Gardening and Mythology


© Howard Deutch
Articles in this Topic    Discussions in this Topic
Page 3
always Bulfinch's Mythology.. One thing about Bullfinch, he leaves nothing out. If you think modern life is complex, just open a copy of Bulfinch. Those gods of old led quite a convoluted existance including much cavorting with mere mortals. For example, Apollo was playing with his good friend Hyacinthus when the discus he threw hit him in the head. Hyacinthus' blood turned into a flower. When I cut myself while gardening I just hurt. Where are all those gods of yesteryear?

Little did I realize when walking down the Champs Elysees that I was strolling the Elysian Fields, the pre-Hellenic paradise for those especially favored by the gods. I wish they would show it to me in more practical ways. In later years it became the place for the favored dead for the Romans. Well, you can't win them all.

From the Ramayana, which was written over 2000 years ago, King Janaka was plowing a clearing, when he turned after a row and found the baby girl Sita, playing in the furrow he had just made. Sita become the wife of Rama. They are the earthly forms of two Indian gods, who defeat the black demons, the Rakshasas. When I turn over some earth I am more likely to find grubs.

Even the Norse had their myths. Their World Tree was at the center of the earth. Then there was Greenland. That was a fable if there ever was one. That reminds me of garden catalogs. Enticements resembling those of Circe, fraught with hidden perils.

[ButterflyLogo.gif]

       

Go To Page: 1 2 3


Post this Article to facebook Add this Article to del.icio.us! Digg this Article furl this Article Add this Article to Reddit Add this Article to Technorati Add this Article to Newsvine Add this Article to Windows Live Add this Article to Yahoo Add this Article to StumbleUpon Add this Article to BlinkLists Add this Article to Spurl Add this Article to Google Add this Article to Ask Add this Article to Squidoo


Here's the follow-up discussion on this article: View all related messages

14.   Dec 1, 1999 5:35 PM
When I was working for General Electric some eons ago, we had a Controlled Environmental Agricultural Facility as a test product. One of the crops they were growing was opium poppies for medicinal use ...

-- posted by Howie


13.   Dec 1, 1999 3:30 PM
I forgot this annoying lapse of memory LOL. When I get a moment, I will try and look it up

-- posted by Gay_Klok



11.   Nov 11, 1999 6:58 PM
Howie,

It is grown strictly for medical purposes, Government controlled [but what can they do about the birds LOL] and a good export income for Tasmania. All is exported because the ridiculous pa ...


-- posted by Gay_Klok






Join the latest discussions

For a complete listing of article comments, questions, and other discussions related to Howard Deutch's International Gardens topic, please visit the Discussions page.