Asclepius

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Asclepius

Asclepius , Lat. Aesculapius , legendary Greek physician; son of Apollo and Coronis. His first teacher was the wise centaur Chiron. When he became so skillful in healing that he could revive the dead, Zeus killed him. Apollo persuaded Zeus to make Asclepius the god of medicine. The worship of Asclepius is believed to have originated in Thessaly. Temples were built to him at Epidaurus, Cos, Pergamum, and later Rome, where his worship spread after a plague in 293 BC Treatments, including massage and baths, were given to the sick. The serpent and the cock were sacred to Asclepius. People who claimed descent from him and those who followed his teachings were known as Asclepiads.

Bibliography: See E. J. Edelstein, Asclepius (1945, repr. 1988); S. B. Aleshire, The Athenian Asklepieion (1989).

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Asclepius

The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable | 2006 | | Â© The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable 2006, originally published by Oxford University Press 2006. (Hide copyright information) Copyright

Asclepius in Greek mythology, a hero and god of healing, son of Apollo, often represented bearing a staff with a serpent coiled round it. He sometimes bears a scroll or tablet, probably representing medical learning.

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ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "Asclepius." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. Oxford University Press. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. 30 Nov. 2009 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "Asclepius." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. Oxford University Press. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. (November 30, 2009). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O214-Asclepius.html

ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "Asclepius." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. Oxford University Press. 2006. Retrieved November 30, 2009 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O214-Asclepius.html

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