Caduceus (English spelling) caduceus [Latin]

Japanese: カドゥケウス（英語表記）caduceus[ラテン]

A magical staff carried by those who convey holy power. The word is thought to be derived from the Greek word karyx (meaning "messenger"), and like the scepter, a symbol of royal authority, it has the power to protect the wielder. Its original form was a wooden branch with two twigs growing from the tip and entwined around the main body, and it seems to have been similar to a divining rod used to find water veins, but later it was shaped like two snakes climbing up the stick. The snake was thought to represent the power of the earth, and Asclepius, the Greek god of medicine, had a staff with snakes entwined around it, which conveyed the healing power of the earth.

Source: Heibonsha World Encyclopedia, 2nd Edition Information

Japanese:

聖なる力を伝える者が携える呪力を持った杖（つえ）。ギリシア語のカリュクスkaryx(〈伝令〉の意)から派生した語と思われ，王権の表象である笏杖（しやくじよう）のように，所持者を守る力がある。本来の形は先端から2本の小枝がのびて本体にからんでいる木の枝で，水脈を探すための占い棒に近い形であったらしいが，後に2匹の蛇が棒をはいあがる形となった。蛇は大地の力をあらわすものと考えられ，ギリシアの医神アスクレピオスは大地的治癒力を伝える蛇のからんだ杖を持っていた。

出典　株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典第２版について　情報

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