Glossary entry

Italiano term or phrase:

Fugademoni/Daemon fuga/Cacciadiavoli/

Inglese translation:

Devil's flight/Devil chaser/Devil's scourge/Demon chaser

Added to glossary by Nicole Johnson
Jul 5, 2007 20:39
16 yrs ago
Italiano term

Fugademoni/Daemon fuga/Cacciadiavoli/

Da Italiano a Inglese Medico/Sanitario Modi di dire/Massime/Proverbi History of Medicinal Herbs
Several mentions of the traditional/antique names for Iperico (St. John's Wort). Obviously I would literally translate it as "devil chaser" or "demon chaser", but I'm wondering if anyone can confirm (with references if possibile) the existence and historical use of such a name for this plant in the English language.

Thanks.

Successivamente, Leonhard Fuchs, nel suo prezioso erbario De Historia Stirpium del 1542, parla così dell’Iperico: «Alcuni lo hanno chiamato ***Fugademoni*** perché, indotti dalla superstizione, credevano che potesse cacciare i demoni…».

Nel 3° volume dell’opera di Schultz Abbildung der inn und ausländischen Bäume, Stauden und Sträuche (1804) si trovano bellissime tavole a colori dell’Iperico, di cui si parla a pag. 261: «Questa pianta era conosciuta come ***Daemon fuga***, ***Cacciadiavoli***. Veniva usata quando si avvertivano stati di malinconia, spesso dovuti anche, secondo la tradizione, a forze sovrannaturali».

Oltre alla ben nota azione antidepressiva (anticamente indicata con il termine ***“scacciadiavoli”***) e all’attività antiinfiammatoria e antisettica per uso esterno, gli antichi testi parlano anche di un antico uso dell’Iperico “contro il mal caduco”, terminologia anticamente utilizzata per indicare l’epilessia.

Discussion

Rachel Fell Jul 6, 2007:
However, not sure that these names have been actually used in English. other than as a translation of the name from other langs.
Nicole Johnson (asker) Jul 6, 2007:
Bello davvero, TJ e vi devo ringraziare per l'ennesima volta per il vostro prezioso aiuto! Siete meravigliosi tutti! Buon weekend, non lavorate troppo!
texjax DDS PhD Jul 6, 2007:
Ciao Nicole, che bel testo che stai traducendo! (questione di gusti, naturalmente, ma a me piace davvero molto). Buon lavoro!
Rachel Fell Jul 5, 2007:
Hi Nicole: some gen. here - http://www.healthy.net/scr/Article.asp?Id=911 under Folklore and History of Use

Proposed translations

+1
9 ore
Selected

Devil's flight, Devil chaser, Devil's scourge

Silvia's reply is good, here is another accepted way.
see:
Of the many plants used to celebrate the summer solstice, St John's wort ... Fuga Daemon 'Devil's flight', Devil Chaser, and its generic name, Hypericum, ...
www.skyscript.co.uk/johnswort.html - 24k

St. John's wort, sometimes called devil's flight or grace of God, was believed to have magical properties to ward off evil spirits. ...
findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_g2603/is_0001/ai_2603000120 - 34k

It was commonly referred to as "Fuga Demonum" (the devil's scourge) since it ... One of the earliest references to the name St. John's wort is noted in a ...
patients.uptodate.com/topic.asp?file=genr_med/20184 - 18k -
Peer comment(s):

agree Sylvia Gilbertson : Devil's flight sounds great, esp. with the documented reference
9 ore
thanks!
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4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "Thanks to all of you for your wonderful suggestions! Too bad I can't give points to all of you."
+2
4 min

demon chaser

Peer comment(s):

agree potra : Yes perfect
8 min
thanks!
agree texjax DDS PhD
4 ore
grazie texjax :))
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16 min

demon slayer

I thought of something along the line of 'Buffy, the vampire slayer' do not know if it fits in your context.
Something went wrong...
55 min

spirit bane / demon bane

According to Mrs. Grieve (from A Modern Herbal, an old book but a good reference on folk names for herbs), the name Hypericum comes from the Greek and means "over an apparition," a reference to the belief that the herb was so obnoxious to evil spirits that a whiff of it would cause them to fly. But she doesn't list any other synonym for the herb, so my suggestion is just invented.
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