FIERCE WOMEN 1 4 9

Ashtoreth Ashtoreth or Ashtaroth is the name used in the Bible for the Phoenician goddess Astarte. • See ASTARTE.

Astarte Astarte was a Phoenician goddess of fertility and sexual love, the counterpart of the Greek Aphrodite. She is referred to in the Bible as Ashtoreth or Ashtaroth, and worship of her is linked with worship of Baal and similarly condemned: 'And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the Lord, and served Baalim, and Ashtaroth' (Judg. 10: 6).

The bailiff was pointed out to Gabriel, who, checking the palpitation within his breast at discovering that this Ashtoreth of strange report was only a modification of Venus the well-known and admired, retired with him to talk over the necessary preliminaries of hiring.

THOMAS HARDY Far From the Madding Crowd, 1874

Bacchus Bacchus is an alternative name for Dionysus. • See Dionysus.

Demeter In Greek mythology, Demeter was the goddess of cornfields and fecundity, whose symbol is an ear of corn. She was the mother of Persephone, and when Persephone was abducted by Hades and taken to the underworld, Demeter wandered around looking for her daughter and swore that the earth would remain barren until Persephone was restored to her. A compromise was finally reached whereby Persephone would spend nine months of each year with her mother, the time when plants grow and produce fruit, and three months of each year with Hades in the underworld, the time when the earth is cold and barren.

Dionysus In Greek mythology, Dionysus, also called Bacchus, was the god of fertility and nature. His worship was associated with wild dancing, and he later became the god of wine, who loosened inhibitions and inspired creativity.

• See special entry • DIONYSUS on p. 117.

Flora In Roman mythology, Flora was the goddess of flowers and spring, depicted in Sandro Botticelli's celebrated painting, Primavera. Anyone carrying flowers can be described by invoking her name.

I rang the door-bell, holding my flowers spread across both outstretched forearms. I did not want to appear like a delivery man. Rather I was a simple, a frangible petitioner, assisted only by the goddess Flora.

JULIAN BARNES Talking It Over, 1991

Freyja In Norse mythology, Freyja was the goddess of love and also of fertility, fecundity, peace, and plenty.

Fierce Women

The allusions to fierce, aggressive women (or she-monsters) here are con-

siderably more negative in their connotations than are those to their male

counterparts at the theme Macho Men. • See also Murder.

1 5 2 FOOD AND DRINK

Falernian Falernian was a particularly good-quality wine made in Roman times from the grapes of the Falernian territory in Campania and praised by both Horace and Virgil.

'If I am to take more of the severe falernian,' said he, laying his hand on the decanter of port, 'I must know the lady's name.'

ANTHONY TROLLOPE The Small House at Allington, 1862

fatted calf • See PRODIGAL SON.

Horn of Plenty The horn of plenty was one of the horns of the she-goat or goat-nymph Amalthea, in Greek mythology. Zeus endowed the horn with the magical property of refilling itself endlessly with whatever food or drink was desired. The horn of plenty was later stylized as the Cornucopia (from the Latin words cornu copiae, literally 'horn of plenty'), pictured as a goat's horn spilling over with fruit, flowers, and stalks of corn.

Jacob's pottage In the Bible, Jacob and Esau were the twin sons of Isaac and Rebecca. One day, Esau, returning from the countryside, found Jacob cooking 'red pottage of lentils' or lentil stew. He was extremely hungry and asked for some of the stew. Jacob would only give Esau the food if he swore to sell Jacob his birthright as the elder of the twins. Esau sold his birthright to Jacob and had the stew (Gen. 25: 29-34).

New Deliverance was borderline charismatic and not the sort of church I felt comfortable attending; but at lunch the day before, Nadine had caught me off guard—a fudge delight cookie has the power to cloud minds—and laid on the guilt. 'Isabel says you went to her and Haywood's church last Sunday and to Seth and Minnie's Sunday before last, but you haven't been to ours in almost two years.' With Jacob's pottage rich and chocolaty on my tongue, I had no quick words with which to resist.

MARCARET MARON Southern Discomfort, 1993

LucullliS Lucius Licinius Lucullus (c. 110-56 BC) was a wealthy Roman general who led a luxurious life and was famed for hosting spectacularly lavish feasts.

There had been placed in the middle of each table . . . a basket woven from hardened vines in a highly rustic Appalachian Handicrafts manner. . . . Sherman stared at the plaited vines. They looked like something dropped by Cretel or little Heidi of Switzerland at a feast of Lucullus.

TOM WOLFE The Bonfire of the Vanities, 1987

manna Manna was the 'bread' provided by God for the Israelites when they were crossing the desert during their flight from Egypt (Exodus 16). The manna appeared as small white flakes like frost on the desert floor and would not keep overnight except on the sixth day when enough was provided to keep for the seventh day also, the Sabbath, on which the travellers were to rest. It was white like coriander seed and tasted like wafers made with honey, and it sustained the Israelites until they arrived at the border of Canaan. • See special

entry o MOSES AND THE BOOK OF EXODUS on p. 264.

The word is not prepared beforehand; it falls on me mind like the manna fell from

FOOD AND DRINK 1 5 3

heaven into the bellies of the starving Israelites. STELLA GIBBONS Cold Comfort Farm, 1932

nectar Nectar was the drink of the Greek gods. • See also AMBROSIA.

It was dreadful to be thus dissevered from his dryad, and sent howling back to a Barchester pandemonium just as the nectar and ambrosia were about to descend on the fields of asphodel.

ANTHONY TROLLOPE Barchester Towers, 1857

Then I say, I thank you from the bottom of my heart, Sir, this radish was like the nectar of the Cods.

MARCARET ATWOOD Alias Grace, 1996

subsequently endured great poverty when his wealth was spent and the country in which he was living endured a famine. He returned, repenting, to his father's house where his father freely forgave him, ordered a fatted calf to be killed, and gave a celebratory and welcoming feast.

'Two eggs,' she commanded, rapping out her solicitude. 'Two, I insist. They were made especially for you.' 'You treat me like the prodigal son,' said Burlap. 'Or the fatted calf while it was being fattened.'

ALDOUS HUXLEY Point Counter Point, 1928

Samuel In the Bible, Saul, son of Kish, went looking for some donkeys of his father that had gone missing. After much searching, Saul was about to give up and return home when his servant told him that there was a man of God in the town whose prophecies always came true. Saul was concerned that he would not have enough food with which to reward the holy man, Samuel. When Saul found Samuel, Samuel had meat already set aside to feed Saul (1 Sam. 9: 22-4).

'May be so, Mr Henchard,' said the weather-caster. 'Ah—why do you call me that?' asked the visitor with a start. 'Because it's your name. Feeling you'd come I've waited

Saturnalian The ancient Roman festival of Saturn in December, called the Saturnalia, was characterized by general unrestrained merrymaking. The term is often applied to a scene of wild revelry or an orgy.

Silenus In Greek mythology, Silenus was an old woodland spirit who was a teacher of Dionysus. He is often depicted as a lascivious old drunkard.

But now, of all inappropriate beings, who should appear but Silenus? Brocklebank, perhaps a little recovered or perhaps in some extraordinary trance of drunkenness, reeled out of his cabin and shook off the two women who were trying to restrain him.

WILLIAM GOLDiNG Rites of Passage, 1980