植物之神

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植物之神

xw posted on 07/06/2006

植物之神

Anius：Apollo和Creusa之子取Dryope為妻。他們的三個女兒被稱為Oenotropae，酒神Dionysus賦予這三個女兒把清水化為葡萄酒，把任何東西化為麵包和橄欖樹的能力。

Aphrodite：愛神，美神，Zeus和海洋女神Dione之女。學者們認為她原本為豐收女神，奧林波斯神系形成之後，才成了愛神、美神。另外，她或許也曾被奉為海神，因為在海島和海港上普遍信奉Aphrodite。在有些地方還把她作為戰神崇拜。Aphrodite的聖物有海豚、麻雀、鴿子、芍藥、罌粟、蘋果，這些聖物都同她作為海神、豐收之神、愛神有關。在羅馬Aphrodite同當地的豐收和植物女神Venus合在一起。

Aristaeus：古代的農業神。被認為是保護禾苗免受旱災和雹災侵害的神，是牛羊、行人和牧童的保護神。他教人們養蜂，教人們種植葡萄、橄欖。

Astarte：腓尼基的豐產女神，又是保護自然增殖力量的月神，也是保護婚姻和愛情的女神。在古希臘、羅馬時代，常同Aphrodite相混。

Athena：是智慧女神。她還發明了犛和耙，馴服了牛羊，因此她又是農業和園藝的保護神。

Attis（Atys）：福律癸亞的自然之神。關於他最古的傳說是同信奉神母Cybele（福律癸亞的女神，為天上萬物和地上萬物之母，她使大地回春，五穀豐收。）聯繫著的。Cybele原為男性，但被神閹割而變成女性。被閹割掉的東西落地化為扁桃樹。自然女神Nana吃了這棵樹上的扁桃，懷孕生下了Attis。Attis長成為美少年，又被Cybele所愛。後來Attis愛上一個凡間少女，Cybele就使他發瘋，自己閹割了自己。Zeus把Attis化為松林，他流的血則化為紫羅蘭。在為Attis所舉行的埋葬儀式中，一截松樹算是Attis的屍體。

Ceres：羅馬神話中，古代意大利專司糧食豐收的女神，同忒盧斯近似。Ceres很早就同Demeter混同起來。

Chloe：Demeter作為農作物幼苗保護神的稱號，其意義為“綠色的”。而Chloris則是希臘神話東的春和花之女神，在羅馬神話中叫Flora。

Consus：最初大約是古羅馬的糧食神，後同Neptunus混同在一起。對他的貢品是第一批收獲的水果，參加他的慶典的驢、馬都要飾以花環。

Cyparissus：Telephus之子，為Apollo所寵愛。Cyparissus因誤殺自己喜愛的鹿，悲痛不能自己，Apollo因此把他化為柏樹。在希臘語中〝Cyparissus〞即為柏樹的意思。柏樹被認為是哀樹，多在墓地上栽植。

Demeter：豐收和農業女神，神母，Zeus的姐姐，並和Zeus生了Persephone。古代農民都信奉地神。在希臘，還在邁錫尼時代就有對地神崇拜。人們認為大地是生命之源，萬物之母，而萬物最終又要歸於大地。起初地神是包攬一切的神，隨著宗教思想的發展，才出現了Demeter。開始Demeter大蓋只掌管土地的豐收，以後成了農業的保護神。由於農業是農民定居和安樂的基礎，因而Demeter又成了立法、家庭和婚姻的保護神。隨著農業地位的提高，對Demeter的崇拜也大為發瘋。在公元前6-5世紀，Demeter在奧林波斯的神族佔有重要的地位。

Demeter的女兒Persephone被冥王劫走後，Demeter一氣之下來到人間，做了Triptolemus的保母，後來她贈以Triptolemus麥穗，教會了他耕種，並要他教人民稼穡（也有說Demeter贈給Triptolemus一輛巨龍牽引的神車，讓他乘著這輛車到處傳播農業技術）。有許多神話說，Demeter親自教人民稼穡。有的神話說Demeter是海神Poseidon的妻子。海神代表水，農業離不開水。

自從Demeter到凡間之後就放棄了對大地的管理，因而大地荒蕪，神祇也享用不到祭品。於是Zeus就要求冥王放回Persephone，冥王不敢違抗，但他先讓Persephone吃了一粒冥界的石榴子，這樣她就不能完全脫離冥界。一年間有四分之三的時間Persephone同Demeter在一起，這時大地上春暖花開，萬物生長。另有四分之一的時間Persephone要回到冥界去，這時Demeter放棄了對大地農事的管理，大地即為冬天的景像。向Demeter的祭品有公牛、母牛、豬、水果、蜂房、果樹、禾穗、罌粟。古代造型藝術中的Demeter和Hera相似，只是相貌比較和善，手執火炬和果籃，多是和Persephone在一起。有時同Triptolemus在一起。關於Persephone的神話反映了原始人對一年四季變化的認識。

Dionysus：希臘神話中的植物神和酒神，傳說他是Zeus和Semele之子。在普通人民中他是極受重視的。關於他的傳說中提到，他曾登上一條海盜船，被海盜們釘上銬鐐，準備當奴隸賣掉，但是銬鐐卻自行脫落，船桅四周長出了長春藤，從船帆上垂下了葡萄藤。另外，他也曾向厄利斯、敘利亞、亞細亞、印度、歐州等地的人傳授種植葡萄和釀酒的知識，並從地下引出葡萄酒泉、牛奶泉、蜂蜜泉，創造了很多奇蹟。

參加Dionysus祭祀遊行的婦女通常頭戴長春藤冠，身穿獸皮，手拿神杖（杖上也纏著長春藤，杖的頂端綴著松球），帶著寶劍、銅?。最初Dionysus只是豐收之神，到了希臘的古典時代，Dionysus才成了酒神，對他的祭祀變成了無節制的狂歡暴飲。在雅典的民主時期，葡萄成了主要作物之一，因此信奉Dionysus遂成了國家的規定。Dionysus作為植物神，後來同特?刻的植物神Sabazius合在一起。也同羅馬神話中的Liber，意大利的葡萄和豐收之神合在一起（Liber之妻為Libera，是羅馬神話中的植物女神）。

Dryades：希臘神話中的樹神。古希臘神相信Dryades同樹木同生死，認為凡是愛護樹木的人都受到Dryades的特別保護。在後人的詩歌中，Dryades常作為“樹木”的代名詞。

Dryope：為Apollo生子Amphissus。當Amphissus還是個嬰兒時，一次Dryope折了一枝蓮花哄他玩，這枝蓮花原為蓮花女神幻化而成，被折斷後它發抖而且流血。Dryope驚走，結果被變成忘憂樹。據另一傳說，她被自然女神帶走，化為山泉女神。在她消失的地方長出一株白楊。

Erechtheus：大概是古代的農業神，以後同Poseidon合在了一起。傳說女神雅典娜把他養長大。

Erysichthon：傳說他為了修蓋房屋而砍伐了女神Demeter的聖林（一說砍伐了Demeter最寵愛的女神Dryades（樹神）的橡樹），Demeter警告他，他卻置若罔聞，因此神用饑餓懲罰他，餓得他吃了全家，最後吃自己的肉而死。

Europa：前希臘時期的農業神。

Faunus：羅馬神話中的森林和田野之神，牧群和牧人的保護者，相當於希臘神話中的Pan。

Feronia：春和花之女神，被認為是獲得釋放的奴隸的保護者。在羅馬，信奉Feronia同信奉Libera（本為意大利的葡萄和豐收之神）、Venus（最初大約是拉丁地區的果園豐收女神，其別名穆耳忒亞或穆耳客亞可能源自拉丁文的“山桃”一詞）、Flora（古意大利的百花和青春女神，是古代地方性的農業神祇之一，在現代西語中Flora成了植物學名詞指某一地區的植物群）合在了一起。人們常在她的聖廟附近開闢市場，把首批鮮果獻給她。

Fortuna：在羅馬神話中起初是土地耕作女神、豐收的保護者和婦女之神。

Gaea（Ge）：希臘神話中的地神，大地的化身，還是豐收之神。

Hades：希臘神話中的冥王，他的妻子是Demeter的女兒Persephone，但Hades是一個不忠實的丈夫，他愛上了自然女神明托，結果明托被Persephone化成薄荷草，Hades又愛上了女神琉刻，琉刻死後被變成了白楊。

Hera：Zeus的姐姐和妻子，也像Zeus一樣，能行雲佈雨，握有霹靂和閃電，她掌握著五穀的豐歉。她的使女是四季諸女神Horae和霓虹女神Iris。

Hyacinthus：原為前希臘的植物神，其形象為一美少年，得到Apollo和風神Zephyrus的喜愛，在擲鐵餅的遊戲中，Zephyrus使Apollo誤擊Hyacinthus，Hyacinthus因此流血過多而死。他血染的地方長出了悼念他的風信子花，花瓣上還有“AIAI”的斑紋。Hyacinthus的神話是死後化為植物的神話之一。

Iamus：Apollo和厄瓦德涅之子，預言家。出生後即被母親丟棄在紫羅蘭花叢中的床上，後來被發現時，有幾條蛇正用紫羅蘭花蜜餵養他。“Iamus”在古希臘文中即為“紫羅蘭”之意。

Icarius：一位雅典人，他熱情的接待了Dionysus。Dionysus為了表示感謝，贈給他一皮囊葡萄酒，並傳給他釀酒術。

Leucothea：為Apollo所愛，Apollo在她死後把她變為香料樹。

Linus：傳說中的一位早夭的美少年，也像Narcissus、Hyllus、Hyacinthus一樣，象徵植物的枯萎。起初，Linus也許就是某種花的名稱。

Narcissus：為一美少年，回聲女神厄科愛上了Narcissus，但Narcissus拒絕了她，致使回聲女神憔悴而死，其它自然女神為了報復，讓Narcissus愛上自己水中的影子，最後也使他得不到所愛的對象憔悴而死，死後被神化為水仙花。

Nectar：瓊液，眾神飲用的飲料，能使神長生不死，永保青春。

Odysseus：希臘神話傳說中最著名的英雄之一，Trojan War的參加者。戰爭結束後，與同伴在返航的過程中經過食棗人國（據說在北非），這裡棗子比蜜還甜，食後就忘記自己的家鄉。後來在返航的途中遭受攻擊，逃到太陽神的女兒、女巫Circe的島（在意大利西面），Odysseus的同伴被女巫變成了豬，Odysseus靠神使Hermes的指點，手裏拿著黑莖白花的“魔力草”才倖免於難。

Persephone：冥界的王后，也是豐產女神。隨著農業的發展，豐產女神又逐漸成了定居生活的保護神。在古典藝述中，Persephone的形象有兩個：一是作為冥后，她同Hades在一起，一手執火炬，一手執石榴；另一個作為豐產女神，她是一位少女，手執禾穗或者正在採花。

Phaethon：為太陽神Helios的兒子，要求Helios讓他駕日車，卻因控制不當而造成大地的災難，Zeus為此用雷電把他打入厄里達諾斯河。Phaethon的姐妹們哀痛Phaethon之死，傷心站在河邊，結果都變成了白楊樹。

Philemon：Baucis之夫，這對夫婦由於熱情接待Zeus和Hermes，為此，神賜給他們長壽，並在他們死後把他們化為橡樹和菩提樹。

Pilumnus：古羅馬的農業神，Picumnus的兄弟。Pilumnus的職司是掌管把糧食變成麵粉，以後兄弟二人都成了新生兒的保護神。

Pomona：羅馬神話中的果樹女神，為果園之神Vertumnus之妻。

Priapus：Dionysus和Aphrodite之子（也有說是Adonis和Hermes之子），果園、田野之神，也是牧羊、釀酒、果園種植和捕魚的保護神。他的神像是一個大鬍子男人，身穿長衣，胸前掛著果子，多見於果樹園或葡萄園裡。

Prometheus：據說Zeus為了懲罰人類，把火藏起來，用泥土製人的Prometheus則盜天火送給人類。關於如何盜取天火有兩種說法，一說當太陽神Helios駕著太陽車從空中駛過時，Prometheus把一根禾本的茴香乾，伸到太陽車的火燄裡引來了火種；另一說他來到愛琴海的愣諾斯火山島，從火神Hephaestus的鐵工廠裡偷了一小塊燃燒的木片，藏在蘆葦管裡帶到人間。

Robigus（Robigo）：古羅馬的五穀枯萎病神，人們想像他的形象是一隻紅毛狗或狐貍。

Staphylus：酒神Dionysus和Ariadne之子，最得Dionysus的寵愛。他發明了葡萄酒並把這項技術傳給了Oeneus。

Thyrsus： Dionysus和他的伴侶的神杖，上面纏著常春藤和葡萄葉，頂端冠以松果。

Vertumnus：羅馬神話中原意大利厄特汝斯卡地區的果林和土地耕作之神，果農要把收獲的第一個果子獻給他。

Zeus：其聖樹為橡樹。歐洲有一段時期，森林主要為混合橡樹林。

• Reply

  Re: 植物之神
  #1 lucy posted on 07/06/2006
  Thanks.
  
  
  How about Hebe
  
  
  "I am no worshipper of Hygia, who was the daughter of that old herb-doctor Asclepius ... but rather of Hebe ... who had the power of restoring gods and men to the vigour of youth. She was probably the only thoroughly sound-conditioned, healthy, and robust young lady that ever walked the globe, and whenever she came it was spring." [Henry David Thoreau 1817-1862, Walden]
  
  
  
• Reply | Tags

  Re: 植物之神
  #2 浮生 posted on 07/06/2006
  从这些植物神名来的，或有关的一些英文词：
  
  
  cereal
  1832, "grass yielding edible grain," originally an adj. (1818), from Fr. céréale, from L. Cerealis "of grain," originally "of Ceres," from Ceres
  
  
  Alma Mater
  1398, from L., lit. "bountiful mother," title Romans gave to goddesses, especially Ceres and Cybele, from alma, fem. of almus "nourishing," from alere "to nourish" (see old) + mater "mother."
  
  
  chlorine
  coined 1810 by Sir Humphry Davy from Gk. khloros "pale green" (see Chloe). Named for its color.
  
  
  cypress
  c.1175, from O.Fr. cipres, from L. cyparissus, from Gk. kyparissos, from an unknown pre-Greek Mediterranean language. Perhaps related to Heb. gopher, name of the tree whose wood was used to make the ark (Gen. vi.14).
  
  
  European
  1603, from L. Europa "Europe," from Gk. Europe, often explained as "broad face," from eurys "wide" + ops "face." Klein suggests a possible Sem. origin in Akkad. erebu "to go down, set" (in reference to the sun) which would parallel orient (q.v.)
  
  
  fauna
  1771, collective name for animals of a certain region or time, from L.L. Fauna, a Roman fertility goddess, wife, sister, or daughter (or some combination thereof) of Faunus.
  
  
  flora
  1777, "the plant life of a region or epoch," from L. Flora Roman goddess of flowers, from flos (gen. floris)
  related: florid, flourish, flower
  
  
  fortune
  c.1300, "chance, luck as a force in human affairs," from O.Fr. fortune (12c.), from L. fortuna
  
  
  iris
  1387, "prismatic rock crystal," from L. iris (pl. irides) "iris of the eye, iris plant, rainbow," from Gk. iris (gen. iridos) "a lily, iris of the eye," originally "messenger of the gods," personified as the rainbow. The eye region was so called (1525 in Eng.) for being the colored part.
  related: iridescent
  1796, coined from L. iris (gen. iridis) "rainbow"
  
  
  narcissism
  1905, from Ger. Narzissismus, coined 1899 by N?cke [in "Die sexuellen Perversit?ten"], on a comparison first suggested 1898 by Havelock Ellis, from Gk. Narkissos, beautiful youth in mythology (Ovid, "Metamorphosis," iii.370) who fell in love with his own reflection in a spring and was turned to the flower narcissus
  
  
  nectarine
  type of peach with smooth skin, 1616, noun use of adj. meaning "of or like nectar" (1611)
  
  
  person
  c.1225, from O.Fr. persone "human being" (12c., Fr. personne), from L. persona "human being," originally "character in a drama, mask," possibly borrowed from Etruscan phersu "mask." This may be related to Gk. Persephone.
  
  
  phaeton
  type of light four-wheeled carriage, 1742, from Fr. (1735), from Gk. Phaethon
  
  
  priapic
  "phallic," 1786, from Priapus, from Gk. Priapos, son of Dionysus and Aphrodite, the god who personified male reproductive power.
  
  
  thyrsus
  1591, from Gk. thyrsos, lit. "stalk or stem of a plant," a non-Gk. word of unknown origin. The staff or spear tipped with an ornament like a pine cone, and sometimes wreathed in ivy or vine branches, borne by Dionysus and his votaries.
  related: torso
  1797, from It. torso "trunk of a statue," originally "stalk, stump," from V.L. *tursus, from L. thyrsus "stalk, stem," from Gk. thyrsos
  
  
  zephyr
  1369, from O.E. Zefferus, from L. Zephyrus, from Gk. Zephyros "the west wind"
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  Re: 植物之神
  #3 xw posted on 07/07/2006
  lucy wrote:
  Thanks.
  How about Hebe
  "I am no worshipper of Hygia, who was the daughter of that old herb-doctor Asclepius ... but rather of Hebe ... who had the power of restoring gods and men to the vigour of youth. She was probably the only thoroughly sound-conditioned, healthy, and robust young lady that ever walked the globe, and whenever she came it was spring." [Henry David Thoreau 1817-1862, Walden]
  
  
  这一段给海子灵感的，这一首《给萨福》可以见出：
  
  
  给萨福
  --------------------------------------
  作者：海子
  
  
  　　美丽如同花园的女诗人们
  　　互相热爱 坐在谷仓中
  　　用一只嘴唇摘取另一只嘴唇
  
  
  　　我听见青年中时时传言道： 萨福
  
  
  　　一只失群的
  　　钥匙下的绿鹦
  　　一样的名字。盖住
  　　我的杯子
  　　托斯卡尔的美丽的女儿
  　　草药和黎明的女儿
  　　执杯者的女儿
  
  
  　　你野花
  　　的名字。
  　　就象蓝色冰块上
  　　淡蓝色水清的溢出
  
  
  　　萨福萨福
  　　红色的云缠在头上
  　　嘴唇染红了每一卡飞过的鸟儿
  　　你散着身体香味的
  　　鞋带被风吹断
  
  
  ===
  
  
  只是托斯卡尔的美丽的女儿，这托斯卡尔我一直找不到来历。另外，黎
  明的女儿我也未能深解。至于Asclepius的女儿Hygia，我当年在希腊
  是寻思过一回的……写了一首未完成的诗。
  
  
  很喜欢这“执杯者的女儿”雕塑。
  
  
  《瓦尔登湖》中还有一段出神之笔，比如：
  
  
  I read in the Gulistan, or Flower Garden, of Sheik Saadi of Shiraz, that "They
  asked a wise man, saying; of the many celetrated trees which the most hight God
  has created lofty and unbrageous, they call non azad, or free, excepting the
  cypress, which bears no fruit; what mystery is there in this? He replied;
  Each has its appropriate produce, and appointed season, during the continuance
  of which it is fresh and blooming, and during their absence dry and withered;
  to neither of which states is the cypress exposed, being always flourishing;
  and of this nature are the azads, or religious independents. - Fix not thy heart
  on that which is transitory; for the Dijlah, or Tigris, will contiue to flow
  through Bagdad after the race of caliphs is extinct: if thy had has plenty, be
  liberal as the date tree; but if it affords nothing to give away, be an azad, or
  free man, like the cypress."
  
  
  汉译：
  
  
  我在设拉子的希克萨迪的《花园》中，读到“他们询问一个智者说，在至尊之神种
  植的美树的高大华盖中，没有一枝被称为Azad，自由，只除了柏树，柏树却不结果，
  这里面有什么神秘？他回答道，各自都有它适当的生产，一定的季节，适时则茂郁
  而开 花，不当时令它们便干枯而萎谢；柏树不属于这些，它永远苍翠，具有这种本
  性的得称 为Azad，宗教的独立者。──你的心不要固定在变幻的上面，因为Dijlah，
  底格利斯河， 在哈里发绝种以后，还是奔流经过巴格达的；如果你手上很富有，要
  像枣树一样慷慨自由；可是，如果你没有可给的呢，做一个Azad，自由的人，像柏
  树一样吧。”
  
  
  ===
  
  
  这里面的cypress树，上面植物的神中有来历的，奥维德《变形记》第
  十章中：
  
  
  The Story of Cyparissus
  
  
  There was a deer, whom the Carthean nymphs
  Held sacred, a great stag, whose spreading antlers
  Were his own shade-tree. Golden shone those horns,
  And round his glossy neck a string of jewels
  Fell to his shoulders, and a silver bubble,
  Fastened with little straps, gleamed on his forehead,
  With earrings, made of bronze, at either temple.
  He had no fear at all, would enter houses,
  Let even unfamiliar people pet him,
  But most of all he was fond of Cyparissus,
  The handsomest youth in Cea. Cyparissus
  Would lead the animal to the green pastures,
  Beside the running brooks, wreathe garlands for him
  Of many-colored flowers, or ride him, bareback,
  Guiding him gently with the crimson bridle.
  One summer noon-day, when the heat of the sun
  Held hot around the seashore, the deer was Iying,
  Tired, with his body on the grassy ground,
  Under a tree's cool shadow, and Cyparissus
  Shot him, by some ill luck, with pointed arrow,
  And as he saw him dying from the wound,
  Wanted to die himself. Apollo offered
  Such consolation as he could, advised him
  To keep his grief within some proper limit,
  But he kept grieving still, and prayed the gods,
  As a last boon, to let him grieve forever.
  And his blood grew thin from that incessant weeping,
  His limbs were green in color, and the hair
  Over his snowy forehead, bristled, roughened
  Like any bush, rose, tapering, toward Heaven.
  Apollo spoke in sorrow: "I shall mourn you,
  As you shall mourn for others, an attendant
  On all who mourn their dead." And still he cypress
  Remains a tree of mourning.
  
  
  ===
  
  
  Rolfe Humphries译。色拉子我写过一组诗，在这里：
  
  
  http://www.mayacafe.com/forum/topic1.php3?tkey=1109700144
  我再把Hebe那一段英文的中译转过来，以享不英文的朋友：
  
  
  ---
  我并不崇拜那司健康之女神，她是爱斯库拉彼斯这古老的草药医师的女儿，在纪念碑上，她一手拿了一条蛇，另一只手拿了一个杯子，而蛇时常喝杯中的水；我宁可崇拜朱庇特的执杯者希勃，这青春的女神，为诸神司酒行觞，她是朱诺和野生莴苣的女儿，能使神仙和人返老还童。她也许是地球上出现过的最健康、最强壮、身体最好的少女，无论她到哪里，那里便成了春天。
  
  
  ==
  
  
  谢谢lucy的青春女神和浮生的植物英文！
• Reply

  Re: 植物之神
  #4 Susan posted on 07/07/2006
  
  
  xw wrote:>
  
  
  Leucothea：為Apollo所愛，Apollo在她死後把她變為香料樹。
  
  
  I think she is pursued/raped by Helios (Phaethon's father) the Sun God, not Apollo the Sun God. Helios and Apollo are used ambiguously or even interchangeably, but they have distinctive characters and different collection of girlfriends. :-)
  
  
• Reply | Tags

  Re: 植物之神
  #5 xw posted on 07/07/2006
  Susan wrote:
  xw wrote:> Leucothea：為Apollo所愛，Apollo在她死後把她變為香料樹。
  I think she is pursued/raped by Helios (Phaethon's father) the Sun God, not Apollo the Sun God. Helios and Apollo are used ambiguously or even interchangeably, but they have distinctive characters and different collection of girlfriends. :-)
  yes, you're right. In Metamorphoses book IV, it's called
  sun-god, but, book I, it's called 'Appollo and Daphne'...
  
  
  Here is it:
  
  
  The Sun-god and Leucothoe
  
  
  "But Venus never
  Forgot that spy, and took her vengeance on him.
  She had her turn at getting even, spoiling
  A love affair for him, the one who spoiled
  A love affair for her. Of what avail
  Was all that beauty, brightness, radiant light?
  The god, whose fire lights all the world, was burning
  Himself with foreign fire. The god, who should have
  Looked equally on all created creatures,
  Saw nothing but one girl, Leucothoe,
  Turning on her alone the eyes, whose province
  Belonged to all the world. He would rise too early
  From the Eastern sky, would sink too late to Ocean,
  Would lengthen the winter hours by long delaying
  To look at her, sometimes would fail entirely
  Because the darkness in the heart turned outward,
  A darkness terrible to human beings.
  That was no wanness from the moon's reflection
  Between him and the earth; it was love that caused it.
  He loved Leucothoe alone: Clymene
  Held him no longer, nor that girl of Rhodes,
  Nor Circe's lovely mother, nor even Clytie,
  Scorned but devoted still, wounded, and loving.
  All were forgotten for the sake of her,
  Leucothoe, whose mother was the fairest
  In all that land of aromatic fragrance,
  Eurynome, her name was, and her daughter
  Grew up to be more beautiful than her mother,
  As much so as her mother outshone all others.
  King Orchamus, her father, seventh in line
  From ancient Belus, ruled the Persian cities.
  
  
  Under the Western skies the meadows lie
  Where the Sun's horses feed. No common grass
  Regales them, but ambrosia, so their bodies
  Tired from their daily toil take strength again,
  New every morning. While they were tethered here,
  And The Moon went her rounds, the Sun-god entered
  The room of his beloved, putting on
  Eurynome's appearance. He saw the girl
  Among a dozen handmaids, spinning wool,
  Gave her the kind of kiss a mother might have,
  Adding: 'We have a little private business:
  Go away, girls!' And they obeyed; the room
  Was left without a witness. Then the Sun-god
  Revealed himself: 'I am the one who measures
  The long year out, I see all things, and all men
  See everything through me, the eye of the world.
  I love you; do not doubt it.' She was frightened,
  Let fall the spindle and distaff, but even her fright
  Was most becoming. He delayed no longer,
  Turned to his true appearance, the bright splendor,
  And she, still fearful of the sudden vision,
  Won over by that shining, took his passion
  With no complaint.
  
  
  "But Clytie, jealous, burning
  No less for the Sun-god's love, and spurred by anger
  Over this rival, made the affair as public
  As ever she could, and went to special trouble
  To tell Leucothoe's father. He had no pity,
  He would not heed her prayers, her arms, uplifted
  To the light of the sun, her cry He made me do it!
  Deep in the earth he buried her and gave her
  For tomb a heavy weight of sand. The Sun-god
  Burned part of this away, so the poor girl
  Might lift her head, and breathe, but all too late.
  Leucothoe was only a lifeless body
  Smothered and crushed. No sight more pitiful
  Had dimmed the Sun-god's eyes since Phaethon
  Fell to his blazing death. He tried in vain
  With all the strength of his warm rays to bring
  Her death-cold limbs to life again, and found
  Fate was too powerful for all his trying,
  And so, on body and ground he sprinkled nectar,
  And mourned for her. 'But still you will reach Heaven,'
  He said, and the body, under the heavenly nectar,
  Melted away, and filled the earth around
  With aromatic fragrance. And a shrub
  Arose, the frankincense, with roots deep-driven
  Into the earth, and the crest rising slowly
  Above the burial-mound.
  
  
  "And as for Clytie,
  Love might have been a reason for her sorrow,
  And sorrow for her telling tales, but never
  Would the light-giver come to her again
  To use her in the way of love, and so,
  Since she was used to love, and almost crazy
  For lack of it, she pined away; she hated
  Her sisters; under the open sky, by day,
  By night, she sat alone, bareheaded,
  Naked, unkempt. For nine whole days she sat there,
  With neither food nor drink, her hunger wanting
  Nothing but dew and tears, unstirred, unstirring.
  But still she watched his going, and her gaze
  Followed him on his way across the Heaven.
  Her limbs took root, and her wan color changed
  To a wan leafing, with a little brightness
  Where once her face had been; she was a flower,
  Rooted, but turning always toward the sunlight,
  Changed, but forever keeping love unchanging."
  
  
  ===
  
  
  Leucothoë now is a famous plant genus:
  
  
  
• Reply | Tags

  Re: 植物之神
  #6 lucy posted on 07/07/2006
  Thank you very much, 浮生 xw
  Very interesting!!!
  It is so good since I am always fascinated by Greek Gods and I also love plants.
  
  
  I have read xw's 石榴子果園. Where can we read more of your poem? Thanks.
  
  
  I love two plants because of their name.
  Yesterday Today and Tomorrow
  The Yesterday-Today-and-Tomorrow shrub from Brazil likes to show off 3 different colors of flowers during mid-winter. First blooms are deep lilac which turn to light lavender and finish with a fade to white. Hence the names yesterday = deep lilac, today = lavender and tomorrow = white. The flowers are fragrant too
  
  
  
  Black-eyed Susan
  Black-eyed Susan or yellow daisy, North American daisylike wildflower (Rudbeckia hirta) of the family Asteraceae (aster family) with yellow rays and a dark brown center. It is a weedy biennial or annual and grows in dry places. The black-eyed Susan and the other rudbeckias are also called yellow coneflowers.
  
  
  
• Reply

  Re: 植物之神
  #7 xw posted on 07/09/2006
  I have read xw's 石榴子果園. Where can we read more of your poem? Thanks.
  thanks for your read.
  
  
  most of my poems are in Cafe, search 'xw' you'll find them.
  
  
  old pieces...
• Reply
  Re: 植物之神
  #8 July posted on 01/11/2009