Anguilla, fœ. gen. Plin. A fish comming without generation or spaune, only ingendred of the slime of the earth: an ecle.Anguilla est, elabitur.There is no holde to be had of him.
Lewis and Short: Latin dictionary
anguilla, ae, f.dim. [anguis, Varr. L. L. 5, 77 Müll.; but it may be directly con. with Gr. e)/gxelus; v. anguis], an eel.I.Lit.: Muraena anguilla, Linn.; Plin. 9, 21, 38, 74 al.; Juv. 5, 103.—II.Trop.: anguilla est, elabitur, he is an eel; he slips away, is a slippery fellow, prov. of a sly man, Plaut. Ps. 2, 4, 56.—III.The hard skin of an eel, used as a whip in schools, Verr. ap. Plin. 9, 23, 39; Isid. Orig. 5, 27.