DiotimosReading Desk

Serpents and intermediary worms in the revival legend

serpente; serpens; serpentes; serpentum; vermiculi; vermiculos; vermium; vermes; Serpens; vermiculus

The serpent narrative claims that fragments become little worms or fish-spawn-like forms and eventually many serpents through putrefaction.

From the book

Nine Books on the Nature of Things

Attributed to Paracelsus · Diotimos Editions · 2026

Browse this book’s lexicon →

Meaning

The serpent narrative claims that fragments become little worms or fish-spawn-like forms and eventually many serpents through putrefaction. The distinction between the original serpent and the smaller intermediary forms matters: the text is not merely describing one cut animal rejoining unchanged. Note 59 treats the account as legendary and alchemical argument. Its numerical multiplication is part of the claimed marvel, not established reproductive biology.

Places to read

  1. Book 6 · Resuscitation · Passage 5Latin“in forma parvorum vermium vel ut semen piscium”