Čini se da su zmija i štap bili odvojeni simboli koji su spojeni u nekom trenutku razvoja Eskulapovog
kulta.
Značaj zmije tumačen je na mnogo načina; ponekad se obnavljanje kože zmije naglašava kao simbol
pomlađivanja, dok se druge ocjene usredotočuju na zmiju kao simbol koji ujedinjuje i izražava
dvostruku prirodu rada lijekara-apotekara, koji se bavi životom i smrću; bolešću i zdravljem.
Dvosmislenost zmije kao simbola i proturječnosti za koje se smatra da predstavlja, odražavaju
dvosmislenost upotrebe lijekova, koji mogu pomoći ili štetiti, kao što se odražava u značenju izraza
pharmakon, što znači, „lijek“, ali i „otrov“. Međutim, riječ može postati manje dvosmislena kada se
„lijek“ shvati kao nešto što liječi onoga koji ga uzima jer truje ono što ga boluje, što znači da je lijek
osmišljen da nešto ubije ili otjera, a svako iscjeljenje događa se kao rezultat toga što je ta stvar
nestala, a ne kao izravni efekat „lijeka“.
Za proizvode dobivene iz tijela zmija znalo se da imaju ljekovita svojstva u antičko doba, Smatra se da
je zmijski otrov u nekim slučajevima „propisivan“ kao oblik terapije.
Štap je također različito tumačen. Jedno gledište je da je, poput zmije, „prenosio predodžbe o
uskrsnuću i iscjeljenju“, dok je drugo da je štap bio štap za hodanje povezan s putujućim liječnicima.
Cornutus, grčki filozof koji je djelovao u prvom stoljeću n. e., u Theologiae Graecae Compendium (Ch.
33) nudi sljedeće tumačenje simbola zmije i štapa:
„Eskulap je svoje ime dobio po umirujućem liječenju i po odgađanju uvenuća koje dolazi sa smrću. Iz
tog razloga, dakle, oni mu daju zmiju kao atribut, ukazujući da oni koji se koriste medicinskom
znanošću prolaze kroz proces sličan zmiji u tome što oni, takoreći, ponovno rastu mladi nakon bolesti i
odstranjuju starost; također zato što je zmija znak pažnje, a čega je mnogo potrebno u medicinskim
tretmanima. Čini se da je i štap simbol neke slične stvari. Jer pomoću ovoga nam je stavljeno pred um
da ako ne budemo poduprti takvim znanjima kao što su ovi, što se tiče stalnog padanja u bolest,
posrnuvši, pali bismo čak i prije nego što je potrebno.“
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The serpent and the staff appear to have been separate symbols that were combined at some point
in the development of the Asclepian cult.
The significance of the serpent has been interpreted in many ways; sometimes the shedding of skin
and renewal is emphasized as symbolizing rejuvenation, while other assessments center on the
serpent as a symbol that unites and expresses the dual nature of the work of the Apothecary
Physician, who deals with life and death, sickness and health. The ambiguity of the serpent as a
symbol, and the contradictions it is thought to represent, reflect the ambiguity of the use of drugs,
which can help or harm, as reflected in the meaning of the term pharmakon, which meant
“medicine”, and “poison” in ancient Greek. However, the word may become less ambiguous when
“medicine” is understood as something that heals the one taking it because it poisons that which
afflicts it, meaning medicine is designed to kill or drive away something and any healing happens as a
result of that thing being gone, not as a direct effect of “medicine”.
Products deriving from the bodies of snakes were known to have medicinal properties in ancient
times, and in ancient Greece, at least some were aware that snake venom that might be fatal if it
entered the bloodstream could often be imbibed. Snake venom appears to have been ‘prescribed’ in
some cases as a form of therapy.
The rod has also been variously interpreted. One view is that it, like the serpent, “conveyed notions
of resurrection and healing”, while another is that the staff was a walking stick associated with
itinerant physicians.
Cornutus, a Greek philosopher probably active in the first century CE, in the Theologiae Graecae
Compendium (Ch. 33) offers a view of the significance of both snake and rod:
„Asclepius derived his name from healing soothingly and from deferring the withering that comes
with death. For this reason, therefore, they give him a serpent as an attribute, indicating that those
who avail themselves of medical science undergo a process similar to the serpent in that they, as it
were, grow young again after illnesses and slough off old age; also because the serpent is a sign of
attention, much of which is required in medical treatments. The staff also seems to be a symbol of
some similar thing. For by means of this it is set before our minds that unless we are supported by
such inventions as these, in so far as falling continually into sickness is concerned, stumbling along we
would fall even sooner than necessary. “