Crocus

**Saffron** is a flower used in dyes, spices, and medicine, best known for its red or yellow color.

In the Roman Republic, saffron was used extensively as a deodorant in public spaces, as described by Cicero. Its fragrance was apparently prized in honey; both in Greece and Asia, areas with major saffron production also had strong connections to apiculture.

Saffron was indicative of the Roman east, although Varro indicates saffron could be grown in Italy. In Vergil’s time saffron was strongly associated with the region of Cilicia. A secondary source in Greece was the mountainous region around Parnassus and Delphi known as Corycia; in the *Georgics*, these two regions may be used interchangeably.

The medicinal properties of saffron were imported first to Greece after Alexander’s Persian campaigns, and then into Rome by the time of Celsus. It was associated with the sanguine humor  and used to treat gastrointestinal ailments.

As a dye, saffron was employed as a composite in Syrian purple. In Sidon, lesser grades of purple were dipped twice in saffron dyes (rather than triple-dyed in murex).

### Declension and Etymology

*Crocus* is borrowed from Greek κρόκος, in turn likely from a Levantine Semitic language (attested in Aramaic as ܟܽܘܪܟܡܳܐ‎ *kurkma;* compare with modern Arabic كُرْكُم *kurkum* and Hebrew כרכום *karkom*; attested first in Neo-Assyrian texts as 𒌑𒆪𒄀𒆸𒈾  *kurkanu*). The Mycenaean term **𐁉** (**𐀏𐀙𐀒** *ka-na-ko*) may also be related. It may derive from a South Asian language, but its meaning is unclear. From its first occurrence, it referred to rubificiant plants including turmeric and saffron.

Arriving practically unchanged from Greek, *crocus* declines as a second declension masculine noun. However, in some later Latin texts it can be employed as a neuter noun.

### Usage

Saffron occurs only once as a noun in the Georgics, but is more often employed as an adjective. It occurs in a list of other fragrant flowers frequented by bees, but is primarily cited for its rubifaciant attributes. Saffron is routinely connected with hyacinth in the works of Vergil. As an adjective, it is routinely cited for its fragrancy. However, its use in I.447 may allude to the supposed aphrodisiac qualities of saffron in addition to its color. Note that every instance of *crocus/croceus* alludes to its eastern connections: Tmolus refers to Asian Lydia, the bed of Dawn lies to the east of Greece, Hellespont is another site north of Lydia, and the farmer from Corycia grows saffron for his bees.

### Occurrence

> Nonne vides **croceos** ut Tmolus odores India mittit ebur, molles sua tura Sabaei at Chalybes nudi ferrum virosaque Pontus castorea Eliadum palmas Epiros equarum (I.56)
>
>
> Aut ubi sub lucem densa inter nubila sese diversi rumpent radii aut ubi pallida surget Tithoni **croceum** linquens Aurora cubile heu male tum mitis defendet pampinus uvas: tam multa in tectis crepitans salit horrida grando (I.447)
>
>
> Invitent **croceis** halantes floribus horti et custos furum atque avium cum falce saligna Hellespontiaci servet tutela Priapi (IV.109)
>
>
>
> At fessae multa referunt se nocte minores crura thymo plenae pascuntur et arbuta passim et glaucas salices casiamque **crocum**que rubentem et pinguem tiliam et ferrugineos hyacinthos (IV.183)
>
>