February 1, 2025

The Baptistery of St. John (Battistero di San Giovanni)
The Baptistery of St. John was built in the 11th century, dedicated to St. John the Baptist, the patron

saint of Florence, predating the construction of the Florence Cathedral (Santa Maria del Fiore, also known

as the Duomo).

Before the Duomo was completed, the Baptistery served as a church and symbol of Florence.

Later, it was renovated and repurposed as a baptistery.

Dante Alighieri, the renowned poet born in Florence, was baptized here.

This octagonal building features bronze relief decorations on its southern, northern, and eastern doors, with the northern and eastern doors being particularly famous:

The Northern Door:
In the early 15th century, after Florence recovered from a devastating plague, a competition was held for a new baptistery door, symbolizing hope for a new era.

Lorenzo Ghiberti's design was chosen over Filippo Brunelleschi’s.

The door, based on the New Testament, depicts scenes from "The Life of Christ" and various saints.

Disheartened by his loss, Brunelleschi left Florence to study architecture in Rome.

He later returned and designed the magnificent dome (cupola) of the Florence Cathedral.

The Eastern Door:
About 20 years after completing the northern door, Ghiberti created the eastern door, later praised as the "Gates of Paradise" by Michelangelo.

The door, glowing with golden brilliance from centuries of touch, features ten gilded relief panels illustrating stories from the Old Testament, masterfully incorporating perspective.

About John the Baptist:
John the Baptist, a prophet in the New Testament, baptized Jesus Christ in the Jordan River.

Baptism, a Christian ritual, symbolizes cleansing of sin and becoming a child of God by pouring water over the head.

It’s important to note that John the Baptist is distinct from John the Apostle, one of Jesus’ disciples.

The name "John" originates from the Hebrew "Yohanan," meaning "The Lord is gracious."

With the spread of Christianity across Europe, male names derived from "Johannes" (Latin for John) became widespread in various languages:

John (English)

Jean (French)

Juan (Spanish)

João (Portuguese)

Johannes (German)

Ioannes (Latin)

Giovanni (Italian)

Evan (Welsh)

Among these, the English name "John" is considered one of the most common male names worldwide.

Indeed, many famous figures, such as John F. Kennedy and John Lennon, bear this name.

January 1, 2025

The Uffizi Gallery
11. Bacchus
   A late 16th-century work by Caravaggio.

Bacchus is depicted with a flushed face from intoxication, holding a wine glass.

In Greek mythology, Bacchus is the god of wine, intoxication, fertility, and theater.

His true name is Dionysus, meaning "young Zeus," but he was also known as Bakkhos.

In Roman mythology, he is called Bacchus, and this name became the widely recognized English pronunciation.

Globally, including in Japan, the name Bacchus is more familiar than Dionysus, with many restaurants and bars named after him.

Zeus had an affair with Semele, a princess of Thebes, resulting in her pregnancy.

However, due to a scheme by Zeus’s wife Hera, Zeus inadvertently killed Semele with the heat of his lightning.

Mourning her death, Zeus retrieved the fetus from her charred body and implanted it in his thigh.

Four months later, he delivered the child and named him Dionysus (Bacchus).

As he grew, Dionysus became the god of wine, teaching grape cultivation and winemaking.

He was surrounded by fervent female followers known as "Bacchae" (followers of Bacchus).

These women, intoxicated during the day and entranced by Dionysus's mystique, would enter a frenzied state, engaging in wild dances, orgies, dismembering animals, and consuming raw flesh during chaotic feasts.

This frenzied ritual, called the "Mysteries of Dionysus" (Bacchanalia), later evolved into Greek tragedies.

Hence, Bacchus is also regarded as the god of theater.

The frenzied female followers wore ivy crowns, waved staffs entwined with ivy, and danced wildly while shouting.

They were violent, obscene, and devoid of reason.

These women were referred to as “mainas” (meaning "madwoman"), with the plural form “maenads.”

The term “mainas” is the root of the word "mania" (referring to frenzy or obsession).

Although the pronunciation of "mainas" might remind of "minus" (as in "plus and minus"), it has no connection to the notion of "minus."

The collective intoxicated rituals of the "Mysteries of Dionysus" (Bacchanalia) vividly resemble the debauched behavior of alcoholics in a drunken frenzy.

The wild “mainas” evoke an impression of foolishness (“baka” in Japanese) and negativity, full of "minus" connotations.

By the way, the word “alcohol” originates from the Arabic term “al-kuhl.”

Here, “al” is a definite article (equivalent to "the" in English), and “kuhl” refers to "kohl," a fine black powder used as a cosmetic.

Thus, “alcohol” essentially means "kohl.”

In ancient Arab traditions, both men and women applied kohl to their eyelids and eyebrows to prevent eye diseases common to the region.

As the powder needed to be finely processed for facial application, it was prepared through sublimation using heat.

Meanwhile, the practice of distilling wine to create strong liquor (such as brandy) gained popularity.

Both sublimation and distillation involve purification by heating, making them conceptually similar.

So, in the 15th–16th century, physician and chemist Paracelsus referred to alcohol distilled from wine as “alcohol vini” (kohl from wine).

Eventually, “alcohol vini” became known as brandy.

Over time, the term "alcohol" came to primarily refer to ethyl alcohol, becoming synonymous with spirits and liquor.

December 1, 2024

Uffizi Gallery
10. Apollo (Apollon)

Apollo has appeared several times already, so this time I will introduce a different story.

Apollo is one of the Twelve Olympian gods in Greek mythology, the son of Zeus.

In Roman mythology, he is known as Apollo as well.

He is a god of the arts, such as poetry and music, the guardian of shepherds, the "god of the far-shooting bow" who defeats enemies one after another, a god who shoots arrows of plague and kills people, a healing god who drives away diseases, and a prophetic god who grants oracles.

He has many diverse roles.

In ancient Greece, Apollo was considered the ideal image of youth.

Since he was also the god of light, he later became conflated with the sun god Helios.

The United States named its space exploration program in the latter half of the 20th century the "Apollo Program" because they wanted to emulate the image of the shining god Apollo riding his chariot across the sky.

Apollo, being a handsome youth, had countless romantic relationships, but there was one lady who refused his advances.

That lady was Daphne.

She was the beloved daughter of the river god Peneus and was extremely beautiful.

After Apollo had shot and killed the great serpent Python, he teased Eros, the god of love, saying "That little bow of yours could never strike anything."

Angered, Eros retaliated by shooting a golden arrow (which ignites love) at Apollo and a leaden arrow (which causes rejection of love) at Daphne.

As a result, Apollo pursued Daphne, but she fled from him.

Just as Apollo was about to catch her, her father Peneus transformed her into a laurel tree.

In his despair, Apollo asked, "If you cannot be my wife, then at least become my tree," and Daphne nodded, shaking her branches and dropping her leaves onto Apollo’s head.

From then on, laurel wreaths were given to victors in competitions and great poets, as a symbol of honor.

In later centuries, the laurel tree was used as a talisman to ward off witches and demons.

In Christianity, it symbolized "immortality" and was used to crown martyrs.

Incidentally, the reverse side of the Japanese 10-yen coin also features laurel leaves.

In ancient Greek, laurel trees were called "daphne" in reference to the story of Apollo and Daphne.

In Latin, the laurel tree's scientific name is Laurus nobilis.

Laurel leaves contain aromatic compounds, and when dried, they are called "laurier" in French and "laurel" or "bay leaf" in English, and are used as spices around the world.

In addition to their strong aroma, laurel leaves are said to have effects such as inhibiting alcohol absorption and stimulating saliva and gastric juice secretion.

In my household, we never forget to add laurier to curry or beef stew."

The ancient Greek word for laurel, "daphne," has been repurposed in modern English to mean "fragrant daphne," referring to the plant known as “daphne” (“jinchouge” in Japanese).

The scientific name of daphne is Daphne odora, which also means "fragrant daphne."

Both the leaves of the laurel tree and the flowers of the daphne plant have pleasant scents, which likely led to the confusion between the two.

   As a side note, the name of the Japanese sanitary product "Laurier" is said to be a play on words between "laurel"(“Gekkei-ju” in Japanese) and "menstruation"(“Gekkei” in Japanese).

November 1, 2024

Uffizi Gallery
9. Zeus
   "Zeus" is the supreme god in Greek mythology and an omnipotent deity.

He is the god of the sky who rules the entire universe and weather, and protects the order of both humanity and the gods.

Zeus is the king of the gods, including the twelve Olympian gods.

He wields a powerful thunderbolt, capable of destroying the entire universe, and is a unique god-like figure even within polytheism, possessing immense and absolute power.

In Roman mythology, Zeus is known as "Juppiter."

The English name for Juppiter is "Jupiter," which became the name of the largest planet in the solar system.

Because Jupiter is the largest, it was named after the all-powerful god Zeus (Juppiter).

Zeus released two eagles from the ends of the world to establish the center of the world.

The two eagles flew across the world and intersected at Delphoi (Delphi.)

Delphoi (Delphi) corresponded to the “Omphalos” (navel) of the earth goddess Gaia.

Gaia had placed an oracle here to convey the future to humans.

Since the oracle was a significant place for both Gaia and humans, Gaia had her son, the great serpent (dragon) “Python,” guard it.

Zeus intended to convey and guide his will to humans from the center of the world.

Therefore, he ordered his son Apollo to seize Gaia's oracle.

Apollo rode to Delphoi (Delphi) in a chariot drawn by swans, killed the great serpent Python with a golden arrow, and threw it into a fissure in the earth.

He then sealed the fissure with a sacred stone and built the Temple of Apollo on top of it.

For centuries thereafter, priestesses conveyed the will of the gods to humans here, becoming famous as the "Oracle of Delphi" or the "Oracle of Apollo."

The stone that sealed the great serpent Python is still known today as the "Omphalos (navel) Stone."

The Latin word "umbilicus," originally meaning "center," became an anatomical term meaning "navel" due to this story of Zeus's "center of the world."

Terms such as "umbilical cord" and "umbilical hernia" are derived from this.

   In Greek, the navel is called "omphalos," in Latin, it is "umbilicus," but in English, it is referred to as "belly button."

October 1, 2024

Uffizi Gallery

8. Hygieia

We touched on Hygieia in the October 1, 2022 issue of the Florence edition, but I would like to elaborate further.

Hygieia is a goddess appearing in Greek mythology.

She is one of the daughters of the god of medicine, Asclepius, who is the son of Apollo, the ancestor of medicine.

In other words, she is Apollo’s granddaughter.

Like her father Asclepius, she is accompanied by a snake and carries a cup (or a jar) containing medicine or water.

 (There is also a theory that she feeds the snake of Asclepius with food placed in the cup.)

The "Bowl of Hygieia," which features this snake and cup motif, is used as a symbol by many pharmaceutical associations around the world.

While Asclepius's staff symbolizes medicine, Hygieia's bowl symbolizes pharmacy.

As the worship of Asclepius spread, devotion to Hygieia also grew stronger.

Since Hygieia was a female deity, she became revered as a goddess who protects women's health.

It is said that during that time, it became fashionable among women to use statues of Hygieia as hair ornaments.

Hygieia derives from the Greek word "hygies" (healthy), and is also the root of the English word "hygiene" (cleanliness, health, sanitation).

In Roman mythology, Hygieia is known as Salus.

Since "Salus" is the goddess of health, in Italian, health is called "salute."

When you hear the word "hygiene," you might think of feminine hygiene products.

However, starting today, please remember the Greek goddess of health from mythology.

   Here are Hygieia statue and the logos of various countries' pharmaceutical associations.

In all countries, the "Bowl of Hygieia" is a symbol of pharmacy.

September 1, 2024

Uffizi Gallery

7. The Annunciation (Continued)

Saint Luke, who left us one of the four Gospels of the New Testament, "The Gospel of Luke," was a doctor.

Furthermore, he is said to be the first person to paint a portrait of the Madonna and Child (Mary and Jesus).

Therefore, he is considered the patron saint of both doctors and painters.

As such, doctors and painters were professions that worked under the protection of Saint Luke.

During the Renaissance period in the Middle Ages, doctors, pharmacists, and painters belonged to the same guild.

We understand that the close relationship between medicine and art stems from Christianity, but there is other reason as follows:

"Doctors and pharmacists use a mortar for preparing medicines to heal the body.

Painters also use a mortar to create pigments (paints) for painting pictures that heal the heart.

In this respect, doctors and painters are colleagues."

By the way, Saint Luke, who was a doctor, wrote that "the Virgin Mary conceived Jesus while remaining a virgin and she remained a virgin even after giving birth to Jesus."

This is something that modern medicine cannot accept.

Moreover, according to Ambrose, a 4th-century Bishop of Milan, "the Virgin Mary had a ventral gate, which allowed Christ to be safely born despite the fact that her vagina was sealed."

If an ordinary person like me were to say the same thing in the 21st century, it would be laughed off.

However, even in the era when Christianity was spreading, there were people who were skeptical of the "perpetual virginity of Mary."

Particularly, midwives, who had practical experience of delivering babies, knew that "a woman who has given birth cannot possibly be a virgin."

From the 15th to the 16th century, the witch hunts that swept across Europe were especially severe on midwives.

It is understandable, though unfortunate, that midwives who could not wholeheartedly believe in the doctrines of Christianity became targets of these witch hunts.

Here is an excerpt filled with satire on this issue from "The Praise of Folly" by the humanist Erasmus of the Middle Ages:

"Let me ask you, where do humans come from? From the head? The face, the chest? From the so-called superior organs like the hands or ears? No, that's not it.

 Humanity is perpetuated by an utterly ludicrous, laughable, and unspeakable organ."

   Saint Luke is written as "Roka” in Japanese.

St. Luke's International Hospital in Tsukiji reveres Saint Luke as the patron of medicine and operates according to Christian principles.

I will talk about St. Luke's International Hospital in the future section, "Exploring the History of Medicine: Tokyo Edition."

August 1, 2024

Uffizi Gallery

The Annunciation (continued)

In the previous issue, I mentioned that the Virgin Mary is also celebrated in songs by The Beatles, citing "Lady Madonna" as an example.

However, there is an even more famous song in which The Beatles praise the Virgin Mary.

It is the all-time classic "Let It Be," a song that most of you are undoubtedly familiar with.

The opening lyrics of the song are as follows:

When I find myself in times of trouble

Mother Mary comes to me,

Speaking words of wisdom, let it be.

In this context, "Mother Mary" clearly refers to the Virgin Mary.

The phrase "let it be" is a reference to the words Mary spoke to the Angel Gabriel who told her she would conceive Jesus, as found in the New Testament, Luke 1:38:

"Let it be to me according to your words."

This translates to,

"May it be done to me according to your word,"

meaning

"I will bear the Son of God according to God's will."

Until recently, I thought "let it be" meant "things will work out somehow," but I was mistaken.

Therefore, translating the opening lyrics of "Let It Be" yields:

When I face trouble

The Virgin Mary appears

And speaks words full of wisdom,

"Let it be done according to God's will."

What wonderful lyrics!

Indeed, it would be strange if the wise words of the Virgin Mary were merely "things will work out somehow."

Clearly, "let it be done according to God's will" is the correct interpretation.

There is also a medical condition named after "Mary."

It is known as "Sister Mary Joseph's nodule."

This is a nodule that occurs when cancer metastasizes to the navel, which is known as a skin metastasis and is indicating a poor prognosis (a short life expectancy).

Mary Joseph is the name of the nurse who discovered this condition.

She was a nurse at the predecessor of the famous Mayo Clinic in America, "St. Mary’s Hospital," and reported that many patients with this umbilical change died of stomach cancer. 

Incidentally, even the names of the nurse and the hospital include "Mary" (Maria).

July 1, 2024

Uffizi Gallery

7. Annunciation

In the 15th century, Leonardo da Vinci created his first solo work around the age of 20.

Using perspective, he beautifully depicted the subject matter written in the New Testament of Christianity.

In front of the Virgin Mary (on the right), the angel Gabriel (on the left) descends, announcing to Mary that she has conceived Christ by the Holy Spirit, and Mary accepts it.

I'll excerpt from the New Testament, "Luke, Chapter 1," which I have on hand.

The angel Gabriel was sent by God to a virgin named Mary who lived in Nazareth.

Mary was engaged to Joseph.

The angel approached Mary and said, "You will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus.

He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father, and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end."

Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?"

And the angel said to her in reply, "The holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God." Then Mary said, "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word." Then the angel departed from her.

As you all know well, pregnancy occurs when sperm and egg fuse (fertilization), and then pregnancy is established when the fertilized egg implants in the endometrium of the uterus.

According to the New Testament, the Holy Spirit caused the conception of the Son of God in the virgin Mary's womb before she married Joseph.

Eventually, Mary gave birth to that child and named him Jesus.

Christians all over the world believe this without doubt and celebrate Christmas grandly on December 25th, the day Jesus was born.

Even in Japan, a Buddhist country, many people celebrate Christmas as an annual event without knowing it is the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ.

Many people seem to think that the child born from the union of Mary and her husband Joseph is Jesus, but that is not the case.

It is crucial to understand that Mary became the mother of Jesus while remaining a virgin.

The white lily carried by the angel symbolizes Mary's purity and chastity, as well as being a symbol of Florence.

The name "Mary" means "beloved by God" in Hebrew.

In the world, she is often called "Virgin Mary," "the Virgin," "Saint Mary," "Santa Maria," "Our Lady," "the Madonna," and many other names, rather than "Holy Mother."

The term "Notre Dame" of the Notre Dame Cathedral in France also refers to the Virgin Mary, meaning "Our Lady."

Speaking of which, there is a Beatles song called "Lady Madonna."

This, too, refers to the Virgin Mary.

Perhaps because Paul McCartney's mother's name was Mary, he has a great affection for the Virgin Mary.

Similarly, “Mother Mary” also appears in the famous song “Let it be” that he created.

The names "Mary" and "Maria" are the most common female names worldwide, naturally associated with the Virgin Mary.

In Japan, there are many women with names pronounced "Mari" or "Maria," such as Mariko, Mari, Maria, Marika, etc.

It's clear that the Virgin Mary is also loved in Japan.

June 1, 2024

Uffizi Gallery

7. Hippocrates - Continued

Being dubbed as the "father of medicine," the name "Hippocrates" is widely used in medical terminology.

①    Hippocratic face

The eyes and cheeks are sunken, the nose is pointed, and the skin of the face is hard and discolored.

This is the appearance of patients in critical condition, such as in advanced stage of cancer.

It does not mean a face resembling Hippocrates.

It is called so because Hippocrates first recorded the appearance of dying patients.

②    Hippocratic nails

The enlarged and rounded nails.

They are called so because Hippocrates first discovered their relation to pulmonary diseases.

They are also known as "watch-glass nails" due to their shape resembling an inverted watch glass.

They are accompanied by "drumstick fingers" or “clubbed fingers,” where the fingertips swell like drumsticks or clubs.

It is believed to occur due to the deposition of mucopolysaccharides in the soft tissues at the tips of the fingers.

This condition is not only seen in pulmonary diseases like lung cancer, emphysema, and chronic bronchitis but also in conditions like heart failure and liver cirrhosis.

③    Hippocratic method

The method devised by Hippocrates for reducing shoulder dislocations and temporomandibular joint dislocations is called the Hippocratic method.

May 1, 2024

Uffizi Gallery

7. Hippocrates

Hippocrates (born in the 5th century BC) was a physician in ancient Greece.

He was born on the island of Kos in the Aegean Sea and studied medicine at the Asclepion Temple, where the healing god Asclepius from Greek mythology was worshipped.

Hippocrates' most important achievement was separating medicine from superstition and religion, advancing it towards a natural science that valued clinical practice and observation.

He believed that diseases arose not from the actions of gods or evil spirits but from imbalances in the four bodily fluids: blood, phlegm, yellow bile, and black bile.

He also performed advanced diagnostics and treatments such as traction for fractured arms or legs, reduction of dislocations, the use of tourniquets to stop bleeding, and auscultation of the heart and lungs.

Hippocrates traveled to various places, teaching and practicing medicine.

His complete works, which include textbooks, lecture notes, essays, and memos totaling over 70 documents, have been preserved as the "Complete Works of Hippocrates".

Although written in ancient Greek, they employ various literary styles, and it's believed that the authors include not only Hippocrates but also about twenty of his disciples.

Furthermore, the "Hippocratic Oath", which discusses the norms and ethics that physicians should uphold, has been passed down to the present day and is quoted in medical education settings.

He teaches that physicians should maintain their appearance, be experts in their field, approach patients with a calm, sincere, honest, and straightforward attitude, respect their teachers, and impart knowledge to others.

I also keep this lesson in mind.

Hippocrates conducted pioneering research on the impact of the environment (natural and political) on human health.

He also left behind the famous words, "Life is short, and the art long" (Ars longa, vita brevis).

Hippocrates' achievements were passed down to Western medicine through the ancient Roman physician Galen.

Therefore, Hippocrates is called the "Father of Medicine" and the "Medical Saint".

Here are excerpts from the "Hippocratic Oath":

1.      To Apollo, Asclepius, Hygieia, Panacea, and all the gods and goddesses, I swear to fulfill this oath.

(Apollo: Father of Asclepius, Hygieia: Asclepius's eldest daughter, Panacea: Asclepius's second daughter)

2.      I will use treatments for the benefit of the sick according to my ability and judgment, but I will never use them to injure or wrong them.

3.      I will not give a lethal drug to anyone if I am asked, nor will I advise such a plan.

4.      Similarly, I will not give a woman a pessary to cause an abortion.

5.      In every house where I come, I will enter only for the good of my patients, keeping myself far from all intentional ill-doing and all seduction and especially from the pleasures of love with women or men, be they free or slaves.

6.      Whatever I see or hear in the lives of my patients, whether in connection with my professional practice or not, which ought not to be spoken of abroad, I will not divulge, as reckoning that all such should be kept secret.

7.      If I faithfully observe this oath, may I thrive and prosper in my fortune and profession, and live in the estimation of posterity; or on breach, may the opposite befall me.

Among these, especially No. 5 seems very characteristic of ancient Greece, doesn't it?

Since becoming a doctor, I have never encountered or heard of situations such as "sexual relations during house calls".

The "Hippocratic Oath" was modernized into the "Geneva Declaration" in 1948 at the Second General Assembly of the World Medical Association.

It underwent five revisions and arrived at its current form.

Here are some excerpts:

1.      I solemnly pledge to dedicate my life to the service of humanity.

2.      The health and well-being of my patient will be my first consideration.

3.      I will maintain the utmost respect for human life.

4.      I will not permit considerations of age, disease or disability, creed, ethnic origin, gender, nationality, political affiliation, race, sexual orientation, social standing or any other factor to intervene between my duty and my patient.

5.      I will respect the secrets that are confided in me, even after the patient has died.

6.      I will practice my profession with conscience and dignity and in accordance with good medical practice.

This approach is now adopted in many countries including Japan.

April 1, 2024

Uffizi Gallery

6. Ariadne

In Greek mythology, there is a story as follows.

Minos, the son of the all-powerful god Zeus, desired to become the king of Crete.

To demonstrate that becoming king was the will of the gods, Minos asked the sea god Poseidon for a favor.

In exchange for a promise to later return the gift, Poseidon gave Minos a magnificent bull born from the sea.

Minos showed the bull given by the sea god to the people, claiming that he had been recognized as king by the gods.

Then, he became the king of Crete and seized control of it, suppressing political opponents.

However, Minos became enamored with the beauty of the bull and, reluctant to return it to Poseidon, hid it.

Angry at Minos's breach of promise, Poseidon, as a punishment, caused Minos's queen, Pasiphae, to fall madly in love with the bull.

Queen Pasiphae, infatuated with the bull, mated with it, giving birth to the monster Minotaur ("Minos's bull"), a creature with the head of a bull and the body of a human ("bull-headed, human-bodied").

As the Minotaur grew, it became unruly and uncontrollable.

In response, Minos imprisoned the monster in the Labyrinth (Labyrinthos) at the Knossos Palace and fed it with young boys and girls sent from the vassal state of Athens.

This Labyrinth was said to be inescapable once entered.

The Athenian hero Theseus volunteered and entered the Labyrinth as the sacrificial prey for the Minotaur.

Guiding Theseus on this venture was King Minos's daughter, Ariadne.

Ariadne, in love with Theseus, handed him a ball of thread, and he tied one end to the door of the Labyrinth.

Theseus, unwinding the thread as he progressed through the maze, successfully defeated the Minotaur and retraced his steps by following the thread.

Derived from this myth, the labyrinth symbolizes the "journey of hardships," and the method of solving difficult problems is referred to as the "Ariadne's thread."

The term "lost in the labyrinth" for unresolved mysteries is also based on this myth.

Additionally, in ancient Crete, there was reportedly a ritual involving the actual union (?) of humans and bulls.

Having escaped the Labyrinth, Theseus, accompanied by Ariadne, set sail for Athens.

During their journey, the party made a stop at the island of Naxos.

However, on this island, the god of wine, Dionysus (Bacchus), abducted  Ariadne while she was sleeping.

Dionysus bestowed a golden crown upon her, which later became the constellation "Corona Borealis" (Northern Crown).

Devastated by the loss of Ariadne, Theseus forgot the promise he made to his father Aegeus, the king of Athens, before departing for Crete.

Aegeus had instructed him to change the ship's sail from black to white upon his safe return.

Unfortunately, the sail of Theseus’s ship remained black.

Aegeus, awaiting his son's return, saw the black sail, believed Theseus to be dead, and in despair, threw himself into the sea.

The sea was thereafter named the "Aegean Sea."

The inner ear, responsible for both hearing and balance, is a vital and anatomically complex organ, referred to as the "labyrinth" due to its intricate structure. 

This name is inspired by the Labyrinth of Greek mythology.

March 1, 2024

Uffizi Gallery

5. Hermes (Continued)

   Zeus, to aid Io, commanded Hermes to slay the monstrous giant Argus.

Hermes possessed the power to "put to sleep" any being.

He played his skillful reed pipe and lulled Argus with hundred eyes into a deep slumber.

One by one, he closed the monster's eyes until all were asleep.

Swiftly, Hermes beheaded Argus and liberated the heifer Io.

   Enraged by the death of her trusted follower Argus, Zeus's wife Hera sought revenge.

This time, she tormented Io by driving a gadfly into her ear.

Disturbed by the buzzing of the fly and incessant stings, Io wandered madly across various lands.

Io crossed the Bosporus Strait from Greece to Turkey, and finally reached Egypt.

Here, Hermes, acting on Zeus's command once again, appeared, plucked the gadfly from Io's ear, and restored her to her human form.

   In Latin, "cow" is called "bos," and in Greek, "to carry" is "phoros."

Because Io, in the form of a cow, crossed the strait, it is called the Bosphoros (cow's crossing) Strait, known as the Bosporus in English.

It separates the European and Asian parts of Turkey.

It is in Istanbul (formerly Constantinople).

It serves as a cultural crossroads between East and West.

It connects the Black Sea and the Aegean Sea.

It is also known as the Istanbul Strait.

   Historically, it has been a crucial location, crossed by figures such as Alexander the Great (4th century BCE, hero of Macedonia/Greece), Muhammad (7th century, founder of Islam), and Genghis Khan (13th century, the first emperor of the Mongol Empire).

   Hera mourned the loyal Argus's death and adorned the peacock's feathers with his hundred eyes.

The pattern on the peacock's feathers represents the hundred eyes of the monster Argus.

During the breeding season, male peacocks spread their long and beautiful decorative feathers to attract the attention of females.

Female feathers are short, brown, and their patterns are not very noticeable.

Moreover, as the feathers molt and regenerate, in Christian society, the peacock is considered a symbol of resurrection.

   Zeus and his lover Io still maintain a deep relationship even now that they have become stars.

The first (the closest or the most internal) satellite of Jupiter (known as Zeus in Greek mythology and Jupiter in Roman mythology) is named Io.

February 1, 2024

Uffizi Gallery

5. Hermes

In the column of September 1, 2023, I wrote about the all-powerful god Zeus mating with the goddess Maia and the birth of their son, Hermes.

In Greek mythology, Hermes is the "messenger" of Zeus and also the god of "thievery."

As an example, let me share the following story:

Zeus’s wife Hera had a priestess named Io, a pure and beautiful maiden.

Given Io's virtues, it was impossible for the heavenly Zeus to overlook her.

Zeus promptly approached Io, and surrounded by golden clouds, they became enamored with each other.

One day, the jealous Hera descended from the heavens.

Xeus panicked and transformed Io into a white cow, attempting to deceive Hera.

However, Hera saw through the ruse, took the cow forcefully from Zeus, and set the giant Argus, with a hundred eyes that never slept, to watch over her.

Witnessing Io's constrained life in her bovine form, Zeus felt compassion.

To at least make the grass Io ate delicious, Zeus caused violets of a beautiful purple color to bloom all around her.

Furthermore, Zeus dispatched Hermes to kill the giant Argus and liberate Io (the cow).

Afterward, Io roamed the world, stung by the gadfly sent by Hera.

Finally, in Egypt, she regained her human form, gave birth to her son Epaphus, and came to be revered as the goddess Isis by the Egyptians.

In ancient Greece, the violet was named "ion" after Io's flower.

In the 19th century, a French chemist discovered iodine.

When heated, iodine produces beautiful purple vapor.

The chemist named it "iodine" by combining "ion" (like a violet) and "eidos" (similar to) because the vapor resembled the flower of a violet.

Iodine is an essential element for synthesizing thyroid hormones, so it is indispensable for humans.

Additionally, iodine is commonly used as a disinfectant.

An alcoholic solution of iodine is known as iodine tincture.

Dissolving iodine and potassium iodide in glycerin produces Lugol's solution, applied to the throat.

The complex of iodine and povidone is called povidone-iodine, well-known as the gargle solution “Isodine Gargle.”

January 1, 2024

Uffizi Gallery

4. The God of Medicine, Asclepius

We have previously mentioned the God of Medicine, Asclepius, in the Venice Edition dated August 1st, 2021, and the Florence Edition dated October 1st, 2022.

In this edition, we will delve into his story in more detail.

In Greek mythology, the sun god Apollo was also known as the "god of archery."

Apollo fell in love with the beautiful maiden Coronis in the Thessalian region of Greece, and she became pregnant with his child.

But, men couldn't resist Coronis's beauty, and she gave in to the advances of a young man while carrying Apollo's child.

Apollo, who had placed a crow as a lookout, was informed of Coronis's infidelity.

Enraged, he shot an arrow through her heart with his bow.

However, Apollo soon regretted his impulsive act of violence.

He despised the crow, which had reported to him, and made its pure white feathers turn jet black, condemning it to mourn Coronis for all eternity.

This is why the crow's feathers are black.

Unable to give up on Coronis, Apollo approached her as she neared death, and she confessed that she was carrying Apollo's child.

Apollo, amidst the fiery flames, opened her abdomen and extracted the unborn child.

Thus, their son Asclepius was born, and Apollo entrusted his upbringing to the wise centaur Chiron, who was part human and part horse.

Chiron excelled in the art of medicine.

Recognizing that Asclepius inherited Apollo's divine blood and was exceptionally talented in medicine, Chiron fervently educated him.

Asclepius became a renowned physician, capable of curing any severe illness.

After receiving some of Medusa's blood from the goddess Athena, he could even resurrect the dead.

On the other hand, human being is meant to die.

The almighty god Zeus, angered by Asclepius's manipulation of human life and death, struck him down with a bolt of lightning and burned him to ashes.

Apollo, grieving the loss of his beloved son, lamented.

Zeus, showing sympathy for Apollo, elevated Asclepius to the heavens and made him a member of the divine pantheon.

From then on, Asclepius, known as the "god of medicine," delivered humans from the suffering of diseases.

The staff entwined with a snake that he carried became a symbol of medicine.

Snakes can survive for long periods without food and repeatedly shed their skin while growing.

Therefore, in ancient Greece, snakes were seen as symbols of health, longevity, and regeneration.

This is why Asclepius's staff is still featured in the Rod of Asclepius depicted on the body of Fujisawa City's ambulance, logos of various organizations, including the World Health Organization (WHO), the American Medical Association (AMA), the Japan Medical Association, and many emergency medical service vehicles around the world.

Every summer night in the southern sky, the constellations of Ophiuchus and Serpens shine.

The god of medicine, Asclepius, became a constellation alongside the snake, symbolizing medicine.