Garlic (Allium sativum)

Garlic is the edible bulb from a plant in the lily family. It was traditionally used for health purposes by people in many parts of the world, including the Egyptians, Greeks, Romans, Chinese, Japanese, and Native Americans. (1) Garlic was placed by the ancient Greeks on the piles of stones at cross-roads as a supper for Hecate, and according to Pliny garlic and onion were invocated as deities by the Egyptians at the taking of oaths. There is a curious superstition in some parts of Europe, that if a morsel of the bulb be chewed by a man running a race it will prevent his competitors from getting ahead of him, and Hungarian jockeys will sometimes fasten a clove of Garlic to the bits of their horses in the belief that any other racers running close to those thus baited, will fall back the instant they smell the offensive odor. Garlic formed the principal ingredient in the 'Four Thieves' Vinegar,' This originated, it is said, with four thieves who confessed that although protected by the liberal use of aromatic vinegar during the plague, they plundered the dead bodies of its victims with complete security. (2)

References:

1. “Garlic.” National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 30 Nov. 2016, https://nccih.nih.gov/health/garlic/ataglance.htm.

2. “Garlic.” A Modern Herbal | Garlic, https://botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/g/garlic06.html.