Motif
tree emblem of mortal fragility
tree_emblem_of_mortal_fragility
A motif of the Lament, Mourning, and Tragic Recognition family, within the sub-family Fate and Mortality. Every row below is a tagged passage; each rests on a quote in its source text.
1 occurrences
1 traditions
roman
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The Metamorphoses of Ovid, Books VIII-XV EXPLANATION. / BOOK THE TENTH. / EXPLANATION. / EXPLANATION.; lines 4357-4418 confidence: high
The note explains the Roman custom of placing cypress branches before houses with a dead body, cypress as sacred to Pluto, its funerary use, and its emblematic link to fragile human life.
The cypress withers once its bark is cut and is described as emblematic of the frail tenure of human life.
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