InGreek and Roman mythology, Anethus (Ancient Greek: Ἄνηθος, romanized: Ánēthos, lit. 'dill') is a beautiful youth who undergoes transformation under unclear conditions and becomes a small flowering plant bearing his name, the dill. He and his story is only found in Maurus Servius Honoratus, a Latin grammarian who lived in the fourth and fifth centuries AD.
The ancient Greek word for dill (anethum graveolens) is ἄνηθον (ánēthon), a neuter noun.[1] It was also spelled ἄννηθον (ánnēthon), ἄνητον (ánēton) and ἄννητον (ánnēton).[1] According to Robert Beekes it is probably of pre-Greek origin, as are all words ending in a -thos/-thon suffix.[2][3]
The story of Anethus's minor transformation into the dill plant is only found in Servius, who writes that Anethus, much like the poppy and the daffodil, belonged to the class of the beautiful youths that were transformed into the plants bearing their names.[4][5] Besides this brief mention, the full story of Anethus, his family, his birthplace, the deity responsible and the context behind his transformation has been lost.[5] In ancient Greece anesum was seen by many doctors as a suitable herb for use in cures and remedies, especially for epilepsy.[6]
