Siren, Rochester Bestiary, c.1230

The mythical venomous siren serpent is said by the Rochester Bestiary to run even faster than horses and also to fly.

Transcription

Translation

In arabia autem serpentes albi sunt cum alis que si-
rene vocantur. que etiam plus currunt ab equis
sed etiam et volare dicuntur. Quorum virus tan-
tum est; ut mors ante morsum insequatur; quam dolor;

In Arabia there are white snakes with wings called sirens, which run even faster than horses, but are also said to fly. Their venom is so much that death follows after the bite and before the pain.