AMBROSIA
This article appears in Volume V01, Page 800 of the Encyclopedia Britannica.
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Encyclopedia Britannica - Main :: ALM-ANC
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AMBROSIA , in ancient mythology, sometimes the food, sometimes the drink of the gods. The word has generally been derived from Gr. a-, not, and Ochres, mortal; hence the. food or drink of the immortals. A. W. Verrall, however, denies that there is any clear example in which the word &j4 pbaws necessarily means "immortal," and prefers to explain it as " fragrant," a sense which is always suitable; cf. W. Leaf , Iliad (2nd ed.), on the phrase a(3pbo os iirrvos (ii. 18). If so, the word may be derived from the Semitic mbar (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 further NECTAR ). Derivatively the word Ambrosia (neut. plur.) was given to certain festivals in honour of Dionysus, probably because of the predominance of feasting in connexion with them.
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, be-longing to the family of Scelytidae, 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 See Also: - WOOD, ANTHONY A2 (1632-1695)
- WOOD, JOHN GEORGE (1827—1889)
- WOOD, MRS
HENRY See Also: - HENRY
- HENRY (1129-1195)
- HENRY (c. 1108-1139)
- HENRY (c. 1174–1216)
- HENRY (Fr. Henri; Span. Enrique; Ger. Heinrich; Mid. H. Ger. Heinrich and Heimrich; O.H.G. Haimi- or Heimirih, i.e. " prince, or chief of the house," from O.H.G.
heim , the Eng. home , and rih, Goth. reiks; compare Lat. rex " king "—" rich," therefore " mig - EDWARD _LAMSON_1841_.html">HENRY,
EDWARD LAMSON (1841– ) - HENRY, JAMES (1798-1876)
- HENRY, JOSEPH (1797-1878)
- HENRY, MATTHEW (1662-1714)
- HENRY,
PATRICK (1736–1799) - HENRY, PRINCE OF
BATTENBERG (1858-1896) - HENRY, ROBERT (1718-1790)
- HENRY, VICTOR (1850– )
- HENRY, WILLIAM (1795-1836)
[ELLEN] (1814—1887) - WOOD, SEARLES VALENTINE (1798—188o)
-dust provides a' bed for the growth of the fungus, on which the insects and larvae feed.
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