ANDREA MANTEGNA - PARNASSUS - PAGE 3

Apple Mythology
More than skin deep

- Apples appear throughout numerous world cultures and mythologies as a common symbol and motif.
- So this means apples in ancient writings may not actually be apples as we know them today.
- Each appearance of apples in mythology presents unique examples of symbolism.
- Can Apple's Face ID tell twins apart? It has a hard time.

The outer skin of an apple may look perfect, but once you take a bite, you’ll find its true essence lies within the core. Similarly, people often judge others based on their appearance or superficial qualities, while true character shines through in difficult times. (hiddensignificance.com)

 

Apple power

- The apple is the most famous of all the fruits and it has been featured frequently in fairytales and myth-making in all cultures.
- Some have speculated that the apple’s spherical shape make it reminiscent of a globe, hence associated with world power.
- The golden apple is an element that appears in various national and ethnic folk legends or fairy tales.
- Golden apples can also be citrus like oranges.

Flower of this purple dye, Hit with Cupid’s archery, Sink in apple of his eye. (Shakespeare, A Midsummer Night’s Dream)

Apple toss

- What does throwing an apple to a girl in ancient Greece mean?
- That was the way a man used to show a woman that he loved her and wanted to marry her.
- If she grabbed the apple that meant that she loved him too and agreed to marry him.
- They also shared an apple during their first night, that symbolizing the happiness and the fertility of the marriage.
- However, the typical Greek bride was age 14-17 and married off by her father so she never had the opportunity to receive the apple.

 

As the apple-tree among the trees of the wood, so is my loved one among the sons. I took my rest under his shade with great delight, and his fruit was sweet to my taste. (The Song of Solomon)

Apple of Knowledge

Garden of Eden

- The seductive apple, the only fruit within the Garden of Eden which Adam and Eve were forbidden to eat.
- The Devil tends to get the blame for convincing Eve to eat it, but when you re-read Genesis, he’s actually nowhere to be seen.
- It’s a serpent who persuades Eve to disobey God and to pick the apple.

Hummingbird

- Earth gave us apples and an apple orchard.
- The apple was taken by Eve from the Tree of Knowledge of good and evil.
- Eve was chosen by the serpent because she had an access port to her soul, in other words, in IT terms she had a female port and Adam had a male connector.
- Think of it as a USB, you stick the thing in the opening.

Of Mans First Disobedience, and the Fruit Of that Forbidden Tree, whose mortal taste Brought Death into the World, and all our woe (Milton)

Downhill

- After consuming the apple, Eve and Adam covered up their nakedness, and were passed beyond a state of innocence.
- They experienced lust and became aware of sin and they had to leave the Garden.

Kicked out

- The juxtaposition of the serpent with the apple make it very clear that it is a particular kind of knowledge that Genesis believed that Adam and Eve ought to remain in ignorance about.
- This is further underlined by the punishment meted out to Eve, that she shall sorrow in childbirth for her disobedience.
- The apple taught them about reproduction.
- The biblical story also gave rise to its associations with immortality, temptation, the fall of man and sin.

When tomatoes were introduced into Europe, they were called "love apples". in Old English, cucumbers are called eorppla, which literally translated as “earth apples”. Therefore, the word “apple” can actually refer to many other fruits in the ancient world. Yet, this particular fruit was chosen as the “forbidden fruit” and became the basis from which many other fruits were named. What is it about the apple that caused this fruit to become such a sacred symbol in the mythologies of the world? (MartiniF)

Unknown fruit

- Many stories cite the apple as being the fruit offered to Eve by the serpent, causing both her and Adam to be cast out from Eden.
- Although the Bible itself does not mention the apple, but some kind of unknown fruit.
- This makes us forget that Eve actually offered Adam 'a fruit,' and this fruit was not believed to be an apple until much later.
- One of the problems identifying apples in mythology is that as late as the 17th-century, the word 'apple; was used as a generic term for all foreign fruits except for berries.

Apples and plums on an Alder tree

- In early Celtic Christianity, Saint Brighid caused apples and plums to grow on an Alder tree.

In “Ancient Legends, Mystic Charms, and Superstitions of Ireland” from 1887, a spell about apples and elder is written, “IT is said by time-wise women and fairy doctors that the roots of the elder tree, and the roots of an apple tree that bears red apples if boiled together and drunk fasting, will expel any evil living thing or evil spirit that may have taken up its abode in the body of a man.” (thedruidsgarden.com)

Fruit of knowledge

- Apples were often gifted to teachers throughout history, possibly originating from times where poor families gifted teachers baskets of apples as payments for their children’s educations.
- The apple is the fruit of knowledge, making it a fitting gift for a teacher.

Good apples or bad apples

- The apple has a special place even in present-day culture and people are considered either good apples or bad apples.
- One bad apple will spoil the bunch.
- Newton was apparently hit on the head with an apple and that led to his insight on the theory of gravity.
- The Buddah gained enlightenment under an apple tree.
- In this folklore, good apples are tied to insight, fertility, and health, while bad apples will lead to ruin and poor health.

Venus de Milo

Aphrodite after holding the apple of discord

- The Venus de Milo or Aphrodite of Melos is an ancient Greek marble sculpture that was created during the Hellenistic period.
- The sculpture was identified as depicting Aphrodite holding the Apple of Discord.

The statue inspired over 70 poems, influenced 19th-century art and the Surrealist movement in the early 20th century, and has been featured in various modern artistic projects, including film and advertising. (Wikipedia)

Venus missing hand

- A marble hand holding an apple was found alongside it and scientific analysis supports the identification of this hand as part of the original work.

Apple of Discord

Wedding day

- This story begins with the wedding of the great mortal Peleus and the nymph goddess Thetis, one of the Nereids, which was one of the most celebrated events in all of ancient Greece.
- This union was an important occasion, as these two would later give birth to the legendary Achilles.

It all started with the Apple of Discord, making it one of the most consequential gifts of mythological history. (meet-the-myths.com)

Celebration on Mount Pelion

- The wedding took place on Mount Pelion and was attended by numerous gods and goddesses in the Greek pantheon including Hera, Poseidon, Athena, Aphrodite, and Apollo.
- Even Zeus, father of the gods, attended the event.
- This was one of those rare times when gods and humans could all gather together and have a great celebration.

Eris throws apple

- The 'apple of discord' was a golden apple thrown by Eris, the goddess of strife and discord, at the wedding of Peleus and Thetis.
- All the gods were invited to the wedding except Eris.
- Out of revenge, she threw a golden apple into the crowd at the banquet inscribed 'for the fairest.'
- The apple itself was a punishment by Eris, towards literally everyone, both Olympians and mortals.

Goddesses green with envy

- Normally, such a gesture wouldn't have caused any contention, but all the goddesses were there.
- Aphrodite, Hera, and Athena were all in that same place and all looked down on the apple and claimed it belonged to them.
- And so began a dispute about who was the most beautiful.

Crux of an argument

- In common translation, the 'apple of discord' is the core, kernel, or crux of an argument, or a small matter that could lead to a bigger dispute.
- Contention or envy.

 

Vanity-fueled dispute

- A vanity-fueled dispute between Greek goddesses Hera, Athena and Aphrodite led to the Judgment of Paris and ultimately the Trojan War.
- Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite all claimed the apple, so they took this dispute to Zeus who refused to participate in this debate.

Judgment of Paris

Prince Paris

- Alexandros, better known as Paris, was originally a Trojan prince, one of the many sons of Priam and Hecuba.
- His birth was preceeded by a terrible vision that came to Hecuba of Troy burning to ash because of him.
- His parents abandoned him when they decided to expose the newborn to the elements.
- A shepherd found Paris and raised him.

Shepherd view

- Paris was shepherding and Zeus came by with three angry goddesses in tow.
- Zeus quickly decided that Paris of Troy was the fairest man alive so he chose him be the judge of the contest to determine who received the fruit.
- The prince was chosen to decide who was the fairest goddess.
- He has to choose between Juno, Minerva and Venus (also known by their Greek names Hera, Athena and Aphrodite, and who in the Greek version offer him gifts in return for him choosing them).

Nude goddess

- In order for him to judge them, the three goddesses all appeared in front of Paris undressed and asked him to choose the most beautiful.
- Paris couldn’t choose so the goddesses then tried to bribe him.
- Athena offered him wealth and Hera offered political power.
- Aphrodite offered the most beautiful mortal woman as his bride.

Helen of Sparta becomes Helen of Troy

- Paris choose Aphrodite’s offer which happened to be Helen, wife of King Menelaus of Sparta. 
- As a result, Paris raided Menelaus’s home and stole Helen from him.
- In some versions, Helen fell in love with the Trojan prince and chose to leave with him voluntarily.

Troy

- Then Paris took Helen to Troy, which led to the Trojan War.
- This rivalry led to a huge war between the Greeks and Trojans that lasted for ten years.
- The conflict ended with the destruction of Troy and much loss was experienced on both sides of the conflict.

Hera

- Hera nursed a bitter resentment toward Paris and the Trojans due to the contest’s unfavorable results.
- She also recruited Athena to her side and plotted against Ares, who was defending the Trojans.
- Hera also inspired Achilles and the other Greeks with her charms, and even fought in open combat.

Warfront

- Great power brings great responsibility and the gods should have known better than to start an argument over such a trivial thing as beauty.
- The apple is seen to symbolize seduction and temptation, with those who ought to know better falling victim to its power.

The blame man

- But really, everything destructive and bad had to be women's fault, and furthermore their 'moral failure' so it's easy to blame it on female vanity.
- While if you notice, the males in the painting of Venus seem to be more beautiful than the females.
- Also this was a way for the males in power to deny that women are even capable of having enough strength to effect world events without heavy influence of powerful men.

The Trojan War

Trigger

 - Homer's Odysesy describes Athena as having personal and technological advantage, Hera as having bloodlines and family power, and Aphrodite as a personal desire due to her beauty.
- Because of this, Paris's choice of any of them could have been a trigger for war.

Flight

- Many say the war began because Agamemnon of Mycenae took the opportunity to start a 'war of honor' when his brother's wife was stolen.
- The two most powerful brothers in Greece at that time sent almost 1,000 ships to Troy to recover Helen.

Bloodlines and family power

- In prior times, bloodlines and family power were the biggest factors in Greek culture and history.
- Paris was mortal and a younger son of a powerful bloodline and had little to gain from the power structure Hera represented.
- The next biggest factor was technological innovation in shipbuilding and advantage in cross-sea trading and diplomacy and because of this, Athena is meant to be the wisest choice.

Carnal desire

- Which brings us to carnal desire because by Paris picking Aphrodite, this was a type of mortal self-dooming.
- Paris was tempted by possessing the most beautiful woman on earth, Helen of Troy.
- This caused personal advantage, something that benefits your family, kingdom or culture, to lose out to personal carnal desire.
- Personal carnal desire benefits the person who desires, and causes them to betray their family, kingdom, and culture.
- This undermined a lot of important social and political beliefs in greek life.

City of Troy

- What we seem to know, despite everything, is that the Trojan War was always meant to happen and Troy would always fall.
- In Greek mythology, the Trojan Horse was a wooden horse used by the Greeks during the Trojan War to enter the city of Troy and win the war.
- Ancient evidence depicts the horse in realistic terms and with great attention to detail.

Trojan horse wheel

Greek painted pottery

Mykonos vase with face of hidden warrior

Crowded conditions

Athena

Trojan horse on wheels

Garden of Hesperides

Golden Apples of Healing

- The Golden Apples in the Garden of Hesperides were a wedding gift to Hera from Gaia and were protected by a great serpent called Ladon.
- Everything in the garden was tended by the Hesperides, who were minor earth goddesses or nymphs and daughters of the Titan, Atlas.
- The Garden was located in an inaccessible spot near the edge of the world under the power of the Olympians.

In ancient Greece, apples were considered sacred food that could only be offered to the gods. Consuming these fruits during rituals or ceremonies was believed to connect with divine energy and wisdom. (hiddensignificance.com)

Hercules

- For his 11th Labor, Hercules was sent to the garden to retrieve three golden apples for King Eurystheus.
- Hercules was a long-term thorn in Hera’s side because he was the son of her husband’s relationship with another woman.
- As a result, Heracles was often tortured by her and then given labors to do to put right the wrongs he had done.

The “Golden Apples” present in so much of the magical lore demonstrate the life-sustaining and longevity properties of apples. Magical golden apples offer keys to eternal youth, eternal life, and healing. (Dana O'Driscoll)

Apples in garden

- Hera owned a wood of precious apple trees given to her by Gaia which were tended by the Hesperides, the Daughters of Evening, and guarded by a fierce dragon.
- The apples growing there were golden and had the power to heal and renew.

Apple search

- Hercules first had to find the location of the garden from Nereus, the Old Man of the Sea.
- He also encountered and freed Prometheus who warned him not to pick the apples himself, but to ask Atlas to pick them.

Ladon the serpent

- Hercules continued on his journey, encountering several other figures, and killing the serpent Ladon.
- Next, he asked Atlas to pick the apples for him.
- Atlas was happy to set aside his great burden of holding the heavens up, so he was easily convinced and Hercules took up the heavens in his place.
- Atlas then decided to take them to Eurystheus himself and leave Hercules there.

Atlas holding up the heavens

- Hercules tricked him by claiming he needed to make a pad for his shoulders to hold the heavens up more comfortably, asking Atlas to take them up again for only a moment.
- When Atlas held the heavens again, Hercules grabbed the apples and left.
- After the ordeal, Athena took the Apples from Eurystheus and returned them to the garden.

Golden Apple award

- The golden apples of the Hesperides bear a striking resemblance to the golden apples in Norse mythology.
- In both cases, the apples are solid gold and beautiful to behold.
- They also granted immortality because it was the power they awarded when eaten.

Apple empty space

- The labors of Hercules to obtain the golden apples only to have them promptly taken away from Eurystheus, prove the futility of attempting to attain immortality.
- The apples belonged to the gods who easily took them back.
-- In other words, immortality (and the apples) only belonged to the gods and not to mortals.

Atalanta

The Apple of Trickery

- Atalanta was a girl raised by a bear and then taught the skills of the hunt.
- Though abandoned by her father as an infant, Atalanta became a skilled hunter and received acclaim for her role in the hunt for the Calydonian boar.
- She proved more skilled than the hunters who trained her and she quickly became famous throughout Greece, not only as a huntress but also as being faster than any man.

Reluctant to marry

- Her father reclaimed her as his daughter and wished to marry her off.
- However, Atalanta was reluctant to marry due to a prophecy that marriage would be her downfall.
- Because of her beauty, she gained a number of suitors and finally agreed to get married, but under the condition that her suitor was obligated to beat her in a footrace.
- Competitors who failed to beat her would be put to death.
- As Atalanta could run extremely fast, consequently, all her suitors died.

Faster than any man

- Atalanta, virgin huntress, promised to marry the first man who could outrun her, but she didn't think that could happen.
- Plus, she did not want to give up the freedom she had living wild in the forest.
- Hippomenes (Melanion) fell in love with her and realizing that no man could defeat her in a fair race, prayed to Aphrodite for help.
- Aphrodite gave him three apples made of gold and told him how to use them in order to distract Atalanta at the right time.

Mysterious golden fruit

- During the race Hippomenes tossed one of the apples in front of Atalanta each time she passed him.
- Every time he did that, she would stop to pick up the mysterious fruit.
- The fruit proved to be extremely heavy and carrying them slowed her down.
- In the end, Hippomenes defeated her, but only by a single stride.

Hippomenes as a lion

- After they wed, Atalanta had Hippomenes turned into a lion so that he could be by her side during the hunt.
- In another version, Hippomenes was supposed to pay penance to Aphrodite in return for her help but he never did.
- She turned them both into lions as punishment for his lack of appreciation

Tortoise won

- In this instance, the apples symbolize selfishness and distraction.
- Atalanta could not bring herself to avoid chasing after the golden fruit as they were thrown in her path.
- Once she picked them up, she was not able to put them down and they slowed her, ultimately costing her the race.
- This greed was Atalanta's flaw.

Consequences from Aphrodite

- In the second version of the story, Hippomenes’ desire for Atalanta caused him to call on Aphrodite, his only hope of obtaining his bride.
- Hippomenes neglected to pay tribute to Aphrodite, and because of that, the apples have increased symbolism as objects of greed and selfishness.
-  Greek gods were never known for doing anything without something in exchange, something he forgot once he obtained his goal.
- Because of that, he suffered the consequences when he didn't live up to his end of the deal.

Apple of Mortality

Snow White and the Seven Dwarves

- The idea that apples can represent some kind of a fall persists in the fairy tale of Snow White.
- Snow White was warned by the dwarves against talking to strangers, but like Eve, she allowed herself to be persuaded that the apple would grant her new powers.

 

Wicked Witch and Snow White

- When the queen hears the mirror tell her that Snow White is the fairest of them all, the queen makes a poisoned apple, one that looks totally irresistible.
- The Wicked Queen poisoned one half of the apple, turning it red while the other half was white.
- She gave herself the appearance of a peasant woman and knocked on Snow White’s door.

 

Poisoned

- Such is the queen’s deceitfulness that she has made the apple only half-poisoned.
- This allowed her to take a bite from it herself to assure Snow White that it was safe.
- When she split it to share with Snow White, the queen would not be harmed, but Snow White took a bite and fell down dead.

Snow White fell down

- After a ‘long, long time’, a prince appeared who persuaded the dwarves to give him the coffin with Snow White inside it.
- Carrying the heavy object, one of the dwarves stumbled, causing a piece of apple to become dislodged from Snow White’s throat.
- She opened her eyes, sat up, then married the prince and they lived happily ever after.
- The apple didn’t kill Snow White.

 

Wicked queen as a coal

- The ending is not so happy for the wicked queen, who, in the original Grimms’ tale, was forced to wear iron shoes that were heated in burning coals and to ‘dance until she fell down dead.’
- There is symbolism here about lost innocence, with Snow White biting down on red and so succumbing to a death-like slumber.
- Snow White is hated for her beauty and in consuming the apple, she fell victim to mortality, the enemy of all beauty.

William Tell's Apple

Arrested and punished

- The story goes that in 1307, William Tell was arrested, along with his son Walter, for not bowing to a hat on a pole.
- The hat belonged to Albrecht Gessler, the newly appointed Vogt which is a type of feudal lord in Altdorf, Switzerland.
- As punishment, Tell and his son are set to be executed, unless Tell can shoot an apple off his son’s head in one attempt.
- Tell takes up his crossbow and the rest is history.

Apple boy

- Gessler, the new squire in town, was upset because William Tell didn't show him any respect.
- Therefore, William Tell was arrested and punished by being forced to fire a shot at an apple on his son’s head.
- The evil squire had the expectation that he would fail, and the child would be killed.
- Naturally, the expert marksman hit the apple precisely and the boy lived.

Arrow hit the mark

- The apple split and fell to the ground.
- Gessler fell to the ground from the impact of Tell’s second crossbow bolt.
- William Tell later rose up against Gessler and assassinated him as punishment.
- End of story.

 

The Apple of Immortality

Thiazi in the form of an eagle

- Unlike other gods, the Norse Gods are not immortal and they live and die the same as humans.
- To stay young and strong, they require a rare kind of apple in their diet that only the Goddess Idun could provide.
- For this reason, Idun was very important and crucial in Asgard, home of the Gods.
- Idun was the goddess of eternal youth and was the wife of Bragi, the god of poetry.

Largest of the oxen

-  One day, Odin, Loki, and Hœnir were on a journey in Midgard.
- After a long and tiring day, the 3 Gods decided to find something to eat and a place to rest.
- They found a herd of oxen and Loki, with his wit and tricks, managed to trap the largest of the oxen and slaughtered it for their dinner.

Oxen on the fire

- Meanwhile, Odin and Hœnir started a fire and while the coals were heating, they prepped the oxen for their dinner.
- After placing the oxen on the fire they waited, and waited, and then waited for what seemed to be a really long time.
-  When they checked on the progress, the oxen was still as raw as when they put it on the fire.

Eagle perched

- A huge eagle that had been perched on a tree and watching the scene, talked to the Gods and offered his help.
- The eagle made a deal with them; he would help with their barbeque if they agreed to let him have a portion of the meal.
- Having no other choice, the Gods accepted the deal because they weren't having any luck by themselves.

Loki's large stick

- The eagle jumped off his tree branch and grabbed a huge piece of the oxen; in fact, more than half.
- This made Loki extremely angry and, without thought, he jumped on the eagle and hit him with a large stick.
-- The eagle took off and unfortunately, took the stick and Loki along with him.

Eagle flight over Idun's castle

- The eagle flew through the trees and into the mountains to make sure Loki's trip was very uncomfortable.
- Loki, who feared for his life, begged the eagle to put him down.
- The eagle, who was actually the giant Thiazi in disguise, told Loki that the only thing that could make him stop would be for Loki to convince Idun to leave Asgard.
- Loki agreed and a few days later when the Gods were back in Asgard, Loki visited Idun's castle and convinced her to take a tour with him to Midgard, so she could see the human world.

Thiazi's castle in Jötenheim

- In Midgard, Loki and and Idun were out in a field enjoying the sunshine and the breeze.
- The giant Thiazi, again in the form of an eagle, swooped down from the sky and gathered up Idun in his talons.
- He flew to his abode in Jötenheim, land of the Giants, where he would be able to enjoy the apples of youth that Idun provided by himself.

 

Loki put on his hawk skin

- Back in Asgard, the Gods started feeling weak and their hair began to turn gray.
- They knew right away what was wrong and who the culprit was.
- Odin, gathering his strength, called for a council of the Gods and Loki was brought back to Asgard.
- They demanded that he find Idun and bring her back or they would kill him.
- Thinking about a way to bring her back, Loki put on his hawk skin and flew to Thiazi's castle in Jötenheim.

Idun as a small nut

- Loki found Idun by herself in a cold and dark room crying.
- He was obliged to bring Idun back to the Gods or risk his life and he also felt very remorseful for allowing Thiazi to steal Idun away from the Gods and causing her to cry.
- The room's window was only big enough for a hawk, not for a goddess, so Loki spoke magic words and turned Idun into a small nut.
- He then picked the nut with his claws and flew towards Asgard.

Asgard

- When Loki was almost halfway to Asgard, Thiazi returned to his castle and discovered Idun was gone.
- One of Thiazi's servants told him he saw a large hawk leaving the castle a few hours earlier.
- Thiazi understood immediately what had occurred and quickly put on his eagle skin and flew off to intercept Loki and Idun.
- The eagle was fast and strong, and soon reached Loki as he was about to arrive in Asgard.

Loki in his hawk skin with nut

- The Gods were watching and realized that Loki's hawk was unlikely to outrun Thiazi's eagle.
- They brought a huge pile of wood and ignited it just as Loki flew over the walls of Asgard, however, when Thiazi flew over the walls, his wings were burned and he fell down.
- The Gods killed Thiazi before he had a chance to take off his eagle skin.

Idun apples in her Asgard garden

- Loki put the nut on the ground and spoke some magic words.
- The nut turned back into the Goddess Idun and she handed a golden apple to each God and their youth and health was instantly restored.
- Once again, Loki proved he could create a huge mess then get out of it while narrowly escaping death.

The Divine Apple

Avalon, The Arthurian Legends

- Avalon means ‘Isle of Apples’ and several of the most notable events within the Arthurian legends occurred there.
- It is the mystical paradise where King Arthur is taken after his final battle, to be healed by its magical forces.
- Excalibur was forged there and bestowed upon Arthur, but it is also there that Arthur returned, grievously wounded by his son Mordred.

Arthurian lore

- In Arthurian lore the Otherworld known as Avalon is ruled by a fairy queen.
- The apple tree already had a long association with the Summerlands, the final resting place of the great King Arthur, taken there by the 9 Morgans after his fateful death at the great battle of Camlann.
- The association of Avalon with apples is a reflection of the apple’s broader symbolism in Celtic mythology: a bridge between the human world and the divine, a fruit that offers passage to realms of eternal life and mystery.

Apples symbolize divine joy

- Avalon itself seems to symbolize divine joy, with Arthur making a final and lasting peace with his sister Morgan as he passes over to it.
- There is a circularity to how eating the apple saw us cast out of Eden, but here the return to Avalon takes us back again to apples as we also return to a time of innocence.

Ambiguous piece of fruit

- The apple is an ambiguous piece of fruit, being seductive at one turn but then life-giving and life-affirming at another.
- Perhaps it's ot so much the apple itself but who is holding it out to you?

The Apple of Gravity

Isaac Newton

- Isaac Newton, most people will agree had something to do with the apple tree.
- The odds are that he wasn’t actually sitting beneath an apple tree when he had his first ideas about gravity, but it was an easy way of explaining it and the story stuck.

Some kind of fruit

- A force from the apple fall helped scientist Isaac Newton to understand in the late 1660s that it wasn’t the ‘Eureka’ moment as it is often described.
- And no, the apple didn’t hit Isaac Newton on the head, but it was a significant moment in Newton’s development of the theory of gravity.
- There was some reason that Newton chose to sit under an apple tree instead of a pear tree, and some reason he wasn't watching some other object fall to the ground.

Planetary forces

- Newton concluded that the apple is drawn towards the earth but that the earth is also drawn towards the apple.
- Expanding this thought, he realized that there could also be a gravitational relationship between the earth and the moon affecting both their movements and orbits.

The Silver Branch

The Voyage of Bran

- In Irish mythology and literature, the Silver Branch is a symbol that represents entry into the Celtic Otherworld, or Tír na nÓg, the Land of the Ever-young.
- The Welsh called it Annwn and it was featured in the Irish poem The Voyage of Bran.
- To enter the Otherworld before the appointed hour marked by death, a passport was often necessary, and this was usually a silver branch of the sacred apple-tree bearing blossoms.

In Celtic mythology, the apple holds a place of profound significance, symbolizing much more than just a fruit—it represents immortality, wisdom, and the connection between the mortal world and the divine. The apple tree, abundant and magical, was revered by the Celts for its mystical powers, its fruit believed to be a gift from the gods. (houseofapplejay.com)

Isle of Apple Trees

- The branch is also associated with Manannán mac Lir, an Irish sea deity with strong affiliation to Tír na nÓg.
- As guardian of the Otherworld, Manannán also has strong ties with Emhain Abhlach, the Isle of Apple Trees, where the magical silver apple branch was found.

3 Golden apples

- The branch had 3 golden apples and belonged to Manannán mac Lir and was given to the high king Cormac mac Airt in the narrative Echtra Cormaic (Cormac's Adventure in the Land of Promise).
- The Queen of the fairy realm in Celtic myth has been associated with the Greco-Roman goddess Proserpina.

In the Irish myths and legends, the sea God Mannanan Mac Lir is reputed to live on an island known sometimes as Emhain Abhlach – the Place of Apples, another name for the fabled isle of Avalon. One day, the sea God appeared to Cormac Mac Airt whilst carrying a branch laden with nine musical golden apples. When shaken, the sound that these apples made was said to cure the troubles of any within earshot of the resulting music. (eldrum.co.uk)

 

Fairy queen

- The Silver Branch was presented to fairy queens as an offering or the sign of a pact.
- It allowed access to the fairy realm and produced a magical note that was irresistible to mortals.
- In Celtic lore the music of the Silver Branch caused King Cormac MacAirt to trade his wife and children, and hid Bran to Tir Naill, accompanied by fairy women.

Favored mortal

- The Silver Branch also allowed mortals to enter and exit the realm of the dead before their time had come.  
- Celtic legends related to the Otherworld reveal that a passport is necessary in order for a living mortal to enter.
- If the Queen of the Land of the Ever-Living and Ever-Young favored a mortal, she provided them with the Silver Branch.

Legends featuring the apple are a part of many different cultures, ranging from the ancient Greeks and Romans right across the world to the Norse and the Celts, and although these legends cover a diverse range of topics and stories, the apple is often to be found as a symbol of the Otherworld, of fey wisdom and intuition, and is usually associated with love, beauty and the Goddess. (eldrum.co.uk)

 

Beyond the sea

- Upon the branch hung apples that served as nourishment for any living mortals dwelling in the Otherworld.
- Journeys into the Otherworld are often tales of initiation into the mysteries.
- The Silver Branch symbolized the bond between the world of the living and the world that lay beyond.
- The Otherworld in Celtic lore was located in the west, beyond the sea. 

The Silver Branch and the Otherworld of Celtic lore are very much like the Golden Bough and the Underworld of the Aegean/Mediterranean legends. (mametupa.tumblr.com)

 

Ethereal woman

- At the beginning of the Voyage of King Bran the Blessed, who fell asleep outside the gates of his citadel one morning as the result of ethereal music that only he could hear.
- King Bran was greeted on awakening by the sight of a beautiful silver branch laden with apples and white blossoms.
- He took the branch back into his hall, and when he did, an ethereal woman appeared in the middle of the room, and sang a haunting, fey song about the Otherworld.

Magical silver branch

- She sang verses describing her land as the place of delight with poetic names such as the 'Plain of White Silver.'
- When the song finished, she vanished, taking the magical silver branch with her.
- The magical song lit a fire in the soul of King Bran, and nothing pleased him from then on.

Turned into ashes

- King Bran was destined to set sail on a long search for the Otherworld, which marked the beginning of a saga of many adventures, losses and much hard won wisdom in the end.
- The land of the branch turned out to be some sort of Otherworld, and even though Bran and his crew believed they tarried at the Land of Women for a year, it turned out to be many years, even centuries.
- So long that when they reached Ireland, they learned that they had become ancient history.
- One of the crew who tried to set foot on land turned into ashes.

Áine the goddess of summer

- Another significant figure in Celtic mythology associated with apples is Áine, the goddess of summer, fertility, and love.
- Known for her close connection to the harvest, Áine was linked to apple orchards, with the fruit symbolizing the ripening of life and love under the sun’s warmth.
- Apples, in this sense, were not only sustenance but a representation of the sacred, life-giving force that binds the natural and spiritual worlds.

Fruit ripening

- The apple tree itself was considered a sacred tree in Celtic belief, symbolizing longevity and immortality.
- Its fruit, ripening in the late summer and autumn, coincided with the Celtic festivals celebrating the harvest, such as Samhain.
- These festivals marked the changing of the seasons and the cycle of life, death, and rebirth.
- The apple tree’s role in these celebrations reinforced its connection to the cyclical nature of existence and the eternal life believed to be attainable through the Otherworld.

Apple tree wand

- For the Druids, the spiritual leaders of the Celts, the apple tree had a special significance.
- Merlin held his magic lessons under an apple tree.
- Wands made from apple tree wood were believed to hold great magical power, and the tree itself was often regarded as a gateway to the Otherworld.
- In this way, the apple tree became not just a symbol of immortality, but also a conduit for divine wisdom and mystical insight.

 

Like her sister the hawthorn (although to a lesser extent), apple trees can be gateways to other realms and experiences–the holes that open in the ground, the apple as a key to the castle, the sleeping person under the apple that is transported to a new place. Apple offers us these journeys and experiences–in a much more gentle way than Hawthorn. (Dana O'Driscoll)

  

Johnny Appleseed

Seed

- Johnny 'Appleseed' Chapman was born in 1774 in Leominster, Massachusetts.
- He was an American pioneer nurseryman who introduced trees grown with apple seeds to large parts of Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and Ontario, as well as the northern counties of West Virginia.

Apples are genetically seriously creative, with a characteristic the botanists call ‘extreme heterozygosity’ and each apple seed will be different from it’s parents. Great for evolution, but trickier for apple farmers who want the same crop each time. The only guaranteed way to get the same result is by grafting which is how our modern day apples are propagated. (sweetfreedom.co.uk)

Apple blossom

- Apples are easiest to spot in the field when they are in bloom in their swath of pink, red, or white blossoms.

 

And if they inquire whence came such trees Where not a bough once swayed in the breeze, The answer still comes, as they travel on, "These trees were planted by Apple-Seed John." (Lydia Maria Child)

 

Apple nursery

- In 1806, Johnny Appleseed embarked upon a canoe voyage down the Ohio, Muskingum, and Walhonding Rivers, using two canoes lashed together to transport himself and his seeds.
- The popular image is of Johnny Appleseed spreading apple seeds randomly everywhere he went.
- In fact, he planted nurseries rather than orchards, built fences around them to protect them from livestock and wildlife.
- He would leave the nurseries in the care of others and return every year or two to tend to the orchard.

Nothing gives more yet asks for less in return, than a tree: particularly, the apple. (Johnny Appleseed)

  

Apple mover

- There is historical evidence as to how apples moved between locations around the world.
-  Different species of apples appear along the trade routes they were carried along, crossed with the local crabapple and other wild apple species that preceded them.
- Which gave us the thousands of different apple species we have today.
- Good, tart crab apples will sweeten when cooked and make some of the more delicious apple pies or sauces.

 

Apple cider

- Some crab apples do appear native to the US, but nearly all of the apples here were spread by Appleseed and others looking to make hard cider.
- Apples had an important place in Colonial America. because the early colonists were told not to drink any of the water, they depended on drinking cider and the alcohol of which would be safe.
- Even small children were raised drinking apple cider as their primary beverage.  

Apple winter

- Even late into the winter, apples from root cellars were brought out and made into many things–this made the apple one of the primary foods and drinks.
- In the 1700s, there were close to 2,000 known varieties of apples.
- Most orchards were planted with many varieties to ensure an extended harvest, and different kinds of apples had different purposes such as cider apples, storage apples and fresh apples.
- Apples can sustain people through difficult winters, they can be baked, fermented, dried, and made into wonderful and delicious foods that nurture and heal as much as they sustain.

 

Apple wassail sugar and spices

- One of the longstanding ancestral traditions is the wassail which is a beverage made from hot mulled cider, ale, or wine and spices.
- it is drunk traditionally as an integral part of wassailing, an ancient English Yuletide drinking ritual and salutation either involved in door-to-door charity-giving or used to ensure a good harvest.
- These wassail traditions were magical traditions focused on bringing good health, fertility, and abundance to the land.

Wassail is like the tastier sister to Apple Cider. Traditional wassail was made with hard liquor, apples, brandy, and other spices. This recipe is made with cloves, apples, cinnamon, lemon, orange, ginger, and nutmeg and is a nonalcoholic wassail recipe. You could certainly add alcohol if you wish by adding a splash of brandy, bourbon, rum, or whiskey, to taste. (tastesbetterfromscratch.com)

Apple harvest

- We’ve all heard the proverb ‘an apple day keeps the doctor away’, but is there any truth to it, the answer is yes.
- Apples are rich in vitamins and minerals such as vitamin C.
- They are a natural remedy for the heart, stomach and bowels.
- Apples are also said to improve bone health, promote brain function, and reduce the risk of asthma, diabetes and cancer thanks to antioxidants and flavonoids they contain.
- Perhaps this gives rise to its connection to eternal youth, long life and renewal.

Because of the importance of the apple as a staple food and drink crop, people would go out to the trees in January 6th or 17th (old 12th night, depending on how you calculate it) to bless the trees, make offerings to the trees, and drive evil spirits away from the trees in order to ensure an abundant harvest for the coming season. (Dana O'Driscoll)

Apple love

- Since ancient times apples have been known as the 'Fruit of Love' and have been used since time began to express affection and passion.
- In Greek Mythology Aphrodite, goddess of love was given an apple as a symbol of love.
- Perhaps this originates in the fact that apple trees are members of the Rosaceae (rose) family, which are all about the heart.
- It’s no wonder that apples are a natural remedy for the heart emotionally and physically.

 

Robert Frost, Emily Dickinson, Christina Rossetti and Dylan Thomas all wrote poems about apples. Caravaggio, Magritte and Titian painted them. The most famous forbidden fruit depiction, the Temptation and Fall, painted by Michelangelo on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel features forbidden figs… however by the time Milton wrote Paradise Lost in the 17th century the forbidden fruit was firmly and definitively an apple! (sweetfreedom.co.uk)

- Many European fairy tales begin when golden apples are stolen from a king, usually by a bird.
- The ancient Celtic god of nature, fertility and prosperity, Cernunnos was often shown with a cornucopia and apples symbolizing the power of the natural world.
- The Arabian Nights features a magic apple from Samarkand capable of curing all human diseases.

Apple tree

- Other legends tell of Otherworld visitors appearing as the Shaman carrying an apple branch with bells on it.
- Throughout Celtic lore, apples appear as powerful symbols of life’s eternal cycle and the magical Otherworld, a place where time stands still and the boundaries of reality dissolve.

 

Gold fruit

I will find out where she has gone And kiss her lips and take her hands; And walk among long dappled grass, And pluck till time and times are done The silver apples of the moon, The golden apples of the sun. (William Butler Yeats, The Song of the Wandering Aengus)

Andrea Mantegna