But in the days of ancient Rome the poor Sea-hare had a far more
terrific reputation. In those dark days of the Empire when no one’s
life was secure against insidious assassination, and when professed
poisoners were at the command of such as could afford to pay their
hire, this mollusk was an essential element of the fatal draught.
“Locusta used it to destroy such as were inimical to Nero; it entered
into the potion which she prepared for the tyrant himself; and Domitian
was accused of having given it to his brother Titus. To search after
the Sea-hare was to render one’s-self suspected; and when Apuleius
was accused of magic, because, forsooth, he had induced a rich widow
to marry him, the principal proof against him was that he had hired
the fishermen to procure him this fearful animal.”[71] He succeeded,
however, in showing, to the satisfaction of his judges, that his object
was merely the gratification of laudable scientific curiosity.