Amaracus

Greek mythological character

In Greek mythology, Amaracus (Ancient Greek: Ἀμάρακος, romanized: Amarakos, lit. 'marjoram') is a young Cypriot boy who transformed into a marjoram plant, an aromatic herb that was one of Aphrodite's most commonly associated plants.^[1]

Etymology

The ancient Greek word for marjoram (origanum majorana) is ἀμάρακον, amarakon.^[2] Due to the possible β/μ variation (if related to Ancient Macedonian ἀβαρύ, abaru, meaning oregano or marjoram) is probably of pre-Greek origin according to Robert Beekes.^[3] He also claims that any connection to Sanskrit maruva(ka) meaning the same is false.^[3]

Mythology

On the island of Cyprus, Amaracus was the royal perfumer in the court of King Cinyras, his father.^[4]^[a] One day Amaracus fell by chance while carrying the ointments, thus creating a greater odor from the confusion of said ointments. Afterwards, he was turned into the amarakon herb (the marjoram), which was also said to be sweet, a plant sacred to the goddess of love and beauty, Aphrodite.^[6]^[7]^[8] As the son of Cinyras, this would make Amaracus the brother of Smyrna, another mortal turned into an aromatic plant with connections to Aphrodite.^[9]

Culture

The ancient Greeks associated the marjoram with Aphrodite, as they believed she had created it.^[10]^{[unreliable source?]} In antiquity, the island of Cyprus, where the myth takes place and also a major cult center for Aphrodite, was noted for its large marjoram production; to this day, Cyprus still produces aromatic and therapeutic oils of marjoram.^[9] Marjoram was also utilised as a strong aphrodisiac, while it was also believed to cure snakebites, and both ancient Greeks and Romans adorned bridal wreaths with this herb.^[11]

Footnotes

^ Alcman attests to the connection between Cypriot perfume and Cinyras.^[5]

References

^ Rosemary M. Wright. "A Dictionary of Classical Mythology: Summary of Transformations". mythandreligion.upatras.gr. University of Patras. Retrieved January 3, 2023.
^ Liddell & Scott 1940, s.v. ἀμάρακον.
^ ^a ^b Beekes 2009, p. 82.
^ Forbes Irving 1990, p. 278.
^ Alcman frag 3.71
^ Servius, Commentary on Virgil's Aeneid 1.693
^ Caruso 2013, p. 116.
^ Bell 1790, p. 52.
^ ^a ^b Bradley 2015, p. 84.
^ Adams, Sue. "Herb Folklore" (PDF). Adams Farms.
^ Kintzios 2002, p. 217.

Bibliography

Alcman (1988). Greek Lyric. Loeb Classical Library 143. Vol. II: Anacreon, Anacreontea, Choral Lyric from Olympus to Alcman. Translated by David A. Campbell. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. ISBN 9780674991583.
Beekes, Robert S. P. (2009). Lucien van Beek (ed.). Etymological Dictionary of Greek. Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series. Vol. Ι. Leiden, the Netherlands: Brill Publications. ISBN 978-90-04-17420-7.
Bell, John (1790). Bell's New Pantheon: Or, Historical Dictionary of the Gods, Demi-gods, Heroes, and Fabulous Personages of Antiquity. Vol. I. London.
Bradley, Mark (2015). Smell and the Ancient Senses. Routledge. ISBN 978-1-84465-641-7.
Caruso, Carlo (December 5, 2013). Adonis: The Myth of the Dying God in the Italian Renaissance. Bloomsbury. ISBN 978-1-4725-3882-6.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)
Forbes Irving, Paul M. C. (1990). Metamorphosis in Greek Myths. United States: Oxford University Press, Clarendon Press. ISBN 0-19-814730-9.
Kintzios, Spyridon E. (August 29, 2002). Oregano: The genera Origanum and Lippia. CRC Press. ISBN 0-415-36943-6.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)
Liddell, Henry George; Scott, Robert (1940). A Greek-English Lexicon, revised and augmented throughout by Sir Henry Stuart Jones with the assistance of Roderick McKenzie. Oxford: Clarendon Press. Online version at Perseus.tufts project.
Maurus Servius Honoratus. In Vergilii carmina comentarii. Servii Grammatici qui feruntur in Vergilii carmina commentarii; recensuerunt Georgius Thilo et Hermannus Hagen. Georgius Thilo. Leipzig. B. G. Teubner. 1881.

Metamorphoses in Greek mythology

Animals

Avian	Abas Acanthis Acanthus Acmon Aëdon Aegolius Aegypius Aëtos Aesacus Agrius and Oreius Agron Alcander Alcyone Alcyone and Ceyx Alcyonides Alectryon Anthus Antigone Argus Arne Sithonis Artemiche Ascalaphus Asteria Autonous Botres Bulis Byssa Caeneus Celeus Cerberus Chelidon Cinyras Clinis Combe Corone Ctesylla Cycnus of Aetolia Cycnus of Ares Cycnus of Colonae Cycnus of Liguria Daedalion Erinoma Erodius Eumelus Gerana Harpalyce Harpasus Harpe Hierax Hippodamia Hyperippe Hyria Ictinus Idas Ino Itys Iynx Laius Lelante Lycius Lycus Megaletor Meleagrids Memnonides Meropis Merops Minyades Munichus Neophron Nisus Nyctaea Nyctimene Oenoe Oenotropae Ortygius Pandareus Pelia Perdix Periphas Peristera Picus Pierides Phene Philaeus Philomela Pleiades Polyphonte Polytechnus Procne Rhexenor Schoeneus Scylla Tereus Timandra
Non-avian	Abas Actaeon Arachne Arcas Arge Aristaeus Ascalabus Atalanta Cadmus Calchus Callisto Cephissus Cerambus Cercopes Chelone Circe Curetes Cynosura Galanthis Gale Harmonia Hecuba Helice Hippomenes Io Lycaon Lycian peasants Lyncus Melanippe Melian nymphs Melissa Minyades Myia Myrmex Naïs Nerites Ocyrhoe Odysseus Pentheus Phalanx Phineus Phoenice Pompilus Taygete Theophane Tiresias Titanis Tithonus Tyrrhenian pirates Aethalides Alcimedon Dictys Epopeus Melas Medon Opheltes

Avian