batch.motif.comparative-golden-bough-volume-1-frazer-gutenberg-l11730-l11849
---
record_id: batch.motif.comparative-golden-bough-volume-1-frazer-gutenberg-l11730-l11849
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/comparative/project-gutenberg/golden-bough-volume-1-frazer.md
passage_locator:
label: CHAPTER II. THE PERILS OF THE SOUL. / HEINE. / CHAPTER III. KILLING THE GOD.
/ FOOTNOTES; lines 11730-11849
start: '11730'
end: '11849'
translation: 'The Golden Bough: A Study in Comparative Religion (Vol. 1 of 2)'
notes: Generated from OpenAI Batch run motif-extraction-2026-04-28-high-priority;
human review required.
canonical_text:
quote: ''
summary: A set of footnotes citing and summarizing ancient and modern authorities
on Adonis, Thammuz, vegetation rites, flower etiologies, the image of Adonis cast
into the sea, the planting of gardens of Adonis, agricultural interpretations
of Adonis as grain or crops, Egyptian solar imagery, irrigation charms, and a
Sardinian custom involving pots and fire-leaping.
language: English, with Greek and Latin citations
quote_policy: summarized
literal_observations:
- id: obs:1
text: One cited source says the anemone springs from tears and the rose from the
blood of Adonis.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:2
text: In an Alexandrian ceremony, the passage says it appears to have been only
the image of Adonis that was thrown into the sea.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: obs:3
text: The passage states that Myrrha or Smyrna is borrowed from Phoenician and that
both the mother’s name and the son’s name were taken directly from the Semites.
category: relationship
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: obs:4
text: After the autumnal equinox, Egyptians are said to have celebrated the nativity
of the sun’s walking-sticks because the declining sun was thought to need a staff
to support his steps.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: obs:5
text: Ancient interpretations cited in the passage identify Adonis with sown grain,
describe him as spending six months in the earth and six months with Aphrodite,
and relate his killing and resurrection to seeds dying in the earth and crops
growing again.
category: relationship
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: obs:6
text: The passage cites authorities for the planting of the gardens of Adonis, with
some references specifying women and another allowing both male and female planters.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: obs:7
text: For hot southern countries where vegetation depends on irrigation, the passage
says the purpose of the charm is to secure a plentiful flow of water in streams.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- id: obs:8
text: The month Thammuz is said to fall at different times in local Syrian calendars,
ranging from midsummer to autumn, or from June to September.
category: setting
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
- id: obs:9
text: A cited account of Sardinian custom says pots are kept in a dark warm place
and children leap across the fire.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:9
figures:
- id: fig:1
name_or_label: Adonis
description: A figure associated in the passage with blood, an image thrown into
the sea, death and resurrection interpretations, sown grain, mature crops, and
Aphrodite or Venus.
role_refs:
- role:1
- role:2
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- ev:5
- id: fig:2
name_or_label: Aphrodite / Venus
description: A goddess associated with Adonis; one cited interpretation says Aphrodite
has Adonis for six months, and another calls Adonis the beloved of Venus.
role_refs:
- role:3
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: fig:3
name_or_label: Myrrha / Smyrna
description: Named as the mother of Adonis, with the name described as borrowed
from Phoenician.
role_refs:
- role:4
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: fig:4
name_or_label: The sun
description: A celestial figure described as declining in the sky after the autumnal
equinox and needing a staff to support his steps.
role_refs:
- role:5
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: fig:5
name_or_label: Children in Sardinian custom
description: Children mentioned in a cited Sardinian custom as leaping across the
fire.
role_refs:
- role:6
evidence_refs:
- ev:9
roles:
- id: role:1
label: dying-and-returning agricultural figure
assigned_to:
- fig:1
basis: The passage cites interpretations of Adonis’s killing and resurrection as
shown in seeds dying in the earth and crops arising again.
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: role:2
label: ritual image subject
assigned_to:
- fig:1
basis: The passage says the image of Adonis was thrown into the sea in an Alexandrian
ceremony.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: role:3
label: divine beloved or seasonal possessor
assigned_to:
- fig:2
basis: The passage cites Adonis as being with Aphrodite for six months and as the
beloved of Venus.
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: role:4
label: mother with Semitic-derived name
assigned_to:
- fig:3
basis: The passage states that Myrrha or Smyrna is Phoenician-derived and that the
mother’s name was taken directly from the Semites.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: role:5
label: declining solar figure needing support
assigned_to:
- fig:4
basis: The sun is described as declining daily and needing a staff to support his
steps.
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: role:6
label: fire-leaping participants
assigned_to:
- fig:5
basis: A cited note says children leap across the fire.
evidence_refs:
- ev:9
symbols:
- id: sym:1
label: anemone from tears
literal_form: anemone flower said to spring from tears
associated_figures:
- fig:1
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: sym:2
label: rose from blood
literal_form: rose flower said to spring from Adonis’s blood
associated_figures:
- fig:1
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: sym:3
label: image of Adonis
literal_form: ritual image thrown into the sea
associated_figures:
- fig:1
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: sym:4
label: sea
literal_form: sea receiving the image of Adonis
associated_figures:
- fig:1
taxonomy_refs:
- water
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: sym:5
label: sun’s walking-sticks
literal_form: staff or walking-sticks for the declining sun
associated_figures:
- fig:4
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: sym:6
label: sown grain and seeds
literal_form: grain sown in earth; seeds dying in the earth
associated_figures:
- fig:1
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: sym:7
label: reborn crops
literal_form: crops or mature fruits arising from dead seeds
associated_figures:
- fig:1
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: sym:8
label: gardens of Adonis
literal_form: planted gardens associated with Adonis rites
associated_figures:
- fig:1
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: sym:9
label: irrigation water
literal_form: plentiful flow of water in streams
associated_figures: []
taxonomy_refs:
- water
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- id: sym:10
label: dark warm place
literal_form: dark warm place where pots are kept
associated_figures: []
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:9
- id: sym:11
label: fire crossed by children
literal_form: fire over which children leap
associated_figures:
- fig:5
taxonomy_refs:
- fire
evidence_refs:
- ev:9
scenes:
- id: scene:1
label: Flower origins from Adonis’s tears and blood
summary: A cited account assigns the anemone to tears and the rose to the blood
of Adonis.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
symbol_refs:
- sym:1
- sym:2
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: scene:2
label: Alexandrian casting of Adonis image into the sea
summary: In an Alexandrian ceremony, the image of Adonis is said to have been thrown
into the sea.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
symbol_refs:
- sym:3
- sym:4
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: scene:3
label: Egyptian nativity of the sun’s walking-sticks
summary: After the autumnal equinox, Egyptians are said to celebrate the nativity
of the sun’s walking-sticks because the weakening sun needs support.
figure_refs:
- fig:4
symbol_refs:
- sym:5
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: scene:4
label: Adonis interpreted as grain, seed death, and crop renewal
summary: Cited interpretations connect Adonis with sown grain, a six-month alternation
between earth and Aphrodite, and the death of seeds followed by the renewed growth
of crops.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
symbol_refs:
- sym:6
- sym:7
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: scene:5
label: Planting gardens of Adonis
summary: Authorities are cited for the planting of gardens of Adonis, sometimes
specifically by women and sometimes by planters of either sex.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
symbol_refs:
- sym:8
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: scene:6
label: Irrigation charm for vegetation
summary: In regions where vegetation depends on irrigation, the passage describes
the charm’s purpose as securing a plentiful flow of water in streams.
figure_refs: []
symbol_refs:
- sym:9
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- id: scene:7
label: Sardinian pots and fire-leaping
summary: A cited Sardinian custom involves pots kept in a dark warm place and children
leaping across a fire.
figure_refs:
- fig:5
symbol_refs:
- sym:10
- sym:11
evidence_refs:
- ev:9
candidate_motifs:
- id: motif:1
label: death and rebirth of vegetation through seed and crop cycle
taxonomy_refs:
- death_rebirth
- dying_and_returning
- resurrection
- seasonal_cycle
basis: The passage cites interpretations of Adonis’s killing and resurrection as
corresponding to seeds dying in earth and crops growing again.
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
confidence: high
cautions: This is an interpretation reported by cited ancient and later authorities,
not a narrative episode fully retold in the passage.
- id: motif:2
label: seasonal alternation between earth and goddess
taxonomy_refs:
- seasonal_cycle
basis: A cited interpretation says Adonis, identified with sown grain, spends six
months in the earth and six months with Aphrodite.
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
confidence: high
cautions: The passage presents the alternation in the form of scholarly citation
and gloss rather than a full mythic narrative.
- id: motif:3
label: ritual cultivation as fertility charm
taxonomy_refs:
- seasonal_cycle
basis: The passage cites the planting of gardens of Adonis and connects charms in
hot countries with securing water for vegetation.
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- ev:7
confidence: medium
cautions: The exact ritual sequence and intended meaning of the gardens are not
fully described in this passage segment.
- id: motif:4
label: ritual image cast into water
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: The passage states that in an Alexandrian ceremony the image of Adonis was
thrown into the sea.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
confidence: medium
cautions: The passage does not explain the function of the sea-casting rite in detail.
- id: motif:5
label: declining sun supported by staff
taxonomy_refs:
- seasonal_cycle
basis: The passage describes an Egyptian celebration after the autumnal equinox
in which the weakening sun is imagined as needing walking-sticks.
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
confidence: medium
cautions: The observation is reported as a calendrical custom, not a full mythic
episode.
- id: motif:6
label: fire-leaping in seasonal folk custom
taxonomy_refs:
- seasonal_cycle
basis: A cited Sardinian note says children leap across the fire in connection with
pots kept in a dark warm place.
evidence_refs:
- ev:9
confidence: low
cautions: The passage gives only a brief footnote and does not specify the rite’s
date, meaning, or mythic context.
comparison_claims:
- id: claim:1
claim: The passage reports an ancient interpretive comparison between Adonis’s killing
and resurrection and the agricultural process in which seeds die in the earth
and crops grow again.
claim_level: same_function
target: seed death and crop renewal as an agricultural cycle
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
counter_evidence_refs: []
confidence: high
limitations: This is a cited interpretation within Frazer’s footnote apparatus rather
than independent narrative evidence from the passage itself.
- id: claim:2
claim: The passage notes a variant flower-origin pattern across Ovid and Bion, with
Bion assigning the anemone to tears and the rose to Adonis’s blood.
claim_level: same_motif
target: flower etiologies connected with Adonis in Ovid and Bion
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
counter_evidence_refs: []
confidence: medium
limitations: Only Bion’s version is summarized explicitly; Ovid is cited but not
quoted in detail in this passage.
- id: claim:3
claim: 'The passage compares charms for vegetation in irrigated southern regions
with other vegetation-securing charms by stating that their ultimate object is
the same: securing conditions for plant growth.'
claim_level: same_function
target: vegetation charms aimed at water supply or plant fertility
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
counter_evidence_refs: []
confidence: medium
limitations: The compared non-irrigation charms are referenced generally and not
described in detail in this passage.
evidence:
- id: ev:1
type: summary
locator: footnote 910
quote_or_summary: Bion is said to make the anemone spring from tears and the rose
from the blood of Adonis, in comparison with Ovid.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/comparative/project-gutenberg/golden-bough-volume-1-frazer.md
rights_note: Public domain source text; concise summary used.
- id: ev:2
type: summary
locator: footnote 912
quote_or_summary: In the Alexandrian ceremony, it appears that only the image of
Adonis was thrown into the sea.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/comparative/project-gutenberg/golden-bough-volume-1-frazer.md
rights_note: Public domain source text; concise summary used.
- id: ev:3
type: summary
locator: footnote 913
quote_or_summary: The word Myrrha or Smyrna is described as borrowed from Phoenician;
the mother’s and son’s names are said to have been taken directly from the Semites.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/comparative/project-gutenberg/golden-bough-volume-1-frazer.md
rights_note: Public domain source text; concise summary used.
- id: ev:4
type: summary
locator: footnote 915
quote_or_summary: After the autumnal equinox, Egyptians celebrated the nativity
of the sun’s walking-sticks because the declining sun was imagined to need a staff
for support.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/comparative/project-gutenberg/golden-bough-volume-1-frazer.md
rights_note: Public domain source text; concise summary used.
- id: ev:5
type: summary
locator: footnote 916
quote_or_summary: Cited interpretations identify Adonis with sown grain, describe
six months in earth and six with Aphrodite, and interpret Adonis’s death and resurrection
through seeds dying in earth and crops being reborn.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/comparative/project-gutenberg/golden-bough-volume-1-frazer.md
rights_note: Public domain source text; concise summary used.
- id: ev:6
type: summary
locator: footnote 919
quote_or_summary: Authorities are cited for the planting of gardens of Adonis; women
only are mentioned by some sources, while another reference allows male or female
planters.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/comparative/project-gutenberg/golden-bough-volume-1-frazer.md
rights_note: Public domain source text; concise summary used.
- id: ev:7
type: summary
locator: footnote 921
quote_or_summary: In hot southern countries dependent on irrigation, the purpose
of the charm is described as securing a plentiful flow of water in streams; the
ultimate object is said to be the same as in other vegetation charms.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/comparative/project-gutenberg/golden-bough-volume-1-frazer.md
rights_note: Public domain source text; concise summary used.
- id: ev:8
type: summary
locator: footnote 928
quote_or_summary: The month Thammuz is discussed as varying in local Syrian calendars
from midsummer to autumn, or from June to September.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/comparative/project-gutenberg/golden-bough-volume-1-frazer.md
rights_note: Public domain source text; concise summary used.
- id: ev:9
type: summary
locator: footnote 932
quote_or_summary: A note on Sardinian custom says pots are kept in a dark warm place
and children leap across the fire.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/comparative/project-gutenberg/golden-bough-volume-1-frazer.md
rights_note: Public domain source text; concise summary used.
confidence:
extraction: medium
motif_candidates: medium
comparison_claims: medium
notes: The passage is primarily footnotes and citations rather than a continuous
mythic narrative. Motif extraction is strongest where the notes explicitly summarize
ritual actions or ancient interpretations.
reviewer_status:
status: needs_review
reviewer: ''
reviewed_at: ''
notes: Machine-generated draft from OpenAI Batch; not human-reviewed.
extracted_by: openai_batch:gpt-5.5
extracted_at: '2026-04-28'
notes: |-
No taxonomy identifiers beyond the supplied motif family and symbol labels were added. Comparison claims are limited to comparisons explicitly supported by the passage.
batch_run_id=motif-extraction-2026-04-28-high-priority
custom_id=motif_extract:comparative-golden-bough-volume-1-frazer-gutenberg__l11730-l11849
passage_sha256=d503b19b2380e396ba5f6043757594cc46b84645c5c70655687ff3b5ff8a0991