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. At the end of May the girl made a pot from the bark of the cork-tree. Later she lled it with soil and sowed a handful of wheat andfi Fig. la. Scene from the festival of God Adonis barley in it. The pot was placed in the sun and in the Museum of KARLSRUHE. watered regularly. There after the corn sprouted rapidly and was well developed by midsummer eve. A young woman is climbing on the first bar of The young man and the girl, dressed in their best, the ladder. She bends slightly in order to receive went to a church outside the village. There they a pot from Eros below with her hands. The pot is broke the pot by throwing it against the door of made of the upper part of a broken and reversed the church. Afterwards, they sat and drank wine amphora. Another pot exactly parallel is found on on the grass. When they were tired of singing, they the earth between Eros and the young woman. Be- hind Eros one sees the tnird pot of certain different stood up and danced joyfully till evening. In Sicily*13), at the approach of Easter, women form. In these pots the young shoots of lettuce and sowed wheat, lentils, and beans in plates, which they fennel begin to sprout. Two women below, on both sides, participate in the ceremony, mimicking her kept in the dark and watered every two days. When the plants shot up, the stalkes were tied together gestures. The broken amphora that Eros holds cor- responds to a clay pot Oar pax. where the with red ribbons. The plates with the plants were women plant the ephemeral garden of Adonis in pre- placed on the Easter Sepulchre, just as the gardens of Adonis were placed on the roofs of the houses. paration of celebrations of Adonis. The presence of the ladder necessary for the celebration especially As stated above, these places had the fact in com- in Athens explains the definition "Hanging garden" mon that they used pots in the festival correspon- ding to the festival of Adonis. (K pact- tr1;roe)*19)Z0), which Suidas gives the Garden of Adonis. Fig. 2 shows a scene from the festival of Adonis IV. THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE GAR- which is painted on the Acorn Lekythos early in the DEN OF ADONIS AND ITS RELA- 5th century B. C. TIONS TO POT GARDENING IN In this picture a woman is watering Adonis' GREECE plants*Zl) on a table. A woman is seated holding a The Garden of Adonis, which had its origin in necklace; the second woman is laying her hands on Ancient Greece, did not cease to be practiced gene- the shouldea of the first. Although the other side ration after generation, although it has undergone of the picture can not be seen, on the right of the ―12― J. JILA 42(3),1979 Fig. 1b. Lekythos in the Museum of Fig. 2, Acorn Lekythos in the Museum of KARLSRHUE. Acropolis. middle group, a naked youth is pouring oil into his palm, and a woman is leaning back against a rock. The three pots on the table are prepared for the festival of Adonis. In this picture as well, broken reversed amphoras are used for pots and the plants in these pots on the table can be seen to grow. Fig. 3 This vase is the Kotyle in the Museum of Acropolis. It dates from around the 4th century B.C.*22). This vase also shows a scene of the festival of Aponis. In the center, Eros is standing on the fifth step of a ladder and is stretching his arm to receive a pot from a young woman below. The pot in her hands also seems to be a broken, reversed amphora. The fact that Eros is about to take the pot can be interpreted as his intention to put it on the roof cf the house. The above vase (Fig. 4) is the Hydry Polychrome in the British Museum, which dates from around the

4th century B.C. This vase also shows a scene of Fig. 3. Kotyle with the picture of the festival the celebration of the God Adonis. In the center a of Adonis in the Museum of Acropolis young woman stands on the third step of a ladder in Athens. and deposits what supposedly are seeds into a pot.

―13― 造園雑誌42(3),1979 Fig. 5b. Lekythos Aryballisque. In the Mu- Fig. 4. Hydria Polychrome witn the picture seum of Berlin22)23). of the festival of Adonis In the Bri- tish Museum. Eros is flying. Further to the left a woman stands and perhaps holds a mirror. A seated woman to the right is perhaps Goddess Aphrodite. Near her a smaller Eros plays. A woman is seated and is playing a double flute. Another woman is holding a drum, and the woman to her left is dancing. It is clear that the pots with young shoots are placed on the roof of the house so as to quicken the growth of the plants*24). Their quick growth symbolizes the rebirth of the God Adonis. As shown Fig. 5a. Unfolded picture in the Lekythos in the pictures (Fig. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5), the use of broken Apyballisque In the Museum of Berlin. amphoras for flower pots in the festival of Adonis can be interpreted as a common practice of the To the right of the ladder there is a climbing plant. people. The pot in the picture also seems to be made of the The use of the upper, reversed part of omphoras upper part of a broken and reversed amphora. indicates their sense of beauty. Their growing The Kekythos Aryballisque Vase (Fig. 5a and plants in broken amphoras shows an aspect of their 5b)*23) in the Museum of Berlin also dates from plain and aesthetic life. around the 4th century B.C. They celebrated the festival to express sorrow In the center (Fig. 5b), a young woman stands for the death of Adonis, who symbolized the life of on the step of a ladder and places something in the vegetation, and they grew plants in pots to beautify pot which is presented to her by a woman on her his death. The custom has survived for many cen- left. Between the woman and the ladder, a small turies due to the fact that it stemmed from ordinary

―14― J. JILA 42 (3), 1979 people and has always been practiced by them. The custom remains in every village of Greece today as a christian celebration. At the approach of Easter, some families grow lentils (cpares) in pots in preparation of the festival. This custom is closely related to the festival of Adonis.

Fig. 7. The "Garden of Adonis"26) Good Friday at Serres,

in pieces of vases and called these things "the Garden of Adonis". Efstathios (Eua746coS) said*27)28),"rvnoc rap'A- ocuvcooS csurapca ragu ava0622ovra kw gurpac

Fig. 6. The picture of quick growing of lentils cipplyou, rat ILlms rocplvou rcv6S, rat aurlra pc:crop- in pots. 1974. eva rara r25'Oa? eei9c ral acpavcCdpeva raO' ottoc6r- 727a rcva rou rara r6v curupopov "ASmvcv Bavaroo" , "In the Garden of Adonis This picture of the pots (Fig. 6) was taken in a , small plants in deep or house in Thessalohiki, Greece. It illustrates the shallow pots sprouted and grew quickly and then .quick growing of lentil seeds in pots. Annually, disappeared in the same way as the death of the several weeks before Easter, the planting of lentils young Adonis". in pots can be observed in many villages. This During the feast of Adonis, the women weaping

Christian custom can be regarded as that of growing and mourning used to display waxen effigies of plants for the purpose of the Festival of Adonis. Adonis along with potted flowers that grow and

On Monday Thursday in the villagc of Serres*26), wither quickly in order to symbolize the premature -two women visit all the homes in order to collcct withered youth of Adonis. owers which the villagers grow in their gardens.fl Today, the exuberant displays of pot plants are Thes flowers are used in decorating the Epitaphios seen around homes and the balconies of buildings in

('EncracƒÕcoS). Greece (Fig. 8). Although it may be a universal On Good Fridry, while the Epitaphios (Christ's practice, it can be said that the practice is especi- funeral) is carried around the village, women place ally popular in Greece. In tins and in other con- the icon of the crucified Christ and a plate of fresh shoots of lentils or Maratha (MapaOa) or Hasilia

(Xaat2ca)*25) on a table located outside or each house. (Fig. 7).

The placing of the lentil shoots on the table represents the "Garden of Adonis". This custom is widely practised in Greece.

Theokritos, a Greek scholar who lived around the

3rd century B.C., said*27)."eicuBaee pip ill roic 'A&uvlocc nupouc rai rplOaS erscpsiv Ev r cacv ierpareoeS

ai (Door) courevOivrag rnnovr'AdowelouS rpoaarops.k

UElv". "For the feast of Adonis they used to plant seeds Fgi. 8. Pot gardening in Greece,

造園雑誌42(3),1979 ―15― tainers at hand, Greek people plant such flowering 3. Robert Graves: Greek myths. 1965. p.529 4.Δ ημ. A.ПETPPOПOΨ АOΨ:θPHΣKEIA TΩN plants as carnations, stocks, gardenias, geraniums, APXAIΩN EAAHNΩN 1970, P.104 jasmine and particularly basil. The Greeks seldom use elegant and decorated 5. Pausanias: ix 29.8. glazed pots, but makeshift containers for flower 6. J. G. FRAZER: Adonis Attis Osiris 1906. p.7 pots*29). This fact suggests that the custom is 7. M. Nilssen: Geschichte der griech. Religion closely related the quick growing of plants in broken Vol. 1 amphoras of the garden of Adonis. 8. Δημ.ПE7POПOΨAOΨ:θPπ ΣκEIA TΩN APX. It also seems that the garden of Adonis has influ- EAAHNΩN 1970 P.105 enced pot gardening in Greece since ancient times. 9. M. Gary: The oxford classical Dictionary 1961, For ther is a certain similarty between the old pots pp.6-7 and the present ones in that they are temporary, 10. Geoge A. Megas: Greek calendar custom 1963 expedient containers for growing plants. In addition, p.102 the practice of growing plants in such containers is 11.Δ ημ. ПE7POПOΨAOΨ:θPHΣKEIA TΩN APX. the performance of ordinary people in the ancient EAAHNΩN 1970 PP 111-112 and present times alike. 12. Aη μ. ПETPOПOΨAOψ: θEOκPITOΨ ΔIΔΨAAIA EN AAOTPAφIA IH (XVIII) 19591) 1). 23-30

V. CONCLUSION 13. J. G. FRAZER: Adonis, Attis, Osiris 1906 pp. 137-138. According to ancient records, the festival of 14. J. G. FRAZER: Adonis, Attis, Osiris 1906. pp, Adonis was originated around the 5th century B.C. 154-157. and observed especially by women. They put soil 15. Kη πous wσcoσv'Eπcτ αgiovs, Aδwvcσ τ: Evstathius and planted quick growing seeds in broken, reserved onHomer. od. xi. 590 amphoras and placed them on the roofs of the houses 16. D. B. Thompson, Garden love of Ancient Athen in order to grow them quickly. 1963. p.50 This was called the garden of Adonis. The cus- 17. W. Atallah: Adonis. 1966. p.p.178-179. tom can be interpreted as charms to promote the 18. Theophraste: Hist. Plant. VI. 7. 3. growth and revival of vegetation, which the death 19. W. Atallah: Adonis. 1966. p.p. 178-179. and revival of Adonis symbolized. 20. Suidas, S. V.: 'Aδwvcδosκ ηπoc. It is quit noticable that upper reversed parts of 21. J. D. Beagleg: Attic Red-figure vase painters. broken amphoras were used for growing Adonis 1963. Vol.III. P.1175. plants, for it indicates the aesthetic life of the an- 22. W. ATALLAH: Adonis 1966 p. 185 cient Greeks. The custom of growing plants in pots 23. H. METZGER: Les represenations 1951. P 1. VII did not cease to be practiced and still remains in 24. I. KAKPIΔHΣ:' Iστoρcα τou'Eλ ληvcκoσ'Eθvous every part of Greece. That was because it has been 1972. F 2. P. 263 deeply rooted in the life of the Greeks as a popular 25. M. NILSON: Griechishe Feste von RELIGIOSER. custom. 1906. P.161 As such, the Garden of Adonis, which marked the 26. George A. MEGAS: Greek calendar customs. begining of pot gardening in Greece, has influenced 1963. P.102 P1. IX. the formation of the modern Greek garden. It was 27. Δημ. ПETPOПOΨAOΣ: θ ρησκεiα τwｖ' Aρx.' Eλ λ- practiced by ordinary people. Accordingly it was ηvωv 19701). 113 quitc different from the elegant and formal garden. 28. Eisδ μ. δσ. λ, 590. 29. George TALOUMIS: Outdoor gardening in pots NOTE* and boxes 1962. p.p.19-21 1. Geoge Taloumis: Outdoor gardening in pots and

boxes 1962. P.15 BIBLIOGRAPHY 2. M. Nilsson: Greek popular Religion 1940. pp 96. 131. 1. Atallah W., 1966. Adonis. Paris

―16― J. JILA 42(3), 1979 2. American school of classical studies at Athens., (昭和54年11月17日受理昭和53年関西支部大会発 1963. Garden lare of ancient Athens, New Jer- 表) sey.

3. Bearley J. D., 1963. Attic Red-Figure vase 要約アドニス園について:金龍沫

painters, Vol. II, Oxford. 古代ギリシャでは,アテネでアドニス祝祭が女性によ 4. Beazley J. D. 1963. Attic Rep-Figure vase pain- り壮厳に行なわれた。それが,いまもギリシャの所々で ters, Vol. III, Oxford. アドニス・ガーデンの風習として生き続け,とくにセェ 5. Firazer J. G. 1906. Adonis Attics Osiris. New レェー村では復活祭にこの行事が盛んである。

York. 本研究は,アドニス庭の形成と推移を歴史的に考察 6. Gary M. 1961. The oxford Classical Dictionary. し,現代のギリシャ庭園に及ぼした影響を検討したもの Oxford. である。 7. Graves R., 1965. Greek myths. London. 文献によればアドニス祝祭は紀元前5世記に遡る。美 8. Henri Metzger 1651. Les representatioh. Paris. 男アドニス神の若い逝去を悼んで,若い女性らが,こわ

9. K.Kα κρcδ ηs. 1972.' Tσ τoρiα τoラ' Eλ ληvcκoう'' Eθ- れたエムプラ(ギリシャの壺)を逆にして,なかに土を

vousг2'Aθ ηvαc. 埋め草花を栽培した。草花の枯死はアドニス神の死と復 10. Megas G. A. 1963. Greek calender customs. 活を象徴するもので,植物の再生と成長を促進する呪術 Athens. 的な行為とされた。とくに注目すべきことは,こわれた 11. Nilloson M. 1940. Greek popular religion. Ox- エムプラの残りを逆さにして,それを鉢として使用した

ford. 点である。 12. Nilloson N. 1906. Griechisthe feste von religioser この風習はギリシャ人の生活に深くしみ込み,形こそ bedeutung. Leipzig 変わったが,いまでもいたるところでアドニス・ガーデ 13.П ετρδπouλosΔ ημ., 1959θ εoκρiτouεiδ5λ λcα δπδ ンがみられるし,ポット・ガーデンのオリジンとみるこ

λαoγραψcκηvε πoψcvε ρμηvεuδμεvα. IH (XVIII). ともできる。

θ εσσαλoviκη. なおアドニス・ガーデンは豪華な造園ではなく,庶民

14. П ετρ6πouλosΔ ημ., 1950θ ρησκεiα τwvdρZαiωv の情緒的な小庭園であるところに,大きな意味があると 'E7λ ληvωv . θεσσαλoviκ η. 思われる。 15. Taloumis G. 1962. Outdoor Gardening in pots and boxes. New Jersey.

造園雑誌42(3), 1979 ―17―