A Brief History of Thyme Trivia Quiz

Answer: Stephen Hawking

Hawking writes of major phenomena in the solar system, such as superstring theory, black holes, and the Big Bang. His reader is the common reader, so he refrains from presenting equations and other technical models. His approach made his book very popular; it has sold nearly 10 million copies. Hawking is the victim of a neurological condition that has rendered him almost totally paralyzed.

His book is a model of lucidity and intellectual daring.

Answer: embalming

The Egyptians used thyme in mummification. Thyme is a truly fascinating and powerful herb. The Greeks gave it to warriors to provide them with added courage. The botanical name, thymus, seems to come from the Greek word, thymon, or thumus, whose meaning is "strength" or "courage." In the "times" of the Middle Ages, it was believed that thyme could keep nightmares away. Thyme has antiseptic properties as well and was once used to cleanse bandages.

Answer: iron

Thymol, the primary constituent of thyme, has been shown in studies to help restore a healthy balance of fatty acids. Along with a large amount of iron, thyme is extremely rich in Vitamin K, manganese potassium and calcium.

Answer: bay

A bouquet garni means "garnished bouquet" in French. It consists of a sachet or group of herbs, usually tied together with string and put into a stew, a pot of soup or a casserole. When the dish is cooked, the bouquet is removed. Some dishes cooked with a bouquet garni include boeuf bourguignon, pot au feu, and bouillabaisse, among others.

Answer: to fumigate

The Greeks gave the term thyme, a derivative of the word fumigate, to this plant because of its ability to do two things: to smell sweetly and to clean the air, to be an incense. In Virgil's "Georgics," thyme was a fumigator, and Pliny reports that thyme was able to send away venomous living things.

Answer: Listerine

Thymol is a key ingredient in the product Listerine. Some of the other active ingredients in Listerine are Eucalyptus, Baptisia, Gautberia, and Mentha Arvensis. In writing this quiz, I saw that some people use Thyme to treat fungus of the nails. The more I read about Thyme, the more medicinal uses I found--including against convulsive coughing, chronic gastritis, and halitosis.

Answer: before 1550 a.d.

There is a lack of factual evidence about the common use of thyme. However, it is surmised that it was commonly used before the 1650s. British naturist John Gerard wrote of thyme's efficacy to cure leprosy and to alleviate problems stemming from sciatica.

Answer: Titania

Titania, the Fairy Queen, sleeps on a bed of Wild Thyme. There is a long historical connection between fairies and thyme. In France and England, people grew thyme to attract fairies to their homes and to make them feel comfortable.

Oberon, the king of the fairies in Shakespeare's 'A Midsummer Night's Dream,' speaks of thyme dreamily, "I know a bank where the wild thyme blows." He is alluding to the bed of thyme in which Titania, the fairy queen, sleeps.

On the site the Mystic Medusa, I found a deliberate use of thyme and time with reference to Shakespeare's play.

Answer: knights going to battle

Women apparently gave the knight they favored a scarf which they personally embroidered with sprigs of thyme in order to give their knight a concrete token both of their commitment and also some of the courage-giving qualities of thyme.

Remember that the wealthy knights in the Middle Ages were literally weighed down with armor. Therefore, this gift of a thyme-embroidered scarf can be seen as symbolically significant.

Answer: time

These lines come from Andrew Marvell's 1652 poem, "To His Coy Mistress." His poem expresses the idea that time is limited and that his coy mistress has no time for coyness or to insist on keeping her distance. When I read this, I sometimes imagine Titania asleep on her bed of thyme.