Myths About Flowers - Part one

 Myths About Flowers 

Part one

1. Anemone

Anemone is derived from Greek word anemos, the wind. This flower is also called the Windflower and Pasqueflower . The Metamorphoses of Ovid tells that the plant was created by the goddess Venus when she sprinkled nectar on the blood of her dead lover Adonis.
Story associated with anemone is the most famous story of Greek mythology. Its about VENUS the goddess of Love and beauty and ADONIS a handsome young man loved by VENUS. 

According to Thomas Bulfinch's famous version of story, 
One day Venus was playing with her son Cupid. Suddenly an arrow of Cupid wounded her. Before the wound healed, Venus saw Adonis and fallen in love with him. She was so much in love with Adonis that she even left doing any of his favorite resorts. She was even becoming absent from her Heaven as Adonis was dearer than heaven. She always wanted to follow Adonis and spend time with him.

Adonis was a strong, handsome man and he loved hunting. Venus was afraid of his hunting as she did not want him to put his life in danger. She charged Adonis with her charm too to keep him far from dangerous animals like wolves and bears. 

She said to Adonis that "be brave towards the timid, courage against the courageous is not safe. Please don't expose yourself to the danger and don't put my happiness in risk. Please dont attack the beasts that nature has armed with weapons. you are so precious so you should not put your life into risk. Your youth and beauty that steal my heart will not charm the hearts of lions and bristly boars. Think of their terrible claws and prodigious strength.i hate whole race of them". Then she told him the story of Atalanta and Hippomenes who were changed into lions for their ingratitude to her.

After giving him warning Venus left and Adonis went for hunting. He was so young, strong and brave that he did not bothered her words. During his hunting his dogs roused a wild boar by their barking. Adonis threw his spear to boar. His spear wounded the animal with a side long stroke. The beast became furious and jumped over Adonis. Adonis turned and ran but the boar overtook him and buried his tusks in his side. Adonis died in few moments.

Venus was on her way to Cyprus. In her way she suddenly heared the groans of her beloved. She quickly turned back to earth. As she came near she saw his lifeless blood bathed body. she came near and beat her breast and torn her hair.she said

“Yet theirs shall be but a partial triumph; memorials of my grief shall endure, and the spectacle of your death, my Adonis, and of my lamentations shall be annually renewed.Your blood shall be changed into a flower; that consolation none can envy me.”

Saying this, she sprinkled nectar on his blood. Within an hour there sprang up a flower of bloody hue like pomegranate. But it was short timed like her love. It is also said that wind blown that time and blown the petals away.so it is called anemone or wind flower.

2.Narcissus/ Daffodils

Story of Narcissus is also very famous and interesting story from Greek mythology. Narcissus was a boy. When he was born he was exceptionally beautiful. His parents became afraid of his exceptional beauty and took him to a wise man for advice. The wise man said them not to be afraid, just treat the boy normally so he don't be conscious about his beauty and feel proud. His parents did the same so the boy was unaware of his exceptional beauty.

One day he was travelling to somewhere, he saw a lake and decided to drink some water. While drinking water he saw his reflection which he never bothered before. Just as he carefully observed his face he became surprised about his own beauty and fell in love with himself.

Narcissus watched and watched himself and could not leave the place. He was watching his face, his features , his complexion everything was so beautiful. He was so much busy in watching himself that he was not aware of his surroundings.

One day a young girl from mountains came there. When she saw Narcissus she fell in love with his beauty. She tried to call Narcissus but he was so busy in watching himself that he did not bothered her voice.

After trying so many times, she came near Narcissus and tried to hug him. Narcissus became furious and said her to leave him alone. The girl was so heartbroken. She left the place and went home and started spending her days in grief. 

One day, Nemeses goddess of revenge came to know about this story and decided to punish Narcissus. She went to the place where Narcissus was watching himself into water

with self-adoration and turned him into a flower. Another version of story says that Nemesis make him realize that what he is loving is only a reflection of himself. So realizing this, Narcissus committed suicide. After his death Narcissus flower grown from the place where his body was lying. Narcissus flowers always sprung beside water and watch down their reflection in water like Narcissus.

Refrences:
http://www.shmoop.com/venus-adonis/myth-text.html
http://www.theoi.com/Flora1.html
http://en.wikipedia.org