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Ambrosia
AMBROSIA, in ancient mythology, sometimes the food,
sometimes the drink of the gods. The word has generally been
derived from Greek a-, "not", and mbrotos, mortal; hence the
food or drink of the immortals. A. W. Verrall, however,
denies that there is any clear example in which the word
ambrosios necessarily means immortal, and prefers
to explain it as "fragrant," a sense which is always
suitable. If so, the word may be derived
from the Semitic ambar ("ambergris") to which Eastern nations
attribute miraculous properties. W. H. Roscher thinks that both
nectar and ambrosia were kinds of honey, in which case their
power of conferring immortality would be due to the supposed
healing and cleansing power of honey. See also Ichor.
Derivatively the word Ambrosia (neuter plural) was given to
certain festivals in honour of Dionysus, probably because
of the predominance of feasting in connection with them.
"Ambrosia" is related to the Hindu amrita, a drink which conferred immortality on the gods.
The name Ambrosia was also applied by Dioscorides[?] and Pliny
to certain herbs, and has been retained in modern botany
for a genus of plants from which it has been extended to
the group of dicotyledons called Ambrosiaceae[?], including
Ambrosia, Xanthium and Iva, all annual herbaceous
plants represented in America. Ambrosia maritima and
some other species occur also in the Mediterranean region.
There is also an American beetle, the Ambrosia beetle,
belonging to the family of Scolytidae, which derives its name
from its curious cultivation of a succulent fungus, called
ambrosia. Ambrosia beetles bore deep though minute galleries
into trees and timber, and the wood-dust provides a bed for the
growth of the fungus, on which the insects and larvae feed.
This article was originally based on content from the 1911 Encyclopędia Britannica. Update as needed.
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