The Poplar
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Populus
The Poplar
Family:
Salicaceae
Namque aliae nullis hominum cogentibus ipsae
sponte sua veniunt camposque et flumina late
curva tenent, ut molle siler lentaeque genistae,
populus et glauca canentia fronde salicta
For some of their own force spontaneous
spring,
no hand of man compelling, and
possess
the plains and river-windings
far and wide,
as pliant osier and the
bending broom, poplar
and willows in wan companies with green leaf glimmering gray
Georgiche II, 10-13
Virgil compares the grapevine
to the poplar, both widely spread in his period, giving prominence to how this
plant (unlike the previous one) does not needs special cares for his own growth. According to the myth, Fetonte
( the son of the Sun) unable to govern the sun cart, was thunderstrucked by
Jupiter and he fell into Edriano river (identified as Po by many people). His
Eliadi sisters, who helped him submitting the horses, cried over him for many
days on the river banks, until Jupiter –unmerciful- turned them into poplars,
crying amber tears. Today you still can see along the river and in the marshy
areas, numerous lines of poplars.
