One of which is laurel, people have always been treated in a special way. They saw the personification of eternity, constancy - in a word, everything that was traditionally opposed to the transience of human life. Eternal should be the glory of the winner - in any case, people wanted to believe in it.
Apollo tree
It is noteworthy that athletes in ancient Greece were not crowned with laurels; for them, a wreath of olive branches or ... celery was a sign of victory. The award in the form of a laurel wreath was intended for the best winners of the Pythian games that took place in Delphi. Over time, sports competitions also began to be included in these games, but their main content has always been the competition of poets and musicians - in a word, those who are still called “servants of Apollo” today. It was to this patron god of art that the laurel was dedicated. Why to him?Such a connection had a real basis: these trees grew on Mount Parnassus, which the Greeks honored as the abode of the Muses and Apollo Musagetes. But it would be strange if it did not give rise to a legend explaining the connection of art.
Apollo, like many Greek gods, was distinguished by love. Once the subject of his passion was a nymph named Daphne, but the beauty vowed to remain chaste and was not going to give in to his harassment. The unfortunate woman begged the gods to protect her from the persecution of Apollo, and the gods heeded the prayer: instead of the girl in the arms of Apollo, there was a laurel tree. God put a laurel wreath on his head so as not to part with his beloved, turned into a tree.
Further history of the symbol
The laurel wreath as a symbol of glory, victory was adopted from Greece by another ancient civilization - the ancient Roman. In contrast to refined Hellas, stern Rome does not recognize any glory and no victories other than military coma. The symbolism of the laurel wreath is changing: they are crowned with a triumphant commander; at first, Roman emperors wore it as a sign of power.Christians saw a new meaning in this symbol. For them, the lava wreath became the personification of the eternal glory of the martyrs who died for the faith.
The connection of the laurel wreath with poetic glory is resurrected in an era that inherits antiquity. In 1341, one of the greatest poets of the Italian Renaissance, Francesco Petrarca, accepted a laurel wreath from the hands of a senator in recognition of his poetic achievements in the hall of the senatorial palace on the Capitol in Rome. This gave the poet a reason to play with the name of the woman he sang, whose name also comes from the word "laurel": Laura gave him a laurel.
By the 17th century, the laurel wreath had already firmly established itself as an emblem of glory in general, not only poetic. He is depicted on orders and awards for winning competitions. In this form, this symbol was inherited by modern civilization. Not only the word "laureate" goes back to it, but also the name of the bachelor's degree.
Laurel is associated with masculinity, strength, the will to win and power. This plant was dedicated to the solar gods. Laurel branches, wreaths woven from it, served as attributes of the symbolism associated with the veneration of Jupiter and Apollo. Apollo was considered the patron saint of poets, actors and musicians, so the winners of the competition in literary elegance received laurel wreaths. The laurel crown symbolized the genuine, timeless talent of the recipient. Laurel was also an attribute of the god Dionysus. In this regard, he acted as a symbol of ecstatic pleasure, otherness, magical powers and supernatural revelation.
The symbolism of the laurel is closely connected with the myth of the god Apollo and his unfortunate beloved Daphne. The cult of this female plant deity was quite widespread, but subsequently almost completely merged with the cult of Apollo. There is information about holidays specially dedicated to the laurel, held in Thebes - daphnephoria.
The ancient Greek myth tells of the beautiful nymph Daphne, who was the daughter of the goddess of the earth Gaia and the god of the rivers Peneus, who gave a vow to remain chaste. Apollo, in love, pursued her everywhere, and in order to avoid dishonor, Daphne had to ask her father to turn her into a laurel bush. Since then, the laurel has become a favorite plant of the god Apollo, his attribute. The myth of Daphne echoes the motif of the dedication of the laurel to the Vestal Virgins, who took an eternal vow of celibacy. Thus, laurel symbolizes innocence and purity.
It was believed that laurel trees serve as intermediaries between the gods and people in the transfer of secret knowledge. There was a tradition to plant laurel bushes around the temples of Apollo. It was believed that in the rustle of these trees, the initiates could read divine messages, omens of the future. Laurel was a versatile plant, very widely used in sacrifices and numerous rituals. The traditional headdress of the priest during the performance of the cult was a laurel crown. Laurel has become a symbol of special supernatural power, magic, divination, clairvoyance and prophecy. Laurel branches, laurel garlands were also used in ritual actions, for example, laurel branches were often thrown into the fire along with the burnt victim, which gave the event a special solemnity.
The special symbolism of the laurel as a sacred plant of the god Apollo is manifested in its use by the Pythia, the soothsayer of the Delphic oracle. To find out their fate and ask for advice from the prophetess Pythia, both kings, and heroes, and mere mortals came to the temple of Apollo in Delphi. . She had been preparing for the divination for a long time. This procedure was preceded by a three-day fast and ritual ablutions. During divination, a laurel crown was put on the head of the Pythia, and before starting the prophecy, she chewed laurel leaves.
Laureate wreath
The laurel wreath is a symbol of victory, perfection, complete triumph over one's own weaknesses and over the opponent. In antiquity, laurel wreaths were awarded to warrior heroes, as well as poets who won competitions, who were patronized by the god of arts Apollo. The goddess of victory, Nike, was represented by the ancient beautiful woman, placing a laurel crown on the head of the hero. The word "laureate", denoting the winner of an art or scientific competition, who received high recognition and a prize, comes precisely from the Latin "crowned with laurel".
In the traditions of many European peoples, a laurel branch is a symbol of triumph, victory. To understand why this happened, you need to turn to the history of the Ancient World and trace the path that an ordinary tree made - from a simple plant to a symbol of victory.
Greek legends
The myths of ancient Greece associate this triumphant symbol with Apollo, the god, patron of the arts and competitions. According to legend, once Apollo fell in love with the nymph Daphne and began to persistently pursue her. Beauty tried to escape. When Apollo almost caught her, Daphne, raising her hands, turned to her father, the god of the rivers Peneus. He turned her into a slender tree. The saddened Apollo wove a wreath for himself from the leaves of this tree, in memory of A the tree was named after the unfortunate nymph. In translation, Daphne means laurel. Until now, on the island of Delos, where, according to legend, the god of beauty was born, laurel gardens and groves grow. Well, the decoration from became an indispensable attribute of the image of Apollo.
Symbol of the winners
Since then, the laurel tree has been inextricably linked with the name of Apollo. Since, in addition to the arts, Apollo patronized sports, the laurel wreath began to be awarded not only to skillful composers, singers and artists, but also to the winners of the Pythian games, which served as the venue for the Crissian Plain. From Greece it was inherited by the Romans. The triumphal symbol of the laurel began to be intended not only for winners in sports, but also for heroes who distinguished themselves in military campaigns. The laurel among the Romans became which follows a military victory. Such an award was given to a warrior for special merits - for example, for rescuing a comrade in battle, being the first to enter an enemy fortress, for a successful assault on an enemy city. The goddess of victory, Nike, always held in her hands a triumphal symbol - a laurel wreath, which was placed on the head of the winner.
Legend has it that laurel is Jupiter's favorite tree and has never been struck by lightning. In peacetime, it served as an indispensable attribute of holidays and sacrifices, glorifying the supreme god of the Romans. The symbol of triumph was minted on coins depicting Apollo and Jupiter. Yuri Caesar wore a wreath at all solemn events. True, evil tongues claimed that the laurel wreath helped hide the balding crown of the emperor.
Laurel among the early Christians
The early Christians borrowed many symbols from the Symbol of Triumph, the laurel branch, which was also not forgotten. In the aesthetics of early Christianity, laurel symbolizes chastity, purity, health and longevity. Evergreen leaves perfectly symbolized the eternal life that will come after the atoning sacrifice of the Son of God. Christ was also often depicted with a laurel wreath, as the One who conquered death. Some early Christian martyrs were depicted with laurel wreaths. Laurel was also revered as a plant widely used in medicine and in cooking. In an era when spices were worth their weight in gold, bay leaves were indeed a precious gift that could even be presented to a king.
Laurel in heraldry and faleristics
The symbol of immortality from theosophy migrated to the coats of arms and insignia of noble aristocrats. In heraldry, laurel, like oak, is a symbol of fearlessness and valor. Golden leaves on a red background symbolized the fearless heart of a brave warrior. The triumphal symbol has become especially popular in France, adorned with the coat of arms of the French Republic. After that, the laurel took pride of place on the emblems of many states. At the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century, laurel wreaths adorned the state signs of such states as Brazil, Guatemala, Algeria, Greece, Israel, Cuba, and Mexico.
And the insignia of many states of the world adorn the leaves of evergreen laurel. Indeed, all over the world this plant is a symbol of glory, victory and military prowess, which means that awards should contain this triumphal symbol in their image. The most honorary decorations of European states contain images of bay leaves.
The meaning of the laurel wreath today
Until now, the laurel wreath adorns the winners of various art and music competitions. The title "laureate" literally means "decorated with laurel", which means a winner worthy of wearing this symbol of triumph. Photos of modern laureates show that today they are not decorated with wreaths, like the ancient winners. It's just that the insignia of scientists and musicians certainly contain images of bay leaves. According to some sources, the scientific title "bachelor" also came from the name of the laurel branch.
Thus, from the ancient past, the laurel has safely come to our time, almost without losing its symbolic meaning.
At the request of one of the federal TV channels, he conducted a historical study on the mythological significance of the bay leaf in politics, art, culture, trade and the economy. Below I post the result and ask the blog readers to help me with the completeness of the study, if anyone else knows interesting facts about the influence of laurel on public life, leave your comments for study. Thank you in advance.
- When did the mention of the bay leaf first appear in the annals? Where was it first used?
The first mentions in the annals of the bay leaf are found in the 21st century BC. In historical sources, noble laurel is found quite often. Since his homeland is the Mediterranean, he got into ancient sources - in particular, Homer writes that Odysseus used noble laurel for medical purposes.
Why were many legends, beliefs, etc. associated with bay leaves in ancient Greece and ancient Rome? Can you name the most popular?
The era of antiquity as a whole left us quite a lot of legends - the ancient Greeks naturally included the reality around them in them, tried to explain the origin of animals and plants, natural phenomena and landscape features using the pagan paradigm. By and large, all the legends and beliefs came out of the myth of Apollo and Daphne.
Laurel is a symbol of purity, determination, triumph and immortality. It gives vitality, success and fulfillment of desires.
The famous Ovid in his Metamorphoses tells that Apollo, who lived among people, fell in love with the nymph Daphne and constantly pursued her. Once, after defeating the serpent Python, Apollo met the young god of love Eros with a bow and arrows and played a joke on him: “Why do you need a bow and arrows, baby? Do you think you can surpass me in the art of shooting? ".
This mockery offended Eros, and he sent two arrows in retaliation. The first, the arrow of love, pierced Apollo, and the second, the killing love, hit Daphne. Since then, Daphne has always run away from Apollo. No tricks helped him. Exhausted by suffering, eternal persecution, Daphne turned to her father Peneus and the Earth so that they would take away her image from her. After these words, she turned into a bay bush (it is curious that in Rus' until the 18th century the bay leaf was called “daphnia” (“laurel” in Greek - “daphne”).
The saddened Apollo from then on began to wear a wreath of evergreen laurel on his head. In Greece, houses were decorated with bay leaves to refresh the room. Laurel branches were placed in the mattresses so that prophetic dreams were dreamed. There was a belief that the laurel saves from a lightning strike.
So, the fact is known that the Roman emperor Tiberius, during the peals of thunder, put on a laurel wreath and crawled under the bed. Laurel was considered a sacred tree; its wreaths decorated the heads of winners in ancient Greece. For several millennia, this tradition has been preserved in other countries, for example, in England. From the word "laurel" came the word "laureate" - "crowned with laurels."
There is a version that the Roman emperors wore laurel wreaths to emphasize their God's chosenness, is this true? (For example, Julius Caesar always wore it). Emperor Tiberius was sure that the bay leaf protects against lightning. What is this belief about?
The generic name of the plant may have come from the Celtic "lauer" - green and the Latin nobilis - noble, since in ancient times heroes were crowned with a laurel wreath.
Since ancient times, laurel branches have symbolized excellence in art and sports. The laurel wreath was awarded to winners in poetic, musical and sports competitions, in particular the winners of the Olympic Games. Evergreen, it was the emblem of immortality.
Laurus at different times was associated with various gods, including Zeus (Jupiter in ancient Roman culture). According to one theory, Caesar wore a wreath instead of a crown, because he never became king. He started a civil war, conquered Rome and thus did a lot for the development of the state. For this, Caesar was appointed consul for life of the empire, he was called emperor, father of the fatherland, they praised him and pleased him, but for the commander himself, the main symbol of power was a wreath of laurel.
There is another version, according to which, Caesar began to go bald early, and since he was a handsome man and enjoyed success with women, he tried in every possible way to hide this shortcoming. The laurel wreath was the best fit for this, because in his position, Caesar could wear a wreath all the time.
In general, the laurel wreath as a symbol of victory, triumph refers us, first of all, to the myth of Apollo and Python. According to legend, the laurel tree (the only one of all the trees planted by man) was never struck by lightning - Zeus especially favored the plant associated with his son Apollo.
- Why was laurel considered a symbol of triumph in the ancient world?
According to Ovid's Metamorphoses and Greek mythology, Apollo jokingly told Eros, the young god of love, that he would never surpass him in the art of archery. Two arrows sent by Eros found their targets. The arrow of love hit Apollo, and the second - killing love - hit the nymph Daphne - the daughter of the gods Peneus and Gaia (Earth). Naturally, Apollo fell in love and longed for reciprocity, constantly pursuing the divine maiden. And she, on the contrary, did not want to see her admirer and complained to her parents-gods. Those, in order to save her from an obsessive pursuer, turned her daughter into a laurel tree. In translation, Daphne means laurel. Apollo tried unsuccessfully to disenchant Daphne. Therefore, in memory of her, he always carried a bay leaf with him, and in Delphi, after defeating the serpent Python, he collected bay leaves for the first victorious crown. Until now, on the island of Delos, where, according to legend, the god of beauty was born, laurel gardens and groves grow. Well, the decoration of bay leaves has become an indispensable attribute of the image of Apollo.
Since then, the laurel tree has been inextricably linked with the name of Apollo. Since, in addition to the arts, Apollo patronized sports, the laurel wreath began to be awarded not only to skillful composers, singers and artists, but also to the winners of the Pythian Games, which served as the venue for the Crissian Plain. From Greece, the laurel wreath was inherited by the Romans. The triumphal symbol of the laurel began to be intended not only for winners in sports, but also for heroes who distinguished themselves in military campaigns. The laurel among the Romans became a symbol of peace, which follows a military victory. Such an award was given to a warrior for special merits - for example, for rescuing a comrade in battle, being the first to enter an enemy fortress, for a successful assault on an enemy city. The goddess of victory, Nike, always held in her hands a triumphal symbol - a laurel wreath, which was placed on the head of the winner.
The tradition migrated from the Delphic Pythian Games to the Olympic Games in Greece. This meant that the winner, with his unsurpassed skill and ability, was awarded the great honor of approaching the assembly of the gods. And the common expression about resting on our laurels speaks just about the opportunity to enjoy your uniqueness and greatness.
- Is it true to say that the bay leaf spread with Greco-Roman culture around the world?
Not really - the bay leaf was still known not only to the ancient Greeks and Romans, it was also used by African tribes, was familiar in ancient China.
On English coins, Charles II, George I, George II and Elizabeth II were depicted with laurel wreaths.
As a symbol of superiority, the laurel wreath was included in the symbols of automobile companies (Alfa Romeo, Fiat, Mercedes-Benz).
Laurel is a symbol of magical power. Plant of soothsayers and soothsayers. Before pronouncing a prediction, they burned or chewed bay leaves.
In North America, the laurel is considered a talisman, and in China, the laurel is a tree under which the moon hare prepares the elixir of immortality.
In Christian tradition, laurel is a symbol of eternal life.
In Freemasonry, during the initiation into the 4th degree of the mystery of the Master, a laurel wreath is placed on the altar.
Is it possible to say that some cultural values of Greece and Rome (including the use of bay leaves) have survived to this day?
The bay leaf does not carry such cultural values of antiquity, as it may seem today. Laurel leaves were used for religious purposes or for fumigating a room, but we use bay leaves as a spice. In 1652, François Pierre de la Varennes, the eminent cook of the French Queen Marie de' Medici, published a then-famous cookbook. He wrote about the bay leaf as a spice that can improve and correct the taste of the dish. Recommended to use it in desserts, puddings and meat dishes. The only thing that has survived, albeit in a greatly modified form, is the use of the leaf for medical purposes.
However, today many signs associated with the bay leaf have been preserved. Perhaps everyone knows: if a person finds a bay leaf in soup, a sign says that a letter will come soon. This superstition is familiar to many since childhood. Of course, there are no exact statistics that allow us to find out the plausibility of this rule. However, the fact that this folk wisdom dates back many centuries speaks of a certain amount of reality. In addition, in the age of modern technology, when few people write letters, this sign can be regarded differently. A long-awaited email or social media message will not keep you waiting. One way or another, finding a bay leaf in a bowl of soup indicates that soon you should expect information communicated by writing a text.
Did the Pythians in the Delphic Temple of Apollo really chew bay leaves when they made predictions? What fateful predictions were made in the Delphic oracle? What place did this temple occupy in the life of the Greeks?
Yes, there is such a version. This custom gave rise to the symbolism of secret knowledge, allegedly transmitted to the Pythia by Apollo himself. Xenophon, in his Memoirs of Socrates, writes that one of his students named Chaerephon went to the oracle at Delphi to ask who was the wisest of people. Pythia replied that the wisest of all, no doubt, Socrates.
A well-known prediction, which was received in Delphi by the richest Lydian king Croesus, who fought with Persia. He was told: "If you cross the river Halys (on the sides of which stood two armies, you will destroy the great kingdom.") The hopeful Croesus suffered a crushing defeat from Cyrus. the question of King Philip of Macedonia, father of Alexander the Great, how to achieve victory over neighboring powers: “Fight with silver spears, and you will win everywhere.” fortresses where a donkey loaded with gold could not enter
Were bay leaves or other substances containing strong aromatic substances used in various kinds of encouraging and motivating rituals before battles in Greek and Roman armies?
There was no need for this, besides, the bay leaf has only calming properties, which is sometimes fatal for warriors.
As for other encouraging and motivating properties of various substances, the Romans and Greeks used mainly various variations on the theme of nutrition: dates, honey, crushed hooves, mutton testicles, animal blood.
When did the bay leaf first appear on the territory of Russia? Why did the Mediterranean spice (as they said in Rus' "daphnia") quickly take root in our country? Is it possible to say that the innovations that came from Greece (Byzantium) were always better received by us than what came from Western Europe? Is it possible to say that culinary traditions were perceived as part of Greek culture, thousand-year-old wisdom?
The generally accepted version is that bay leaves came to Russia 25 centuries ago - before the formation of statehood among the Eastern Slavs. It should be noted that laurel also grows on the Black Sea coast, so Russia gradually became one of the producers of this spice. In Greek, Daphne is a laurel, therefore in different countries (including Rus') until the 17th-18th centuries, lavrushka was called daphnia. This spice has taken root rather because of its ease of use and availability. The popularity of the bay leaf, of course, can be associated with the influence of antiquity, in the era of which it was considered a symbol of purity (and in
In Byzantium, bay leaves were later used in a ritual to detect thieves), but this is unlikely. Perhaps it was so initially, and then habit and everyday convenience did their job.
Why did the bay leaf become the most popular (and practically the only, along with pepper) spice in the Soviet Union?
The bay leaf was easy to produce and use, it grew in the south of the USSR, and therefore was also accessible to everyone, cheap. And then, accessibility and simplicity did their job, the Soviet people liked the bay leaf in every sense.
In Antiquity and the Middle Ages, many spices caused wars (tell about it). Did they fight over bay leaves?
Ancient history is literally crammed with events in which, one way or another, spices took part. Egyptian papyri mention anise, cardamom, mustard, sesame, saffron. Most of them were used - and not without reason - for medicinal purposes.
Gradually, the Great Way of Spices was formed - from East to West. This trade artery determined the development of the world economy for many centuries. A profitable occupation was quickly monopolized by the Arabs.
In 332 BC, Alexander the Great intervened in Arab business. He reached with his army to the Phoenician city of Tyre, which was, as they would now say, the largest exchange for the spice trade. After the fall of Tyre, profitable trade was concentrated in Alexandria.
In the IV century. , already in our era, the barbarians who subjugated Rome took tribute not only in gold, but also in pepper, which in those days cost a little more than the contemptible metal.
A new attempt to subjugate the flow of spices to Europe was made by the East in the 11th century. when the Seljuk Turks took over Asia Minor. The Europeans responded with the Crusades. Formally, the troops went to liberate Jerusalem and the Holy Sepulcher, but the crusader knights returned with bales stuffed with spices.
As you know, the crusades were not very successful, so medieval Europe experienced a large shortage of spices. It should be noted that coffee and tea were not yet known, and the traditional drinks of that time - beer, wine, sbitni - were prepared with the addition of spices. The Christian Church did not allow extensive trade with Muslims, and spices entered the European market through intermediaries - most often Jews - and small "free trade zones". This, by the way, largely explains the unprecedented flourishing of Venice, which had the exclusive permission of the Holy See to trade with the East.
Because of the bay leaf, they did not fight, because it was not monopolized by anyone - it quickly penetrated into Europe and was not a scarce commodity.
- Is it possible to say that the sale of spices still brings huge money to countries where they grow?
This is not entirely true. Demand for spices is not as great as in the old days, global sales are quite average. Although the export of spices is a fairly significant source of income for some Asian countries, one should not repeat the mistakes of Madagascar. True, in this case we are talking about betting on vanilla as the main export product for the needs of the Coca-Cola company. Then the company began to use artificial vanilla for their drinks, and this hit the budget of Madagascar significantly.
Laurel is a natural non-heraldic figure that has become very widespread in international, territorial and tribal heraldry.
Laurel leaves are a symbol of wisdom, greatness, glory. The symbol is of ancient Greek origin.
According to the myth, the god of the sun, dawn and poetry, Apollo, was nicknamed Phoebus, which means “radiant” or “radiant” in ancient Greek, pursued the nymph Daphne, who, hiding from him, turned into a laurel bush (in Greek, laurel is called “daphne”). Thus, in the arms of Apollo, there was a small tree, with the branches of which he decorated his head and lyre. So in Greece, the laurel wreath became a reward for those who achieved fame. It is for this reason that in Greece, musicians, poets, as well as dancers, whose patron was Apollo, were awarded laurel wreaths. And athletes, athletes were awarded with olive or celery wreaths.
In ancient Rome, the laurel wreath became a symbol of the highest glory, including military, as well as imperial.
In the Middle Ages, laurel leaves and wreaths were not used in classical heraldry. After the French Revolution of 1789, the laurel becomes one of the most popular emblems of France.
Laurel branches or wreaths are also included in the state emblems and emblems of the following countries: the coat of arms of Greece, the emblem of Algeria, the coat of arms of El Salvador, the coat of arms of Guatemala, the coat of arms of Mexico, the coat of arms of Uruguay, the coat of arms of Brazil, the coat of arms of Israel.
Bay leaves are usually depicted in natural green, white (silver), and also yellow (gold).
Laurel leaves on coats of arms
| - coat of arms of the city of Osveya (Vitebsk region, Belarus) | |
| - coat of arms of the city of Slavgorod (Altai Territory, Russia) | |
Laurel trees and wreaths on coats of arms
Sources
- "Dictionary of International Symbols and Emblems" V.V. Pokhlebkin 2001. ISBN 5-7133-0869-3.
