Elizarova Svetlana
Hyacinth
Summary of the myth
A. A. Ivanov. "Apollo, Hyacinth and Cypress"
Hyacinth (Hyacinthus) - son of the Spartan king Amycles and great-grandson of Zeus. According to another version of the myth, his parents are the muse Clio and Pierre.
The young son of the king of Sparta was so handsome that even the Olympian gods considered him worthy of their company.
Hyacinth was the favorite of the god Apollo. And one day, when both were competing in discus throwing, the god of the west wind, Zephyr, watched them from heaven. He had tender feelings for Apollo, so he changed the flight of his disk and Hyacinth was mortally wounded in the head.
Apollo held his dying friend tightly in his arms and his tears fell on Hyacinth’s bloody curls. Hyacinth died and his soul flew off to the kingdom of Hades. Standing over the body of the deceased, Apollo quietly whispered: “You will always live in my heart, beautiful Hyacinth. May the memory of you live forever among people.” And at his word, from the blood of Hyacinth a scarlet, fragrant flower grew, as if stained with blood, and on its petals the groan of grief of the god Apollo was imprinted.
Images and symbols of myth
Wind represents something intangible, transitory. Because of this, Apollo accidentally killed Hyacinth.
Image of Hyacinth associated with sacrifice because of love. He fell as a result of jealousy. But at the same time, we can say that this is also retribution for the craving of an ordinary person for the divine.
Flower (flourishing)- a symbol of young life widespread throughout the world, indicating the impermanence of any earthly beauty, which can only be durable in heavenly gardens.
The symbolism of flowers emphasizes their connection with the cycle of life and death, as a symbol of transience, brevity of life, spring, beauty, perfection, innocence, youth, soul.
Hyacinth- a flower that, according to myth, was previously a person or could grow only due to the death of a person.
The name of the flower in Greek means “flower of rains,” but the Greeks simultaneously called it the “flower of sadness” and also the “flower of memory” of Hyacinth. The Greeks believed that on the petals of wild hyacinth one could read the word “ay-ay”, which means “woe, woe!”
Also in Ancient Greece, it was considered a symbol of dying and resurrecting nature. A flower emerging from blood represents the resurrection in spring, greenery scorched by the heat of the sun.
Flower of love, happiness, fidelity and sorrow.
Communicative means of creating images and symbols
Death of Hyacinth. Giovanni Battista Tiepolo, 1752-53
At the burial site of Hyacinth, in Amykla, hyacinthia (hyacinthia) were held annually - festivals in honor of Hyacinth, the largest holiday of the Spartans, which was celebrated in July in the Peloponnese, Asia Minor, southern Italy, Sicily, and Syracuse.
Over time, the cult of Hyacinth was supplanted by the cult of Apollo, and the festival of Hyacinthia began to be celebrated as the festival of Apollo.
On the throne of Apollo the ascension of Hyacinth to Olympus was depicted; According to legend, the base of the statue of Apollo seated on the throne represented the altar in which Hyacinth was buried.
The myth of Hyacinth in painting served as the subject of several works, including the frescoes “Apollo and Hyacinthus” by Annibale Carracci and Domenichino, the painting “Hyacinth” by G. B. Tiepolo, etc.
The marble composition by B. Cellini “Apollo mourns Hyacinth” has not survived to this day. However, this plot attracted Mozart; his musical work “Apollo and Hyakinthos” is dedicated to this episode.
But besides works and celebrations in memory of Hyacinth, in our present there is a flower named after him and a hyacinth stone, of a reddish hue.
Social significance of the myth
Myths about the transformation of people into plants are known to all peoples of the globe. And the myth of Hyacinth is one of them. But he was remembered not only for the image of spiritual love. The myth has remained one of the most famous and beautiful legends about the origin of flowers.
The name of Hyacinth is imprinted in the history of religions, where he is considered to be a pre-Greek plant god, who was revered as a deity of shepherds or one of the deities of Ancient Greece, personifying the dying and resurrecting nature, whose importance was subsequently eclipsed by Apollo, and it was reduced only to the role of the hero of tragic-lyrical legends .
But the memory of Hyacinth is alive among people. This is confirmed by the festivities in which this hero was honored and by the fact that today, as an echo from a beautiful legend, there is hyacinth - a flower of love, fidelity and sorrow. And not to forget about this truly sadly beautiful story is given by hyacinth - a stone of sadness and sorrow, crimson or reddish in color, shimmering like dewdrops of Apollo’s tears falling on Hyacinth’s blood-soaked wound.
Hyacinth, like many precious stones, has its own magical properties. Thus, this stone guarantees its owner an increase in the level of mental activity and the development of a craving for various kinds of sciences.
Hyacinth is also credited with calming effects: it is believed that it relieves melancholy, softens sadness and grief, gives hope, and can be worn during periods of depression. But, despite all the advantages, hyacinth brings loneliness and unhappiness in love. Therefore, it is believed that it can only be worn temporarily - during periods of depression.
FIRST VERSION OF THE MURDER OF HYACINTH.
Apollo needs no introduction.
Here he is - a handsome man and an athlete (there is still a third epithet missing - Komsomol member!)
Marble bust (Roman copy of a bronze original from 460 BC)
His friend, lover, partner (choose the options yourself!) Hyacinth or Hyakinthos is the son of the Spartan king Amycles and the great-grandson of Zeus.
According to another version of the myth, his parents are the muse Clio and Pierre.
Hyacinth was the favorite of Apollo, who accidentally killed him by hitting him while throwing discs. From Hyacinth's blood, hyacinth flowers grew, as if stained with blood, on their petals the exclamation “ah, ah” appears - the dying groan of a beautiful young man.
Beautiful, equal in beauty to the Olympian gods themselves, the young son of the king of Sparta Hyacinth was a friend of Apollo. Apollo often came to Sparta to visit his friend and spent time there with him, hunting on the mountain slopes or having fun with gymnastics, in which the Spartans were so skilled.
Why did Apollo leave the Olympian gods and come to Sparta to Hyacinth?
The heart of this deity of light burned with love.
Hyacinth also lived in friendship with Apollo. Playing the cithara, arts, sciences were only the content with which this divine love was filled.
Alexander Ivanov Apollo, Hyacinth and Cypress 1831-34
He often asked about the life of the gods and asked Apollo to talk about his exploits, about the many great judgments committed, to explain the reasons for the cruel sentences of some and untold mercies for others. But Apollo rarely answered, but mostly smiled and remained silent.
What were their endless conversations about?
They were connected by an unearthly relationship, a marriage of two souls from time immemorial. No words “love”, “eros”, “intimacy”, “communication”, “dialogue” can define this relationship, called virgin love - the indescribable attraction of an immortal divine being to an earthly mortal, and an earthly one to the divine.
More than once they said to each other:
- Oh, Hyacinth, if I were a mortal like you, I would sacrifice myself to love.
- Oh, Apollo, there is no greater joy for me than to die out of love for you. Perhaps this way at least a small portion of my sins will be redeemed. I can reach Olympus, and we will be inseparable.
Hyacinth forgot about his destiny to become the king of Sparta, about his duty to the fatherland and father. No, for him there was only one Apollo.
- To die in your arms, oh divine, and to be raptured to Olympus! Perhaps this is how I will thank Zeus for the miracle of communication with His divine messenger.
You, brilliant Apollo, the Olympic favorite. And I, a miserable mortal, will descend into the dark and dark underworld. Are we really facing eternal separation? Or will I ever wait for my bright friend Apollo to visit his Hyacinth in the kingdom of shadows? No! No no! No one will ever separate us. The gods will do something so that we are inseparable! Heavenly love is inseparable, isn't it, Apollo?
Once friends competed in discus throwing. The mighty Apollo was the first to throw the bronze disc. A disk flew high into the heavens, like the sun, sparkled like a star and flew to the ground.
Hyacinth can't take his eyes off him. What is this? Has the bronze disk turned into a shining sun? And Hyacinth, blinded by frantic joy, runs after the disk. He is about to grab the sun in his hands and drink from its divine rays!
Hyacinth ran up to the place where the disk was supposed to fall. But the disk, bouncing off the ground, hits him in the head with terrible force. Blood gushes like a river. The dark curls of the beautiful young king of Sparta, equal in beauty to the Olympian gods themselves, turned scarlet.
Death of Hyacinth 1675
A.A. Kiselev Hyacinth Dying in the Arms of Apollo 1884
Giovanni Batista Tiepolo Death of Hyacinth 1752-53
J. Broc Death of Hyacinth 1801
Apollo runs up to his friend, lifts him up, and places his bloody head in his lap. Apollo's attempts to stop the blood gushing from the wound and heal his friend are in vain. He covers Hyacinth's face with kisses, but Hyacinth fades away before his friend's eyes. His clear eyes fade.
Apollo hears his words from his lips:
- So this is how our Mother Wisdom judged! Now my sins will be forgiven.
Oh Apollo, I thank you. Through what you have done, the gods of Olympus will accept me into their kingdom.
Apollo is in despair.
- No no! You will not die, my beautiful friend, my Hyacinth, with a face more beautiful than the gods, surpassing the Olympians in wisdom! Oh woe is me, woe! I became a friend's killer. Why did I throw the disc? How can I now atone for my guilt before you? Oh, that I might come into the world as a mortal, and could die for love of you! Wouldn't it be better for me to descend into the joyless kingdom of the dead in order to be inseparable from you? Oh, why am I immortal? How I would like to be in your place, Hyacinth, and die in your arms.
- Now we will be inseparably together, right, Apollo? Forgive me and do not forget me, my madly beloved.
With these words, Hyacinth dies in the arms of Apollo.
Apollo gives his last kiss to his lover.
- The memory of our love, divine Hyacinth, will forever be preserved in the history of mankind.
A beautiful flower bloomed at the site of Hyacinth's death. Its petals shone like dew from the tears of Apollo.
Materials taken from WIKIPEDIA and websites.
A hundred years after the “tulip madness”, off the coast of the same Holland, a Genoese merchant ship was wrecked during a storm. One of the boxes from a sunken ship washed ashore, where it opened, I don’t understand how. Bulbs spilled out from there, which soon took root and sprouted.
What does the word hyacinth mean?
This is how a wonderful, unprecedented flower appeared on the Dutch lands. Thus began the European history of hyacinth. Although biologists claim that this plant comes from the Balkans, Asia Minor and Mesopotamia. It was there that a wonderful flower grew in the wild, which was transferred to gardens and cultivated for its beauty and fragrance.
Word " hyacinth"appeared in our language only at the beginning of the 18th century. Until then, this was the name of this flower in Germany. Interestingly, the Germans learned this word from the Romans, where it was called hyacinthus.
But it’s not even in Latin that you need to look for the first name of the plant. It was the Greeks who named the flower “purple cinquefoil” for its natural (and then only, color) and the shape of the leaves, reminiscent of this military weapon.
In India, the word hyacinth means “flower of rains,” because it bloomed just at this time. Until now, local beauties decorate their black braids with such fragrant arrows on special days. According to Indian tradition, this fragrant flower, and only white, is also necessarily woven into the groom’s wreath.
In Eastern countries, the word hyacinth means “Guria curls.” The great Uzbek poet of the 15th century, Alisher Navoi, wrote:
“The tangle of black curls will only be scattered by a comb,
And the hyacinths will fall in a stream onto the roses of the cheeks.”
Although even ancient Greek girls wove these flowers into their hair, and the hair had to be carefully chosen. Three thousand years ago, ancient Hellenic women wove wild hyacinths into their hair when they married off their friends. Therefore, the word hyacinth also meant “the pleasure of love” among the Hellenes.
Legends about hyacinth
Ancient Greek the legend of hyacinth says that Apollo’s favorite was the young man Hyacinth. One day, during a competition, God habitually threw a disc and accidentally hit the guy. He fell dead to the ground, and a fragrant and delicate violet-lilac flower soon grew on the drops of his blood. The ancient Greeks called it hyacinth, in memory of the favorite of the handsome Apollo.
This is where it came from that hyacinth symbolizes the resurrection of dead nature. And on the famous throne of Apollo in the city of Amikli the ascent of Hyacinth to Olympus is depicted. Tradition says that the base of the statue of Apollo sitting on the throne is actually an altar with the remains of an innocently murdered young man.
The Mouse Myth and Dutch Achievements
Usually the plant produced 5 arrows, which, as they grew, were decorated with delicate tiny lily-like flower stalks. But today breeders have developed varieties that produce... up to 100 branches of flowers!
And the struggle for such “nativeness” began in Holland, too. After the “tulip” lull, the inhabitants of this country apparently lacked a new flower favorite. This is what hyacinth became. It was there that a terry variety was bred, which also brought fabulous income to flower growers. Although, in fairness, we note that they did not give away houses and all their fortunes for his onions.
The most incredible myths about hyacinth Flora lovers are telling us today. How do you like, for example, the story about the mouse that helped the descendant of the Huguenots, the gardener Boucher, in breeding a plant? They say that no matter what this florist came up with, he could not quickly propagate hyacinth. But the little mouse got to the onion and... gnawed the bottom out of it.
And lo and behold! Children appeared on the “disabled onion”, which accidentally lay there until planting. And not just one, but a great many. Since then, they began to cut the bottom or cut the planting material crosswise. True, it takes 3-4 years to raise the children, because they are very small. But still, “the ice has broken” - the myth claims that it is thanks to the gray rodent that today we are able to propagate hyacinth.
What does hyacinth mean?
Each nation has its own meaning of the hyacinth flower. And this name has long become a household name. Suffice it to remember that only in Greek mythology there were 3 famous Hyacinths, besides the favorite of the god Apollo:
- Hyacinth from Amycles is a handsome young man, the son of the Spartan king Amycles;
- Hyacinth from Athens - hero-migrant from the Peloponnese to Athens;
- Hyacinth Dolion is a hero mentioned by Apollonius of Rhodes.
Nowadays meaning of hyacinth flowers also diverse. Depending on the color, it means jealousy, recognition of the girl as the most beautiful, a promise to pray for someone, and even a call to oblivion.
A gift of a bouquet of these flowers promises victory and achievement. It is a symbol of rebirth and incredible joy. You will be able to purchase hyacinths wholesale in our florist salon or please someone with a small bouquet. Flower girls will select the appropriate color for the occasion and create a charming, fragrant composition.
All you have to do is present your beloved with a mono-bouquet of hyacinth or mixed with other flowers once in the spring, and joy and tenderness will settle in the heart of the most discreet girl.
With us you can arrange hyacinths with delivery in Rostov-on-Don or buy fresh cut flowers directly in the store. And if you want to give a gift to a person whose zodiac sign is Capricorn, then feel free to complement our bouquet with a precious stone - hyacinth, invigorating, cheerful and giving patience and determination.
Stop your choice on the magical gift of spring - hyacinth flowers.
After all, you simply won’t find them at any other time!
FIRST VERSION OF THE MURDER OF HYACINTH.
Apollo needs no introduction.
Here he is - a handsome man and an athlete (there is still a third epithet missing - Komsomol member!)
Marble bust (Roman copy of a bronze original from 460 BC)
His friend, lover, partner (choose the options yourself!) Hyacinth or Hyakinthos is the son of the Spartan king Amycles and the great-grandson of Zeus.
According to another version of the myth, his parents are the muse Clio and Pierre.
Hyacinth was the favorite of Apollo, who accidentally killed him by hitting him while throwing discs. From Hyacinth's blood, hyacinth flowers grew, as if stained with blood, on their petals the exclamation “ah, ah” appears - the dying groan of a beautiful young man.
Beautiful, equal in beauty to the Olympian gods themselves, the young son of the king of Sparta Hyacinth was a friend of Apollo. Apollo often came to Sparta to visit his friend and spent time there with him, hunting on the mountain slopes or having fun with gymnastics, in which the Spartans were so skilled.
Why did Apollo leave the Olympian gods and come to Sparta to Hyacinth?
The heart of this deity of light burned with love.
Hyacinth also lived in friendship with Apollo. Playing the cithara, arts, sciences were only the content with which this divine love was filled.
Alexander Ivanov Apollo, Hyacinth and Cypress 1831-34
He often asked about the life of the gods and asked Apollo to talk about his exploits, about the many great judgments committed, to explain the reasons for the cruel sentences of some and untold mercies for others. But Apollo rarely answered, but mostly smiled and remained silent.
What were their endless conversations about?
They were connected by an unearthly relationship, a marriage of two souls from time immemorial. No words “love”, “eros”, “intimacy”, “communication”, “dialogue” can define this relationship, called virgin love - the indescribable attraction of an immortal divine being to an earthly mortal, and an earthly one to the divine.
More than once they said to each other:
- Oh, Hyacinth, if I were a mortal like you, I would sacrifice myself to love.
- Oh, Apollo, there is no greater joy for me than to die out of love for you. Perhaps this way at least a small portion of my sins will be redeemed. I can reach Olympus, and we will be inseparable.
Hyacinth forgot about his destiny to become the king of Sparta, about his duty to the fatherland and father. No, for him there was only one Apollo.
- To die in your arms, oh divine, and to be raptured to Olympus! Perhaps this is how I will thank Zeus for the miracle of communication with His divine messenger.
You, brilliant Apollo, the Olympic favorite. And I, a miserable mortal, will descend into the dark and dark underworld. Are we really facing eternal separation? Or will I ever wait for my bright friend Apollo to visit his Hyacinth in the kingdom of shadows? No! No no! No one will ever separate us. The gods will do something so that we are inseparable! Heavenly love is inseparable, isn't it, Apollo?
Once friends competed in discus throwing. The mighty Apollo was the first to throw the bronze disc. A disk flew high into the heavens, like the sun, sparkled like a star and flew to the ground.
Hyacinth can't take his eyes off him. What is this? Has the bronze disk turned into a shining sun? And Hyacinth, blinded by frantic joy, runs after the disk. He is about to grab the sun in his hands and drink from its divine rays!
Hyacinth ran up to the place where the disk was supposed to fall. But the disk, bouncing off the ground, hits him in the head with terrible force. Blood gushes like a river. The dark curls of the beautiful young king of Sparta, equal in beauty to the Olympian gods themselves, turned scarlet.
Death of Hyacinth 1675
A.A. Kiselev Hyacinth Dying in the Arms of Apollo 1884
Giovanni Batista Tiepolo Death of Hyacinth 1752-53
J. Broc Death of Hyacinth 1801
Apollo runs up to his friend, lifts him up, and places his bloody head in his lap. Apollo's attempts to stop the blood gushing from the wound and heal his friend are in vain. He covers Hyacinth's face with kisses, but Hyacinth fades away before his friend's eyes. His clear eyes fade.
Apollo hears his words from his lips:
- So this is how our Mother Wisdom judged! Now my sins will be forgiven.
Oh Apollo, I thank you. Through what you have done, the gods of Olympus will accept me into their kingdom.
Apollo is in despair.
- No no! You will not die, my beautiful friend, my Hyacinth, with a face more beautiful than the gods, surpassing the Olympians in wisdom! Oh woe is me, woe! I became a friend's killer. Why did I throw the disc? How can I now atone for my guilt before you? Oh, that I might come into the world as a mortal, and could die for love of you! Wouldn't it be better for me to descend into the joyless kingdom of the dead in order to be inseparable from you? Oh, why am I immortal? How I would like to be in your place, Hyacinth, and die in your arms.
- Now we will be inseparably together, right, Apollo? Forgive me and do not forget me, my madly beloved.
With these words, Hyacinth dies in the arms of Apollo.
Apollo gives his last kiss to his lover.
- The memory of our love, divine Hyacinth, will forever be preserved in the history of mankind.
A beautiful flower bloomed at the site of Hyacinth's death. Its petals shone like dew from the tears of Apollo.
Materials taken from WIKIPEDIA and websites.
