Mandrake
Mandrake is a plant used in Greece during the 5th century BCE.
Description
A commonly known poisonous plant with gray-green leaves, the mandrake made a powerful medicine when properly processed. In right amounts, the medicine was said to help with conception, reduce pain, and provoke pleasant visions. Too much, however, would kill.[1]
Traditions
The traditional way to pick a mandrake plant was to circle it thrice and face west, while a dancer sung erotic songs.[1] This practice occasionally caused problems between people.[2]
History
During the Peloponnesian War, the Spartan misthios Kassandra was asked by the healer Lykaon to gather some mandrake for him, and then deliver it to his patients.[1] Lykaon also intended to use the plant to poison and kill his own grandmother, Praxithea, due to the false prophecies she had uttered during her tenure as the Pythia.[3]
Kassandra was also asked by a farmer to help deal with a witch who was known to gather the plant in the farmer's fields.[2]
Appearances
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Assassin's Creed: Odyssey – Helping a Healer
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Assassin's Creed: Odyssey – Dances with Witches
- ↑ Assassin's Creed: Odyssey – Sins of the Past