Honey In Poetry, Symbolism, Expressions And Names

HONEY is frequently mentioned in the works of all poets and writers, especially by the oriental and classical writers. Honey represented to them all things that are sweet and pleasing to the palate, to the mind and to the heart. Honey, like the bees, was a symbol of spirituality and also of poetic inspiration; it was looked upon as psychic nourishment—the food of the saints, carried by the bees even to the thrones of the gods. Metaphorical references to honey are found in innumerable phrases, names, proverbs, and symbols; to all intents and purposes alluding to its many noteworthy characteristics. Honey and the hive shared in popularity. Honey and the sting of the bee were often contrasted.

Bees were called by the Greeks and Romans the Birds of the Muses. The golden bees were supposed to have gathered honey for the poets on thyme-covered Mount Hymettus to sweeten their verses.

Hindu poetry is literally drenched in honey. Madhukara (honeyborn) had three meanings: bee, lover and moon. There are many romantic Hindu tales associated with honey.

In the Rig-Veda:

"My tongue hath honey at the tip, and sweetest honey at the root.
Thou yieldest to my wish and will, and shalt be mine and only mine.
My coming in is honey sweet, and honey sweet my going forth;
My voice and words are sweet: I fain would be like honey in my look
Around thee have I girt a zone of sugar-cane to banish hate
That thou may'st be in love with me, my darling, never to depart."

In Hindu mythology all delightful endowments were symbolized by honey. When mem-sahib (woman) was forged by Twasktrie, the Hindu Vulcan, he mixed a little honey in the raw material. The ingredients, by the way, were the following: The buoyancy of the leaves, the velvety gloss of the fawn, the brilliancy of the sun's rays, the tears of the mist, the inconstancy of the winds, the trepidation of the hare, the vanity of the peacock, the softness of the dawn on the throat of the swallow, the hardness of the diamond, the sweetness of honey, the cruelty of the tiger, the warmth of fire, the chill of snow, the chatter of the jay, and the cooing of the dove. From these components he created Woman and presented her to man. (Evidently, with a bountiful spirit of giving "something to remember me by.")

According to the Greek and Roman literature, honey possessed the magic power to confer the genius of poetry and eloquence; in Hindu mythology, even wisdom.

The deep influence which honey always has had on mankind is demonstrated by the innumerable geographic designations which include the name honey. In India, Egypt, the Holy Land; Greece, Italy, and in fact, on the entire European Continent and in Africa there are many names of towns, mountains, lakes and rivers which are associated with the word honey.

In Greece there are several towns called Melita or Melite. The classical name of the Island of Malta was Melita (Sicilian spelling). Melville, means honey-town; Melrose, honey-rose. In Germany, Austria, Hungary and the Slavic countries we find innumerable names derived from bees and honey. Dardanos, a village near the Strait of Dardanelles, means bee-town, (darda in Turkish, bee).

In England there are Honington (honey farm) in Suffolk; Honeydon in Bedfordshire; Honnington and Honiley in Warwickshire; Honeybourne and Honeybrook in Worcestershire. There are several Clonmels (honey-meadow) in Ireland.

In the United States:

Honey, Mississippi Honeycreek, Iowa
Honey, North Carolina Honey Creek, Oregon
Honey Hill, South Carolina Honeycreek, Wisconsin
Honey Bend, Illinois Honeyford, North Dakota
Honey Creek, Illinois Honeygrove, Texas
Honeybrook, Pennsylvania Honey Island, Louisiana
Honeygrove, Pennsylvania Honey Lake, California
Honeycreek, Indiana Honeyville, Oklahoma Honey Falls, New York

The word amber also seems to be associated with honey. It was believed that amber was anointed with honey (ambrosia). Amber is an old English name for pitcher. Amberstone and Honeycrock in Sussex are adjoining. In Wiltshire there are Ambresbury and Mount Ambrosius. The name Melleray (Brittany), a town where the Trappist monks established an abbey, was derived from mellearium (apiary). The good old Irish name Mahoney is probably a contraction of the words my honey.

Melos (song), Melpomene, melodrama, melody, melon, mellow (rich in flavor), mellifluous, mellify, etc., etc., are derived from the root, mel = honey. "My honey" is a favorite expression of the Southern negro. In old Latin writings, we also find paella mellita (honey girl). Honey boy is a recent acquisition. The verb honey means to flatter, cajole.

The expression sardonic laugh also originated from honey. On the Island of Sardinia, there is a plant from which honey is collected by the bees and if this is consumed it will cause a grim, convulsive, often fatal laugh.