[4] Erasmus , Adages (16th century), translates the Greek proverb: Serpens ni edat serpentem, draco non fiet . [5] Attributed to Pliny the Elder ( Natural History , c. 77-79 AD) by Richard Brathwaite, [6] but Robert Nares believes Brathwaite is mistaken. [3] A search of the text returns many remarks on