Leuce (mythology)

Leuce was a nymph in Greek mythology, daughter of Oceanus, carried off by Hades, the god of the underworld. According to some versions, she was metamorphosed by Hades in a white poplar tree after her death. Another version is that she was metamorphosed by Persephone into a white poplar tree while standing by the pool of Memory.

Heracles on his way back from his Twelfth Labour wove himself a wreath from the white poplar tree, or aspen. The outer leaves remained black, the colour of the underworld, but the leaves in contact with his brow became silver-white by his sweat. Thus the white poplar was sacred to him, signifying that he has laboured in both worlds.

The white poplar was also sacred to Persephone as Goddess of Regeneration.

References

* Graves Robert (1955). "The Greek Myths I" (Revised Edition 1960). London: Penguin, pp 121,124-125.
* Graves, Robert (1955). "The Greek Myths II" (Revised Edition 1960). London: Penguin, p 154

Sources

* Pausanias: "Description of Greece" 5.14.2 [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/ptext?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0160&layout=&loc=5.14.2]
* Servius on Virgil's "Eclogues" vii.61