman
Britain
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could give power to one who is pure of heart and mind.
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101:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
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1204:. Vol. I (9th ed.). 1878. p. 774.
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683:The amphisbaena is said to make its home in the
1167:(1st ed.). Hong Kong: Simon & Schuster.
539:, the last of whom debunked its existence (
64:Learn how and when to remove these messages
1024:"Aelian, Characteristics of Animals, 9.23"
546:book three chapter XV). Modern poets are
241:Learn how and when to remove this message
223:Learn how and when to remove this message
161:Learn how and when to remove this message
1209:Theoi Greek Mythology : Amphisbaena
907:Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
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257:Amphisbaena in an illustration from the
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186:This article includes a list of general
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771:two headed snakes of India are harmless
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671:Amphisbaena devouring a bird on the
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99:adding citations to reliable sources
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1059:. Oxford: Archaeopress. p. 93.
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836:Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
192:it lacks sufficient corresponding
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1099:Mythical-Creatures-and-Beasts.com
1071:"Amphisbaena - All About Dragons"
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1132:Mason, Peter (2012-01-01).
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626:Characteristics of Animals
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1224:Greek legendary creatures
829:Bravely Second: End Layer
1201:Encyclopædia Britannica
1163:Hunt, Jonathan (1998).
1055:Puttock, Sonia (2002).
542:"Pseudodoxia Epidemica"
207:more precise citations.
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23:. For the genus, see
1119:"The Book of Beasts"
874:, while protagonist
556:Percy Bysshe Shelley
95:improve this article
25:Amphisbaena (lizard)
16:Mythological serpent
1075:allaboutdragons.com
488:, meaning "to go".
1229:Legendary serpents
1195:"Amphisbæna"
756:Códice Casanatense
744:The Book of Beasts
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713:Naturalis historia
701:Naturalis historia
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93:Please help
88:verification
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47:Please help
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21:Amphisbaenia
964:Polycephaly
867:The Witcher
800:John Milton
763: 1540
717:lumberjacks
709:common cold
548:John Milton
507:'s head as
446:amphisboena
438:amphisbaina
275:amphisbaena
205:introducing
1218:Categories
1104:2019-02-19
1080:2019-02-19
1040:Polyhistor
1038:"Solinus,
1009:2014-11-30
985:References
938:Elden Ring
870:series by
852:Gallavants
748:T.H. White
715:XXX, 85):
644:Polyhistor
609:, VIII, 85
588:misericord
578:Appearance
450:amphisbona
442:amphisbene
422:ἀμφίσβαινα
412:, plural:
188:references
121:newspapers
50:improve it
969:Ouroboros
920:'s novel
889:Monty Oum
823:La-Mulana
724:full moon
705:arthritis
679:in Poland
492:Mythology
466:anphivena
462:amphivena
261:(c. 1200)
56:talk page
1042:, 27.29"
953:See also
931:Beyblade
652:medieval
637:—
619:—
598:—
521:Nicander
458:amfivena
454:amphista
432:-eating
923:Skyward
893:taijitu
864:, from
788:Inferno
730:Origins
707:or the
663:Habitat
640:Solinus
509:Perseus
484:bainein
434:serpent
424:) is a
201:improve
135:scholar
1239:Medusa
1171:
685:desert
505:Medusa
502:Gorgon
476:amphis
472:words
190:, but
137:
130:
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116:
108:
898:Taiji
783:Dante
767:India
634:ends.
525:Lucan
498:Lucan
470:Greek
464:, or
368:, or
142:JSTOR
128:books
1169:ISBN
884:RWBY
839:and
826:and
754:The
570:and
517:Cato
273:The
114:news
929:In
802:'s
798:In
785:'s
781:In
742:In
675:of
430:ant
97:by
1220::
1198:.
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