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  3. Idioms / Maxims / Sayings

Fugademoni/Daemon fuga/Cacciadiavoli/

English translation: Devil's flight/Devil chaser/Devil's scourge/Demon chaser

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Italian term or phrase:Fugademoni/Daemon fuga/Cacciadiavoli/
English translation:Devil's flight/Devil chaser/Devil's scourge/Demon chaser
Entered by: Nicole Johnson

20:39 Jul 5, 2007
Italian to English translations [PRO]
Medical - Idioms / Maxims / Sayings / History of Medicinal Herbs
Italian term or phrase: Fugademoni/Daemon fuga/Cacciadiavoli/
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.
Nicole Johnson
Italy
Local time: 11:42
Devil's flight, Devil chaser, Devil's scourge
Explanation:
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 -
Selected response from:

Shera Lyn Parpia
Italy
Local time: 11:42
Grading comment
Thanks to all of you for your wonderful suggestions! Too bad I can't give points to all of you.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +2demon chaser
silvia b (X)
4 +1Devil's flight, Devil chaser, Devil's scourge
Shera Lyn Parpia
3demon slayer
potra
3spirit bane / demon bane
Sylvia Gilbertson


Discussion entries: 4





  

Answers


4 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +2
demon chaser


Explanation:
ecco qualche riferimento:

http://www.longwoodherbal.org/herbs/stjohnswort_properties.h...
http://www.drugguide.com/monograph_library/natural_products/...
http://www.mnpoison.org/index.asp?pageID=165

silvia b (X)
Local time: 11:42
Native speaker of: Native in ItalianItalian
PRO pts in category: 8

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  potra: Yes perfect
8 mins
  -> thanks!
agree  texjax DDS PhD
4 hrs
  -> grazie texjax :))
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

16 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
demon slayer


Explanation:
I thought of something along the line of 'Buffy, the vampire slayer' do not know if it fits in your context.

potra
United States
Local time: 05:42
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in ItalianItalian, Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 13
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

55 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
spirit bane / demon bane


Explanation:
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.

Sylvia Gilbertson
United States
Local time: 04:42
Native speaker of: English
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

9 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
Devil's flight, Devil chaser, Devil's scourge


Explanation:
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 -

Shera Lyn Parpia
Italy
Local time: 11:42
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 12
Grading comment
Thanks to all of you for your wonderful suggestions! Too bad I can't give points to all of you.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Sylvia Gilbertson: Devil's flight sounds great, esp. with the documented reference
9 hrs
  -> thanks!
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)



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