- ἔχιδνα
- ἔχιδνα, ης, ἡ (Hes.; Hdt.+; Aq. Is 59:5; TestAbr A; Just., A I, 60, 2; Tat. 18, 2; Ath. 20, 3; loanw. in rabb.) snake, our texts do not permit identification of species, but the term ordinarily suggests a poisonous one: prob. vipera ammodytes, commonly known as sandviper (Diod S 4, 38, 2; Conon [I B.C./I A.D.] Fgm. 1, 8 ; Lucian, Alex. 10; Artem. 2, 13) Ac 28:3 (present-day Malta has no poisonous snakes, but Kephallenia, the site of Paul’s shipwreck as determined by HWarnecke [Romfahrt 145–56], has the species vip. ammod., Romfahrt 108–10; 152–54).—Fig. of persons (Aeschyl., Choeph. 994; Eur., Ion 1262) γεννήματα ἐχιδνῶν brood of vipers (cp. Theophyl. Sim., Ep. 73 τὰ τῆς ἐχίδνης κυήματα; AcPlCor 2:38) Mt 3:7; 12:34; 23:33; Lk 3:7.—OKeller, Die antike Tierwelt II, 1913, 284–557; NHenkel, Studien zum Physiologus im Mittelalter ’76, 181–85 (ancient sources); Pauly-W. III A 1, 1927, 494–57.—B. 194. M-M. TW.
Ελληνικά-Αγγλικά παλαιοχριστιανική Λογοτεχνία. 2015.