"How and by which figures they represented the age and the years of time. To denote and signify age and the course of time, they depicted the Sun and the Moon, because these are the rule by which they count and discern time. Otherwise, they painted a serpent called the Basilisk covering its tail with the rest of its body, which they painted in gold, and they placed it around their gods. And the reason why it signifies time is that, of the three species of serpents, this one is immortal; and by its mere breath and air it was deadly and made all other beasts die. And because it can kill others and not die itself, they placed it on the head of the gods."
