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The Garden of Adonis

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The Garden of Adonis 造 園 雑 誌42(3):10-17,1979 THE GARDEN OF ADONIS by Yong Soo KIM* ア ドニ ス 園 に つ い て 金 龍 沫 I. INTRODUCTION killed by Hephaestus, the God of hunting. This study is a research into the origin and de- Panyasis (Hav)a w.)*4), a Greek scholar who lived velopment of the Garden of Adonis and a considera- around the 6th century B. C., however, had a diffe- tion of its historical importance in the beginning of rent opinion about the myth. Thiantos (Oeiavzoa), pot gardening in Greece. King of Assyria, became so angered by the adultery The custom of the Garden of Adonis is a folk of Smyrna, his daughter, with Zeus, that he threa custom which, being handed down from Ancient tened to kill her. She went to the Gods for help. Greece, still remains in the life of the Greeks today. The Gods turned her into a Smyrna tree. Tenf In ancient times, Greek women celebrated the Festival months later, the tree split and the newborn Adonis of Adonis in midsummer. Around a statue of Adonis was found there. Aphrodite concealed the infant in they placed earthen, pots filled with soll in which a box, which she gave in charge to Persephone they sowed fennel and lettuce as well as wheat and (II E. , Queen of the Underworld. But when barleyX1'. Even now women sow quick-growing seeds Persephone opened the box and saw the beauty o in pots during the festival in the village of Serres the baby she refused to return him to Aphrodite. and take delight in watching them germinate*2). The dispute between the two Goddesses was set- The vestige of the custom exists in various forms tled by Zeus, who decreed that Adonis should abide in other villages as well. As such it could be con- with Persephone in the Underworld for a half year sidered that the custom influenced the development and with Aphrodite in the Upper World for the other of the modern Greek garden. half. Eventually the fair youth was killed in hunting I am deeply indebted to Professor Kantartzis at by a boar as told previously, or by the jealous Ares the University of Thessaloniki and Professor Megas who turned himself into the likeness of a boar. at the University of Athens for their assistance. There was a similar mythological story relating They kindly answered my questions and helped me to the name of Adonis in Babylon and in Syria. The collect reference material in writing this paper. worship of Adonis was practised by the semitic people of these countries, and the Greeks took it II. THE MYTHOLOGICAL STORY OF from them as early as the seventh century B. C.*5). ADONIS The name of the deity was Tammus in the religious There are several versions of the Greek myth of literature of Babylon. In this story, he was youth- Adonis ("Ao(ovcQ). According to the most popular ful husband or lover of Ishtar, the great Mother myth, Adonis was the son of Sinyras*3), King of Goddess. Every year Tammus was believed to die, Cyprus, born by an incestuous union with his daugh- leaving the earth for the dark Underworld, and that ter Smyrna. The beautiful youth was loved by every year his divine mistress journeyed in search Aphrodite ('Acppoo/zi ), who was Goddess of love of him to the land of darkness. But while she was and beauty. While hunting he was slain by a boar. not present on the earth, all life decayed. The great Other accounts tell that the boar was Ares, the God God Ea sent a messanger to bring the Goddess back, of war, in disguise. Another says that he was so that everything would live again*6). * Laboratory of Landscape Architecture, Uni. of Kyoto ―10― The queen of the Underworld allowed Ishtar to In this song we learn about the disappearance of return to the Upper world together with her lover Lidino and there is a hope that he will come again Tammus. Upon their arrival on earth all life revived in spring. It is the same idea of the death and From this myth, it can be gathered that the God birth of nature, that we know from the Adoniazouses of Adonis represented the yearly decay and revival (' Adow. (iCowc(i) of Theocritos*12), and that is writ- of vegetable life. ten with almost the same words. They did not lament solely because they felt sad about the death III. THE FESTIVAL OF ADONIS of Adonis but also because they intended to invoke ('Aδ ω υτα) the return of the spring in which he would revive. The festival was also well known in Alexandria, In Ancient Greece, a festival called Adonia ('Ad- Egypt. It was held in late summer. According to o6vc(r) was annually held, especially by women, in Theokritos (Osoh pc-o(s) (B.C. 305) women did not order to mourn the death of the youthful Adonis. Although the festival was observed with slight weep during the festival. They sang in order that variations in other countries in the Mediterannean, the dead Adonis would return to life. While one woman was singing the others would listen. They it was most popular in Greece. The festival varied somewhat in manner and also also decorated the statue in the same way. in the season of its celebration. In Athens it was On the following day the image was carried to, the seashore, where the women lamented bitterly, held in April. Plutarchos (Hiov-apy -o(7) (A.D. 50- A.D. 120)*7)8), said that the Athenian women celeb- and then it was committed to the waves. rated the festival of Adonis before the Athenians All these ceremonies of the festival can be inter- left the city to fight against the Sicilians in 415 B. preted as charms to promote the growth or revival C. But the festival had nothing to do with war . of vegetation. The principle by which they intended The women expressed great sorrow for the death of to produce this effect was imitative magic. Simple Adonis. They made the image of Adonis and for people believed that they could induce a certain its decoration placed pots with plants around it. condition or phenomenon by symbolic acts. Accor- The festival was marked by the mourning of the dingly, the rayid growth of the wheat and barley in women and the setting out of the pots on the roofs the gardens of Adonis was intended to make the of the houses. This was called the Garden of Ado- corn in the fields shoot up. The throwing of the nis*9)10). pots and of the images into the water was a charm On the island of Egina cva) the festival named to assure a due supply of rain*13). Lidino (Audw(;) was observed on September 14 every After Christianity was introduced into Greece, the year. The mourners grieved for a person who lay original object of the festival gradually changed into on a table, symbolizing the God. Around him they the worship of Jesus Christ. The Easter celebration placed flowers*11), called lidina (Aefatv(i) or night of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ13) owers (vv roAoc3Ao9da) and they sang the followingfl resembled the celebration of the dead and risen song: Adonis. You will come again my LIDINE In Greek churches, Easter ceremonies on Good- with the cold days of March Friday resembled the rites of Adonis*14)15). During with the flowers of April the whole day an image of the dead Christ was, and the works of May placed in the middle of the church and was covered my LIDINE my LIDINE with kisses, while the whole church rang with sor- The time has come for you to leave rowful dirges. Later in the evening, when it was fair well quite dark, the priest carried the image into the and again you will come street on a bier adorned with lemons, roses, and and find us all healthy jasmine. Then a parade through the whole village my LIDINE my LIDINE began. Everyone carried his candle and broke out my beloved into lamehtation. When the procession passed their 造 園 雑 誌42(3),1979 ―11― houses, the women prayed. In the houses they kept some changes in manner and object. For it has been potted plants and burnt incense. Thus the commu- deeply rooted in the life of the Greeks as a popular nity solemnly buried its Christ as if he had just custom. died*14). Finally, the image was replaced in the Painting of the garden on vases date back to as church. These lamentations, accompanied by a strict early as the 5th century. B. C. fast, continued till midnight on Sunday. When the Figure la represents a scene from the festival of clock struck twelve, the priest appeared and announ- the God Adonis which is painted on the lekythos late ced the glad tidings that "Christ is risen". The in 5th century B.C.*16)17). crowd replied to it, "He is risen indeed". At once the whole town burst into a shout of joy. On the island of Sardinia, the garden of Adonis was planted in connection with the great midsummer festival which bore the name of St. John. At the end of March or on the first of April, a young man of the village presented himself to a girl and asked her to be his sweetheart. The proposal was con- sidered as an honor by the girl's family and was gladly accepted.
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