Asclepius is the god of healing in ancient Greece, and in Rome he is called Aesculapius. His father is Apollo, and his mother is the nymph Koronida, who was killed for treason. There are several versions of the birth of Asclepius. According to one of them, Koronida gave birth to him and left him in the mountains. The baby was found and fed by a goat, and guarded by his dog. Another option - Apollo took out the future god of healing from the Coronides before her death. He gave the child to the centaur Chiron. It was thanks to his wisdom that Asclepius became a doctor.
Information about the god of medicine and healing
Asclepius was usually depicted as a noble old man with a beard. In his hand he holds a staff, which is wrapped around a snake, which symbolizes the eternal rebirth of life. By the way, this attribute is a sign of medicine and for today.
There are several myths associated with this snake. According to one of them, it is a symbol of the rebirth of life. There is also an interesting myth that once the god of healing Asclepius was invited to Minos to resurrect his son Glaucus. On the staff he saw a snake and killed her. Immediately after that, another snake appeared, in the mouth of which there was grass. With her help, the snake resurrected, killed. God used grass and brought Glaucus back to life. After that, the snake became a significant symbol for Asclepius.
Due to his successful activities, he became immortal. In honor of the Greek and Roman god of healing, many different sculptures and temples were created, in which hospitals were invariably located. Asclepius knew the medicinal properties of all plants on earth. He had the ability not only to heal illness, but also to resurrect dead people. It was because of this that the main gods of Olympus, Zeus and Hades, did not like him. It is also worth mentioning about the surgical abilities of Asclepius. He discovered antidotes from the bites of different creatures, and he became famous for using poisons in the treatment of many diseases.