Fly with me
One tells that Monkshood was among the favourite plants of the ancients to poison the arrows or to kill enemies. Plinio talks about it as the rapidest poison, but it could be also a powerful antidot adversus toxic substance like scorpion's poison. Mythology says that it was born from Cerbero's foam, when he saw the sunlight, in the twelfth labour of Hercules. In particular in the Ovidio's Metamorphosis we can read: “ … il mostro riempě il cielo di un triplice latrato, cospargendo l’erba dei campi di bava bianchiccia. E si pensa che questa, coagulandosi, trovasse alimento nella fertilitŕ del suolo e divenisse un’erba velenosa, che nasce rigogliosa in mezzo alle rocce, ed č chiamata per questo aconito dai contadini …”. North european mythology considers this flower symbol of the knights errant, with the power to make invisible. In this case it's evident that suggestion is the result of its particular helmet shape. In the north european countries the Monkshood is known with tha name "Thor's hat" or "Odino's hat" or "troll's helmet" (in Denmark) or "iron helmet". When christian religion gets the upper hand over pagans, the name was changed in a quiter "monk's hat". One tells that whoever was able to use the Thor's hat had the power to disappear and reappear unexpectedly, riding a horse with 8 legs, escorted by two wolfs and tow stags. In France, the aspect bound up with the flower's beauty was prevalent: the name reminds love goddess : "char de venus", venus cart. If one took off the external hood, it's possible recognize a cart drawed by doves. In the language of flowers, the Monkshood symbolizes revenge and gulty love. The Monkshood are poisonous and potentially dangerous for the presence of "aconitina".
