pfant/" o^ tRe Moor^. 173 



was beloved by Jupiter, fell under the jealous displeasure of Juno, 

 and was much persecuted by her. Jupiter therefore changed his 

 beautiful mistress into the cow lo, and at his request, Tellus (the 

 Earth) caused a certain herb (Salutaris, the herb of Isis) to spring 

 up, in order to provide for the metamorphosed nymph suitable 

 nourishment. In the Vedic writings, the Moon is represented as 

 slaying monsters and serpents, and it is curious to note that the 

 Moon wort {Lunaria), Southernwood (Artemisia), and Selenite (from 

 Selene, a name of the Moon), are all supposed to have the power of 

 repelling serpents. Plutarch, in his work on rivers, tells us that 

 near the river Trachea grew a herb called Selenite, from the foliage 

 of which trickled a frothy liquid with which the herdsmen anointed 

 their feet in the Spring in order to render them impervious to the 

 bites of serpents. This foam, says De Gubernatis, reminds one of 

 the dew which is found in the morning sprinkled over herbs and 

 plants, and which the ancient Greeks regarded as a gift of the 

 nymphs who accompanied the goddess Artemis, or Diana, the lunar 

 deity. 



Numerous Indian plants are named after the Moon, the 

 principal being the Cardamine ; the Cocculus cordifolius (the Moon's 

 Laughter) ; a species of Solamim called the Flower of the Moon ; 

 the AscUpias acida, the Somalatd, the plant that produces Soma; 

 Sandal-wood (beloved of the Moon) ; Camphor (named after the 

 Moon) ; the Convolvulus Turpethtim, called the Half-Moon ; and 

 many other plants named after Soma, a lunar synonym. 



In a Hindu poem, the Moon is called the fructifier of vegetation 

 and the guardian of the celestial ambrosia, and it is not surprising 

 therefore to find that in India the mystic Moon-tree, the Soma, the 

 tree which produces the divine and immortalising ambrosia is 

 worshipped as the lunar god. Soma, the moon-god, produces the 

 revivifying dew of the early morn ; Soma, the Moon-tree, the ex- 

 hilarating ambrosia. The Moon is cold and humid : it is from her 

 the plants receive their sap, says Prof. De Gubernatis, "and thanks 

 to the Moon that they multiply, and that vegetation prospers. 

 There is nothing very wonderful, therefore, if the movements of the 

 Moon preside in a general way over agricultural operations, and if 

 it exercises a special influence on the health and accouchements of 

 women, who are said to represent Water, the humid element. 

 The Roman goddess Lucina (th^ Moon) presided over accouchements, 

 and had under her care the Dittany and the Mugwort [or Mother- 

 wort] [Artemisia, from Artemis, the lunar goddess), considered, 

 like the Vedic Soma, to be the queen or mother of the herbs." 



Thus Macer says of it : — 



" Her bar um ntatrem jusUim fnito ponere prima ; 

 Pnccipue morbis mulUbribiis ilia medetur." 



This influence of the Moon over the female portion of the 

 human race has led to a class of plants being associated either 



