Bestiary: Oyster, Basilisk and Asp
Emblems of treachery and cruelty in mirror-script
Three more bestiary emblems fill this mirror-script page, each headed with the vice it illustrates. The oyster, opening at the full moon, is undone when a crab drops a stone into it, an image of the man ruined by betraying his own secret. The basilisk stands for cruelty and is killed by the weasel armed with rue, while the asp carries sudden death in its teeth and stops its ears with its tail against the charmer.
On this page
Oyster - treachery
When the moon is full the oyster opens fully, and a watching crab throws a stone or straw inside so that it cannot close and becomes the crab's food. So it goes, Leonardo adds, for whoever opens his mouth to tell his secret and falls prey to the indiscreet listener.
Basilisk - cruelty
The basilisk is fled by all serpents. The weasel, using rue, fights and kills it, and a note glosses the rue as standing for virtue.
The asp
The asp carries sudden death in its teeth. So as not to hear the charmer's incantations, it stops its ears with its own tail.