In Greek mythology, Hades, god of the Underworld, fell in love with the beautiful nymph Minthe. Hades’ wife, Persephone (the daughter of Zeus), became jealous and changed Minthe into the herb mint.
Hades could not bring Minthe back to human form, but he gave the herb a fragrant aroma and arranged it so that the more Minthe was trod upon, the sweeter her smell. Hence the popularity of mint as a strewing herb. In medieval times, strewn mint not only helped as an air freshener, but also had antiviral and antibacterial qualities that were reputed to combat the plague.
- Bruce Burnett, "Versatile Mint" for Alive Magazine
According to my book Easter/Cenntral Medicinal Plants and Herbs by Steven Foster and James A. Duke:
Spearmint and Spearmint oil are used as carminatives (to relieve gas), and primarily to disguise the flavor of other medicines. [...] The leaf tea has been used for stomachaches, diarrhea, nausea, colds, headaches, cramps, fevers, and is a folk cancer remedy.Peppermint has similar properties medicinally but has a purplish stem.
Drawing of Spearmint from Wiki
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