In Greek mythology, there is a story associated with the orchid. The myth symbolizes the idea of desire, beauty and punishment. Orchids have also since been frequently seen as a symbol of fertility and lust.
It is a short story about a young man named Orchis. According to the legend, Orchis was the son of a Nymph and a Satyr. From the Nymph he had inherited beauty and from the Satyr he had received his wild nature.
During a feast of Dionysos (god of wine and fertility), things went wrong. Orchis became overconfident and drank too much wine. He caught the eye of a priestess of Dionysos and began to seduce her. This was considered a great sin, so he was severely punished. He was torn apart by wild animals. Out of pity, the gods turned his body into a breathtaking flower, the orchid.
