"Eye
of newt, and toe of frog, wool of bat, and tongue of dog,
Adder's
fork, and blind-worm's sting, lizard's leg, and owlet's wing,
For a
charm of powerful trouble, like a hell-broth boil and bubble."
--
William Shakespeare
Such sinister
ingredients would surely deter all but the foulest of hearts from filling the
cauldron. Or, would they?
To
learn to prepare any recipe, be it for a hearty stew, herbal remedy, powerful
poison or an offering to summon entities of the darkest nature, you must have
the proper ingredients and in the proper
concentrations.
So
how does one begin to decipher the instructions found in those grimoires penned
in darkness and secrecy hundreds of years ago?
As Glinda the Good Witch said to Dorothy, "It's always best to
begin at the beginning."
Our
short garden journey begins with lessons in history and vocabulary, necessary
essentials to understanding all that follows. The path to discovery leads back
to the first century A.D. to a Greek physician Pedanius Dioscorides who lived
approximately between the years 40CE and 90CE. Dioscorides was a physician,
pharmacologist and botanist during the reign of the Roman Emperor Nero. As a
surgeon with the emperor's army he traveled extensively studying and gathering
knowledge, elements and herbs from locations all over the Roman and Greek
world. In the waning days of the Roman Empire, Dioscorides compiled a volume of
manuscripts called the "De Materia Medica" which
described more than six hundred remedies of vegetable, animal and mineral
origins. Within the manuscripts there
also existed a substantial discourse on poisons.
These
volumes remained in use over generations and throughout the Dark Ages, most
especially in Europe. Found within these widely distributed and greatly
respected writings of science were strange and exotic substances such as
"Fat of a Head" and "Semen of Helios."
In the second century A.D. there came a Greco-Roman
doctor, pharmacist and philosopher named Claudius Galenus who lived from 131CE
to 201CE. Claudius Galenus, better known as "Galen," continuing
Dioscorides’ traditions, furthered the quest by writing approximately 500 books
and papers, becoming, without question, the most respected scientist of his
day. His writings, which covered every aspect of medical science, shaped the
methods of formulating in meticulous dosages the herbal tinctures and potions
that could be used for means both sinister and benign. Galen's work surpassed
the longevity of the "De Materia Medica" exacting a heavy influence
on physicians
and herbalists throughout the Middle Ages.
Galen eventually made his home in Egypt as a practicing physician until
his death in 201CE.
The
word "galenic" is still used today to describe medications made from
vegetable or animal ingredients. Once again, in a widely distributed and
respected scientific work were the sinister references to the severed body
parts of animals and men.
So
what, aside from developing the exacting proportions of elements animal,
vegetable and mineral required for all manner of uses, did these two men
perpetuate and indeed, validate?
The
answer is...a secret code.
The
use of code names assigned to various herbal ingredients had been initiated in
a series of Ancient Greek texts dating from the second century BCE to
approximately the fifth century CE.
These texts, known today as The Greek Magical Papyri, contained
fragments of spell books...repositories of arcane knowledge and mystical
secrets. The papyri's spells, recipes and formulas were written in code and
shorthand and detailed everything from the summoning of dark gods and demons to
"folk Remedies," love potions and poisons for ridding oneself of
unwelcome lovers. Both physicians obviously were well familiar with and
borrowed heavily from (perhaps even contributed to) the texts and of the
Papyri.
Remembering
that what is used to cure may also be used to kill, Dioscorides and later Galen
saw to it that the elements and herbs used in the makeup of potions used for
both curses and cures were obscured within the tradition and used the same code
as that found in the Greek Magical Papyri. Since both Dioscorides’ and Galen's
works remained in use for centuries throughout the world, the use of these code
names for herbs was continued by all manner of physicians and sorcerers, many
of whom were likely unaware of the names’ sinister origin. The concern was that
if the learned did not take precautions, the general population would have
access to the instructions for all manner of working with elements and herbs.
That is to say, the secrets to making all manner of magic with these substances
would be available to all.
That
simply could not be allowed.
Of
course, these secrets inevitably were murmured from one to another and over time,
the eye of newt and toe of frog found their way into the cauldron and craft of
the grune hexe. And so it is here that
we begin our vocabulary lesson.
Going
back to Shakespeare's formula for a "hell's broth," here are some of
the translations:
"Tongue
of dog" is referring to hound's tongue (Cynoglossom officinale), an
herb allegedly having the power to quiet the barking of dogs.
"Adder's
fork" is adder's tongue (Ohioglossum vulgatum), a fern reputed to
have healing properties.
Thus,
knowledge of apparently simple and straightforward products of the natural
world was all that was necessary to decode the formulae and treatises of the
wise.
A further list
of translations taken from the works of both Dioscorides and Galen, as well as The
Greek Magical Papyri in Translation, including The Demonic
Spells by Hans Dieter Betz, follows:
A
Adder's Tongue:
Dogstooth Violet; Plantain
Ass's Foot:
Coltsfoot
B
Bat's Wing:
Holly Leaf
Bat's Wool: Moss
Bear's Foot:
Lady's Mantle
Bird's Eye:
Germander, Speedwell
Blood: Elder sap
or another tree sap
Blood from a
Head: Lupine
Blood from a
Shoulder: Bear's Breeches
Blood of a
Goose: Mulberry tree's sap
Blood of a
Hamadryas Baboon: Blood of a spotted gecko
Blood of a
Snake: Hematite
Blood of an Eye:
Tamarisk Gall
Blood of Ares:
Purslane
Blood of
Hephaistos: Wormwood
Blood of Hestia:
Chamomile
Bloody Fingers:
Foxglove
Blue Jay: Bay
laurel
Bone of an Ibis:
Buckthorn
Brains: Cherry
tree gum [this phrase usually designates any fruit tree gum]
Bull's Blood or
Seed of Horus: Horehound
Bull's Foot:
Coltsfoot
Bull's Semen:
Eggs of the blister beetle
C
Calf's Snout:
Snapdragon
Capon's Tail:
Valerian.
Cat: Catnip
Cat's Foot:
Canada Snake Root and/or Ground Ivy
Clot: Great
Mullein
Corpse Candles:
Mullein
Cuddy's Lungs:
Great Mullein
Crocodile Dung:
Ethiopian Earth
Crow Foot:
Cranesbill, wild geranium, buttercup
D
Devil's Dung:
Asafoetida
Dog: Couch grass
Dog's Mouth:
Snapdragon
Dog's Tongue:
Hounds Tongue
Dove's Foot:
Wild Geranium
Dragon's Blood:
Resin of Draco palm
Dragon's Scales:
Bistort leaves
E
Eagle: Wild
Garlic or Fenugreek
Ear of an Ass:
Comfrey
Ears of a Goat:
St. John's Wort
Englishman's
Foot: Common Plantain
Eye of Christ:
Germander, speedwell
Eye of the Day:
Common daisy
Eye of the Star:
Horehound
Eyes: Inner part
of a blossom; Aster, Daisy, Eyebright
F
Fat from a Head:
Spurge
Fingers:
Cinquefoil
Five Fingers:
Cinquefoil
Foot: Leaf
Frog: Cinquefoil
Frog's Foot:
Bulbous buttercup
From the Belly:
Earth-apple
From the Foot:
Houseleek
From the Loins:
Chamomile
G
Goat's Foot: Ash
Weed
God's Hair:
Hart's Tongue Fern
Gosling Wing:
Goosegrass
Graveyard Dust:
Mullein
Great Ox-eye:
Ox-eye daisy
Guts: The roots
and stalk of a plant
H
Hair: Dried
stringy herbs; ripe male fern
Hair of a
Hamadryas Baboon: Dill Seed
Hair of Venus:
Maidenhair fern
Hare's Beard:
Great mullein
Hawk: Hawkweed
Hawk's Heart:
Wormwood seed or wormwood crown
Head: Flower of
a plant
Heart: Walnut;
bud, seed, or nut
Hind's Tongue:
Hart's Tongue Fern
Horse Hoof:
Coltsfoot
Horse Tongue:
Hart's Tongue Fern
J
Jacob's Staff:
Great Mullein
Jupiter's Staff:
Great Mullein
K
King's Crown:
Black Haw
Kronos' Blood:
Cedar
L
Lamb: Lettuce
Lamb's Ears:
Betony
Leg: Leaf
Lion's Hair:
Tongue of a Turnip [i.e., the leaves of the taproot]
Lion's Tooth:
Dandelion, also known as Priest's Crown
Lion Semen:
Human Semen
M
Man's Bile:
Turnip sap
N
Nightingale:
Hops
P
Paw: Leaf
Physician's
Bone: Sandstone
Pig's Tail:
Leopard's Bane
Privates: Seed
R
Ram's Head:
American Valerian
Rat: Valerian
Red Cockscomb:
Amaranth
S
Seed of Horus:
Horehound
Semen of Ammon:
Houseleek
Semen of Ares:
Clover
Semen of Helios:
White Hellebore
Semen of
Hephaistos: Fleabane
Semen of
Herakles: Mustard-rocket
Semen of Hermes:
Dill
Shepherd's
Heart: Shepherd's Purse
Skin of Man:
Fern
Skull: Skullcap
Mushroom
Snake: Bistort
Snake's Ball of
Thread: Soapstone
Snake's Head:
Leech
Sparrow's
Tongue: Knotweed
Swine's Snout:
Dandelion leaves
T
Tail: Stem
Tears of a
Hamadryas Baboon: Dill Juice
Teeth: Pine
Cones
Titan's Blood:
Wild Lettuce
Toad: Toadflax;
Sage
Toe: Leaf
Tongue: Petal
U
Unicorn's Horn:
False Unicorn Root; True Unicorn Root
Urine: Dandelion
W
Weasel: Rue
Weasel Snout:
Yellow Dead Nettles/Yellow Archangel
White Man's
Foot: Common Plantain
Wing: Leaf
Wolf Claw: Club
Moss
Wolf Foot: Bugle
Weed
Wolf's Milk:
Euphorbia
Woodpecker:
Peony
Worms: Thin
Roots
By the Queen of Sorcery I this garden lay:
Malediction, deep affliction May it bear both night and day.
By the Devil conjured, spread out sick and sere,
Evil, deathly blossoms, may they alone thrive here!
All material Copyright (c) 2011-2015 by Alyne Pustanio and Creole Moon Publications.
Reproduction or dissemination of this article without the expressed written
permission of the Author and/or Publisher is strictly prohibited by law.
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