Ovid wrote repeatedly about this aphrodisiac berry in The Art of Love:
She was standing with her locks wreathed with myrtle. She gave me a leaf and a
few berries. Recovering them, I was sensible of the divine influence as well;
the sky shone with greater brightness and all cares departed from my breast.
Myrtle no doubt has the greatest reputation of any aphrodisiac berry. The
strawberry has been mentioned as a love berry and the sugarberry (see Index) has
something of a scarlet past, but among the berries only myrtle and allspice have
really been valued as love foods. Allspice, or pimento (Pimenta officialis), is
the dried, unripe berry of an aromatic 20- to 40-foot West Indian tree and isn’t
much grown in the garden. Myrtle, however, is easy to grow and has more of an
amorous reputation. Myrtle, which originated in western Asia, is believed by the
Arabs to be one of the three things (along with a date seed and a grain of
wheat) that Adam took with him when he was cast out of Paradise. Venus wore a
garland of myrtle when she rose from the sea, according to Roman mythology, and
when satyrs tried to watch her bathing in the nude, she hid behind a myrtle
bush. Myrtle crows were awarded to victors of the Greek Olympic games and the
plant has been a symbol of strength and love since ancient times. The Romans
offered myrtle to Priapus as tokens of their gratitude for success in sexual
affairs and the ancient Britons dedicated the plant to their goddess of love,
always including myrtle in bridal bouquets and often planting myrtles near the
homes of newlyweds. Mentioned in Pertronius’ Satyricon, myrtle berries. Leaves,
and flowers were used in many love potions and the plant’s aromatic leaves and
flowers have long been employed in the perfumery.
The myrtle's berries were used by the Romans to make a sauce eaten with
wild boar, and the Corsicans still make an aromatic liqueur from them. A
condiment can also be made from myrtle berries, but the most interesting recipe
for the plant is this intriguing medieval one recommended for “sluggish lovers”:
The flower and leaves of myrtle two handfuls infuse in two quarts of spring
water, and a quart of white wine for 24 hours and then distill them in a cold
still and this will be a strong scent and tincture, and by adding more or less
of the myrtle you make it stronger or weaker as you please. This beautifies and
mixed with cordial syrups is a good cordial and inclines those that drink it to
be very amorous.