Love Potions Through the Ages: A Study of Amatory Devices and MoresWedeck, Harry E.
History
Love Potions Through the Ages: A Study of Amatory Devices and Mores
Wedeck, Harry E.
Aphrodisiacs -- History; Erotic literature
In order to stimulate him doubly, both visually and fluidly, Anaxarchus
devised a suitable diversion. He was a fourth century B.C. Greek
philosopher, who was a friend of Alexander the Great, accompanying him
on his Eastern expeditions. At the usual Greek symposium, which included
drinking, entertainment, and discussion on various themes, Anaxarchus
had his wine poured out for him by a young and beautiful female
attendant, in puris naturalibus.
* * * * *
In classical antiquity, apples were associated with amatory
connotations. Apples were regularly exchanged as gifts among lovers.
This custom is mentioned by the Roman elegiac poet Catullus, and by
Vergil in the Eclogues: Galatea is after me with an apple. Again:
I sent ten golden apples.
Propertius, the elegiac poet, similarly writes:
I gave her apples stealthily in the palms of my hands.
* * * * *
In the story of Ala-al Din abu-al, in the corpus of The Arabian Nights,
there is an incident that relates how a druggist prepared a love-potion.
He bought from a vendor of hashish two ounces of concentrated Roumi
opium, and equal parts of cinnamon, Chinese cubebs, cardamoms, cloves,
ginger, and mountain shiek—which is a lizard with aphrodisiac
properties, and white pepper. After pounding these varied ingredients
together, he boiled them in sweet olive oil, adding three ounces of male
frankincense and a cup of coriander seed. The mixture was then
macerated, and made into an electuary with bee-honey. The directions
given by the druggist were as follows: After a dinner of house pigeon
and mutton, well spiced, take a spoonful of this electuary, wash it down
with sherbet of rose conserve, and await results.
* * * * *
King Henry IV of France, like other Gallic rulers, had pronounced erotic
tendencies, resulting in the possession of many mistresses. On every
occasion, before confronting one of them, he fortified his system with a
glass of armagnac, a brandy distilled from wine.
* * * * *
An ancient Classical warning relating to the powerful dominance of love
is contained in the tragic story of Arsinoe. Daughter of the King of
Cyprus, she rejected her lover Arceophon. In a fit of dejection, he
committed suicide. But Arsinoe was punished for her disdain. She was
turned into stone by Aphrodite herself.
* * * * *
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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