Gathering Mandragora
From an MS. of the XIII century
“To gather ye mandragora, go forthe at dead of nyght and take a dogge or other animal and tye hym wyth a corde unto ye plante. Loose ye earth round about ye roote, then leave hym, for in hys struggles to free hymself he wyll teare up ye roote, which by its dreadfull cryes wyll kyll ye animal.”
Theophrastus is the earliest writer on botany to allude to the virtues of mandragora, among which he mentions its property of inducing sleep, and of its use as an aphrodisiac in love potions. The Greeks gave mandragora the name of “Circeum,” derived from that of the witch Circe, and believed that an evil spirit dwelt in the plant; for, when uprooted, it was said to utter such frightful shrieks that no mortal man might hear them and live.
To prevent this catastrophe, it was usual in gathering the plant to take a dog and let him be sacrificed to the rage of the demon. This method is thus described by an antient writer:—“To gather ye mandragora, go forthe at dead of nyght and take a dogge or other animal and tye hym wyth a corde unto ye plante. Loose ye earth round about ye roote, then leave hym, for in hys struggles to free hymself he will teare up ye roote, whych by its dreadfull cryes wyll kyll ye animal.”
Certain rites and ceremonies were sometimes performed before gathering the root, such as making three circles round it with a sword, and the earth being loosened with an ivory spade, while to drown the cries of the fatal herb a horn was sometimes blown by the gatherer.
According to an antient German legend, the mandragora always grew with greater luxuriance beneath or near a gallows, for the flesh of the felons hanged thereon was believed to nourish the mysterious root in which the demon dwelt. Another legend current was, that the leaves of the plant sometimes glowed with a peculiar light at night.
The supposed likeness of the root to the human form gave rise to many of the superstitions connected with mandragora, and it was believed in early times that there were actually two distinct species, viz., male and female. These roots were often carved to resemble the human figure, and were worn as charms to ward off disease.
