SCORPION. The Scorpion is a small Animal that has a Bladder full of a dangerous Poison: It may be distinguish’d into three Parts; the Head, the Breast, and the Belly. The Head appears to be join’d and continu’d to the Breast: It has two Eyes in the Middle of its Head, and two towards its Extremity, between which come out, as it were, two Arms, which are divided into two, like the Claws of a Lobster. It has eight Legs proceeding from its Breast, every one of which is divided into six Parts, cover’d with Hair, at the End of which are six Talons or Claws. The Belly is divided into seven Rings, from the last of which the Tail proceeds, which is divided into seven little Beads, of which the last is arm’d with a Sting. In some are observed six Eyes, and in others eight may be visibly perceived. The Tail is long, and made after the manner of a String of Beads ty’d End to End, one to another, the last bigger than the others, and something longer, at the End of which are sometimes two Stings, which are hollow, and fill’d with a cold Poison, which it squirts into the Part which it stings. The Scorpion is of a blackish Colour, like Soot; it waddles as it goes, and fixes violently with its Snout, and by its Feet, on such Persons as it seizes upon, so that it cannot be pluck’d off but with Difficulty. There are some that have Wings, like those of Locusts, which fly from one Region to another; and are something like Bats, as is affirmed by Pliny and Strabo. There are also of several Colours: The Antients mention the black ones, yellow, ash-coloured, red, green, white, wine-colour’d, of the Colour of Soot. They say, the Dam brings forth eleven young ones, which are small round Worms, hardly bigger than a Louse: The Mother sits upon them; and we are told, that when they are hatch’d, they kill the Mother that gave them Life. They are more mischievous to Women than Men, and more to Girls than Women. Those which have seven Knots in their Tails are more dangerous than those that have but six.
They tell us, that in cold Countries the Scorpions are not venomous, no more than those that are of a whitish Colour. The best and the surest Remedy against the Bite of a Scorpion, is, to squeeze it to Pieces upon the Wound. Moses tells us,1 that the Hebrews passed through great and terrible Wildernesses, where were Scorpions, and the Serpent call’d Dipsas. Tertullian, at the Beginning of his Book call’d Scorpiacum, has well described the Scorpion. The Hebrew reads Hakarab, or Akrab; from whence is Acrabatene, a Name given to a Canton of Palestine, and the Ascent of Akrabbim, or Scorpions.
In Scripture, Scorpions are used in a figurative Sense, for wicked Men; Thou dost dwell among Scorpions; Thou livest with wicked and rebellious People, says the Lord to Ezekiel. He that hath hold of her, (an evil Wife) is as though he had held a Scorpion, says the Author of Ecclesiasticus: He runs a Hazard of being infected by her Poison. Ezek.ii.6. Ecclus. xxvi. 7. Ecclus. xxxix. 36. Rev. ix. 3,5.The same Author places Scorpions among the Instruments of God’s Vengeance. St. John, in his Revelations, very well describes the Qualities of the Scorpion, and the Pain that proceeds from its Biting: And there came out of the Smoke Locusts upon the Earth, and unto them was given the Power, as the Scorpions of the Earth have Power. And to them it was given that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented five Months. And their Torment was as the Torment of a Scorpion, when he striketh a Man.
Scorpions were also a kind of Whip armed with Points. When the Israelites complained to Rehoboam, of the Weight of the Yoke wherewith Solomon had loaded them, he returned them this Answer;2 My Father hath chastised you with Whips, but I will chastise you with Scorpions; that is, with Rods or Whips armed with Points, or pointed Thorns, like the Tail of a Scorpion. Isidor.
Numbers xxxiv. 4. Josh.xv. 3.The Mountains call’d the Scorpions, or Akrabbim, or Acrabim, were towards the Extremity of the Red Sea, to the South of the Tribe of Judah. As for Acrabatene, lying in the Country of Samaria, and which also took its Name from the Scorpions, or from the Place call’d Akrabbim, see this Word, and ACRABATENE.
1 Macc. vi. 51.Scorpions were also Machines of War, with which Arrows were thrown. The Name of Scorpion was also given to the Arrows themselves. This Machine is thus described by Tertullian, at the Beginning of his Book call’d Scorpiacum: Bellicam machinam, & retractu tela vegetantem, de Scorpio nominant. Id spiculum & fistula est, patula tenuitate in vulnus & virus, quâ figit, effundit. And Vegecius, l. 4. c. 22. Scorpiones dicebantur quos nunc manubalistas vocant: ideò sic nuncupati, quod parvis subtilibusque spiculis, inferant mortem. See Justus Lipsius, l. 3. Poliorcetic. Dialog. 4.
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