Note to The Tempest, 5.1.45, "Jove's stout oak"


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to
The Tempest,
Act 5, Scene 1, line 45
from The Oak Tree in Mythology — Symbolic Meaning (http://carlblackburn.com/the-oak-tree-in-mythology-symbolic-meaning)

"Both the Romans and Greeks associated the oak tree with their highest gods. To the Greek god Zeus, ruler of the Olympians and the divinity of sky, rain, and thunder, the oak was sacred: he and his wife, Hera, were known as the oak god and the oak goddess."

"In ancient Rome, every oak was considered sacred to Jupiter, the Italian counterpart to Zeus. Not only was Jupiter [Jove] worshiped as the deity of the oak, but Roman commanders who were victorious in battle were presented with crowns of oak leaves."

"One thing that seems to tie together much of the ancient reverence for the oak tree is lightning. The Norse god Thor, as well as Zeus and Jupiter, were all thought to have the power of the weather, including rain, thunder, and lightning. As the oak is generally one of the tallest trees in the forest, it is well known as the tree most prone to lightning strikes. Once struck, it will continue to thrive."


Mighty oak.