Bartholomew says: "The asp is a serpent who is very dangerous because of its bite and venom. It is called 'asp' from 'splashing' (aspergendo), since it injects its deadly venom with its jaws, also splashing it on. The Greeks call its venom ios , as Isidore says [Etymologies 12.4]. Next he says that there are various species of asps, and they have different ways of doing harm."
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