A VIEW OF A NEWLY CAPTURED EGYPTIAN COBRA, IN A STATE OF ATTACK, DURING A HUNTING...

A VIEW OF A NEWLY CAPTURED EGYPTIAN COBRA, IN A STATE OF ATTACK, DURING A HUNTING EXPEDITION IN EGYPT'S WESTERN DESERT. A view of a newly captured Egyptian cobra, in a state of attack, during a hunting expedition in Egypt's Western desert near Cairo June 15, 2002. The cobra, a fast-moving very intelligent and deadly snake, was worshipped in ancient Egypt and used as a symbol on the crown of the pharaohs. According to local legend, Cleopatra asked that the snake, also known as an asp, be delivered to her in a basket of figs. By allowing this symbol of divine royalty to bite her, she believed immortality would follow. Instead, the queen died, leading to another popular legend that she died by her own hand in mourning over her lost Roman lover, Mark Anthony. REUTERS/Aladin Abdel Naby REUTERS