From Mythos to Logos Plants and Animals

From Mythos to Logos

Basil

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βασιλικός bazilikas manjericão busuioc bazylia

From Mythos to Logos

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Basil info in Italian

Basil Myth in Italian

Greek myths tell about the existence of a mythological creature called "king of snakes" or Basiliscus. It is a small snake, less than twenty centimeters long and the deadliest creature ever. It has the power to kill or petrify with a single direct look into the eyes. This monster can be defeated only by using basil. Since this plant was the only antidote, it took its name. In the Christian tradition the power of basil derives from two legends, one relates that basil was born in a vase which Solomon had buried the head of St. John the Baptist in. The second was found by the mother of the Roman Emperor Constantine, on the site of Christ's Crucifixion.

From Mythos to Logos

Laurel

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δάφνη lauras laurel dafin wawrzyn

Laurel info in Italian

Laurel Myth in Italian

From Mythos to Logos

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Daphne was a young nymph who lived happily, spending her time in the woods hunting. Her life was changed by Apollo and Eros. The legend says that, one day, Apollo, proud to have shot and killed a giant snake at the tender age of four days, meets Eros forging a new bow. Apollo mocked Eros accusing him to never carry out actions worth of glory. The god of love then prepared his revenge: he took two arrows, one destined to reject love, which he launched into the heart of Daphne, and another golden one for Apollo, to make him fall in love violently. From that day Apollo began to wander desperately in search of Daphne. In the end he found her, but Daphne, as soon as she saw him, escaped in fear. The god cried out his love in vain. Daphne, terrified, ran into the woods. Apollo pressed her more and more closely. Daphne called Mother Earth for help and Mother Earth began to transform her body: her hair changed into leaves; her arms rose to the sky becoming branches; her body was covered with tender bark; her feet turned into roots and her delicate face vanished into the fronds of the tree. She changed into laurel.

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From Mythos to Logos

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Mint

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ίνθα mintas hortelã mentă mennica

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From Mythos to Logos

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Mint info in Italian

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Mint Myth in Italian

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Mint (Myntha) was a beautiful nymph born in a river. She lived in a kingdom commanded by Hades. Persephone, jealous of her husband, disliked the union and got angry when Menta threatened her. Hades allowed her to turn into fragrant grass, mint, but Persephone condemned her to sterility, preventing her from producing fruit. Another version of the myth suggests that it was Persephone herself who transformed Mint into a plant. Another version tells that Zeus, in love with Mint, had a rejection from her following a proposal. So for revenge, he turned the nymph into a cold plant just as the beautiful nymph had been with him.

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From Mythos to Logos

Oregano

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ρίγανη origanas origan origan lebiodka

From Mythos to Logos

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Oregano info in Italian

Oregano Myth in Italian

There are two myths that have oregano as their protagonist. The first tells the story of Amaracus, a prince of Cyprus, who loved perfume production and was looking for the perfect perfume. One day he finally created it and decided to take it to the king, but the ampolla, which contained it, unfortunately fell and broke. The prince died of displeasure. The gods, however, had compassion on him and decided to turn it into a plant that had the best scent in the universe that Amaraco had created: oregano.
The second myth is older. He tells that it was Aphrodite who created the oregano and that it made it grow in her gardens, on the slopes of Mount Olympus. Hence the Greek origin of its name, oros ganos, delight of the mountain, chosen for the fragrant grass.

From Mythos to Logos

Rosemary

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δενδρολίβανο rozmarinas alecrim rozmarin rozmaryn

From Mythos to Logos

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Rosemary info in Italian

Rosemary Myth in Italian

Ovid tells that Venus made Apollo madly fall in love with a mortal, an Arab princess, Leucotoe, daughter of the king of Persia, in revenge for Apollo, who had discovered her with Mars. Apollo had no peace, burning with passion. The girl, however, was never alone, so Apollo turned into the mother of the girl and then managed to enter her room. Clizia, a nymph in love with Apollo, in revenge for being rejected, revealed the secret to the young woman's father. He sentenced her to death and had her buried alive. Apollo did not have the powers to bring her back to life and could only use his power with light to penetrate the tomb for Leucotoe. Under the heat of the sun, the remains of the girl slowly turned into a plant with an intense scent, thin leaflets and blue purple flowers.

From Mythos to Logos

Sage

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ΣΟΦΌΣ šalavijas sábio salvie szalwia