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Homer and Nepenthe

Homer as envisaged by Rembrant

According to Homer, Polydamna, wife of Thonis, King of Egypt, gave nepenthe to Helen, daughter of Jove and Leda. Nepenthe was "an antidote to grief and rage inducing oblivion to all ills". Historically, nepenthe consisted of a blend of wine and either hemp or opium; but scholars are uncertain of its exact composition.

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