Myth and Legend about Delphinium


Ancient Greek legends tell, that under walls of Troy Achilles battled - son of Peley and sea goddess Fetida. Mother has presented to him the magnificent armour shaped by Gefest, the god-smith. The heel was Achilles's unique weak spot for which in the childhood was held by Fetida when has decided to dip the baby into sacred waters of the river Stiks. Achilles has been amazed in a heel by the arrow which has been started up from Paris's bow. After Achilles's death his legendary armour has been awarded to Odysseus, instead of Ajax Telamonid who considered himself the second hero after Achilles. In despairation Ajax has rushed on sword. Drops of blood of the hero have fallen to the ground and have turned into the flowers which now we name Delphiniums.

It is considered also that the plant name is connected with the form of the flowers, reminding a back of a dolphin. According to other Ancient Greek myth severe gods have transformed the young man who has recovered the lost beloved into a dolphin. Every day it swam up to coast to meet with the girl, but couldn't find it in any way. Once, standing on rocky coast, the girl has seen the dolphin. It has waved to it with a hand, and it has swum up to it. In memory of the love the sad dolphin has thrown out to her feet a dark blue flower of Delphinium. Delphinium symbolised grief at ancient Greeks.