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FLOWERS IN GREEK MYTHOLOGY |
Valentine.gr |
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Anemone-Wind
flower
The
name of anemone plant is connected with the ancient myth, telling
the famous love story between Adonis and Aphrodite.
This specific myth inspired great poets like Ovidius or,
much later, Shakespeare, to compose hymns dedicated to love, but
we will only quote the part related to the flower.
According to this myth, when Adonis lived with Aphrodite,
the two lovers would go hunting in the woods. As Adonis chased
game through the forest, the goddess would follow closely behind,
in her swan-driven chariot, dressed as a huntress. Aphrodite's ex-lover,
the god of war Ares, grew jealous of her affair with the mortal.
While his rival was hunting alone, Ares disguised himself as a
boar and attacked Adonis causing him lethal injuries.Adonis used
his spear to strike back to Ares, but was soon gored to death by
the boar's great tusks. Aphrodite hurried to Adonis in her
chariot, but his soul had already descended into the Underworld. In despair, she
sprinkled nectar on Adonis’ wounds.
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As Aphrodite bore her
lover's body out of the woods, crimson anemones sprung up where
each drop of blood and nectar fell onto the earth. It is said that
that the wind which blows the blossoms open, will soon afterwards
blow the petals away; so it is called the Anemone, or Wind Flower,
for that which brings forth its life, ends it.
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Adonis- Pheasant's eye. It
would be an omission not to mention that there is one more flower
by the name of Adonis, which possesses medicinal properties.
However,
it is obvious that the flower the myth refers to is another famous
Greek flower. It is the field poppy, certainly the prince of weeds
with the beautiful red color (Adonis blood).
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Iris-Iris
This
next piece of information is not exactly a legend, but we found it
to be one of the neatest things we read. The flower got its name
from the Greek goddess Iris, goddess of the rainbow. Iris was also
know to be the messenger of Zeus and Hera. Iris would take
messages from "the eye of Heaven" to earth travelling on
the arc of the rainbow. The word iris means "eye of heaven".
It was the name given to the goddess, this flower, and the center
of your eye. This means that each of us carries a piece of heaven
with us.
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