Apollo

The hyacinth myth is rooted in Greek mythology and tells the tragic story of a beautiful youth named Hyacinthus. Here is a summary of the myth.

The Characters:

Hyacinthus: A handsome young man admired by many.
Apollo: The Greek god of the sun, music, arts, knowledge, healing, plague, prophecy, poetry, manly beauty, and archery. He also had the ability to bring death with his arrows. He loved Hyacinthus deeply.
Zephyr: The god of the west wind, who was also in love with Hyacinthus.

The Story:

Hyacinthus was a beautiful youth, loved not only by Apollo but also by Zephyr. One day, Apollo was teaching Hyacinthus the art of throwing a discus. They were enjoying their time together, competing and demonstrating their skills.

However, Zephyr became jealous of their close relationship. When it was Hyacinthus’s turn to throw the discus, and as Apollo looked on with admiration, Zephyr intervened. In a fit of jealousy, he blew a gust of wind that caused the discus to veer off course, striking Hyacinthus in the head and killing him.

Apollo was devastated by the death of his beloved. He refused to let Hades, the god of the underworld, claim Hyacinthus. Instead, Apollo used his divine powers to transform the fallen youth into a beautiful flower, which we now know as the hyacinth.

The Symbolism:

The hyacinth flower, born from the tragic end of a beautiful youth, symbolizes the themes of love, rebirth, and the transcendence of death. Each spring, the blooming of the hyacinth represents the undying love Apollo had for Hyacinthus and reminds us of the cyclical nature of life, death, and rebirth.

Different versions of this myth might vary in details, but the central tragic love story and the transformation of Hyacinthus into a flower remains a common theme.

Find home fragrances: Hyacinth

Hyacinth is a type of flower that is named after Hyacinthus, a character from Greek mythology. According to the myth, Hyacinthus was a beautiful youth loved by the god Apollo.

One day, while the two were playing a game of discus, Apollo accidentally struck Hyacinthus in the head with the discus, killing him.

In his grief, Apollo created the hyacinth flower from the blood of Hyacinthus. The flower is said to have sprung up where each drop of blood fell. The petals of the hyacinth are said to bear the Greek letters “AI AI,” which were the cries of mourning uttered by Apollo when he realized what had happened.

This mythological story has been passed down through the ages, and the flower has been named after Hyacinthus ever since. The hyacinth is also sometimes referred to as the “Jacinth” flower, which is derived from the French word “jacinthe” and the Latin word “hyacinthus.”