荷馬詩頌與荷馬史詩的作者們用自然生長的野花與野樹來比擬宇宙秩序，用人工管理的樹木（特別是果園裏的樹木）來象征人類文明。他們認為，隻有通過國王辛勤的管理，秩序良好的人類文明方能得以持續。
《奧德賽》第十九章，奧德修斯（Odysseus）是這樣評價一個好君王（blameless king）的：“他心中敬畏神明，統領眾多勇士，主持正義；黑土地上長出小麥和大麥，樹木結滿果實，羊群不斷產仔，大海產出魚類，這一切都是因為他出色的領導；人民在他的領導下繁榮昌盛。”
（who with the fear of the gods in his heart, is lord over many mighty men, upholding justice; and the black earth bears wheat and barley, and the trees are laden with fruit, the flocks bring forth young unceasingly, and the sea yields fish, all from his good leading; and the people prosper under him.）
這段話裏提到了耕地上的農作物，還有果實累累的樹木，從前後文判斷，這些果樹應該是種植於果園的。
野生植物與人工栽培的植物也用來反映野蠻世界與文明秩序的衝突。以《阿佛洛狄忒讚歌》（Hymn to Aphrodite）為例，愛神阿佛洛狄忒來到艾達山（Mount Ida），發現特洛伊王子安喀塞斯（Anchises）和其他牧羊人在野獸成群出沒的山上精心建造了定居點。同伴們都去草場（grassy pasture）放牧了，安喀塞斯獨自留在房舍裏。阿佛洛狄忒假扮成文明世界的少女出現在他麵前，“她穿著一件比火焰還要耀眼的長袍。她戴著扭曲的胸針和閃亮的花朵形耳環。她柔嫩的脖子上戴著最漂亮的項鏈。它（她的長袍）非常漂亮，金色的，裝飾著各種圖案。這些裝飾就像月亮一樣在她柔嫩的胸前閃閃發光，令人歎為觀止。”（she wore a robe that was more resplendent than the brightness of fire. She had twisted brooches, and shiny earrings in the shape of flowers.Around her tender throat were the most beautiful necklaces. It [her robe] was a thing of beauty, golden, decorated with every sort of design. Like the moon it glowed all around her tender breasts, a marvel to behold.）
阿佛洛狄忒對單純的特洛伊王子說了一通謊話，把自己打造成落難的白富美，成功色誘了他。他們發生肉體關係後，原先的長滿青草的草場（grassy pasture ）變成了滿是鮮花的草場（ flowery pastures），這表明阿佛洛狄忒的野性力量已經滲透到安喀塞斯和他的同伴們共同創造的文明空間裏。
類似的花卉意象也出現在荷馬詩頌的其他篇章裏。例如《潘神讚歌》（Hymn to Pan）裏的潘神就生活在蠻荒世界。“他是赫爾墨斯親愛的兒子，長著山羊的雙足和兩隻犄角，喜歡快樂的聲音。穿過林間空地，他與跳舞的仙女們一起在懸崖邊行走”（the dear son of Hermes, with his goat's feet and two horns —a lover of merry noise. Through wooded glades he wanders with dancing nymphs who foot it on some sheer cliff's edge），“他的活動範圍包括每一個雪峰、山峰和岩石山脊；他時而穿過茂密的灌木叢，時而被柔和的溪流引誘” （hither and thither he goes through the close thickets, now lured by soft streams ），“他背上披著帶有斑點的猞猁皮，他喜歡在柔軟的草地上引吭高歌，草地上番紅花和芳香的風信子隨意綻放。”（On his back he wears a spotted lynx-pelt, and he delights in high-pitched songs in a soft meadow where crocuses and sweet-smelling hyacinths bloom at random in the grass.）
（番紅花 風信子）
草地上野花亂長的情形讓人想起《阿佛洛狄忒讚歌》中的“滿是鮮花的草場”（flowery pasture）, 與特洛伊王子安喀塞斯試圖在荒野中建立的文明秩序（如人工整飭過的長滿青草的草場 grassy pasture）形成了鮮明對比。《得墨忒耳頌歌》裏，珀耳塞福涅與女伴們嬉戲的草地上混生著玫瑰、番紅花、紫香堇、鳶尾花、風信子、水仙花等，其中的番紅花與潘神草地上的野花種類重疊。珀耳塞福涅被冥王擄走的故事發生在尼西亞平原（河神的女兒生活的溪流旁邊），說明此處乃未被人類馴服的天涯海角。可見開滿野花的草地是未被馴化的自然界標誌之一。
我們還可以通過分析《奧德賽》裏的花卉意象得出這樣一個結論：奧德修斯的十年漫漫返鄉路，也是從蠻荒無序的世界回歸人類文明的艱難曆程。
《奧德賽》第五章，上帝的信使赫爾墨斯（Hermes）來到女神卡呂普索（Calypso）生活的奧吉吉亞島（Ogygia）解救被困七年的奧德修斯，他駕馭著洶湧的海浪到達島嶼，登上了陸地，一直走到了女神居住的大洞穴裏。“壁爐裏燃著熊熊的火，從遠處的島嶼上傳來一股劈開的雪鬆和杜鬆燃燒的香氣；她（卡呂普索）在裏麵，一邊在織布機前來回走動，用金梭織布，一邊用甜美的聲音唱歌。洞穴周圍長著茂盛的樹林，有赤楊、楊樹和芳香的柏樹，長翅鳥兒常在裏麵築巢，貓頭鷹、獵鷹和海鴉嘰嘰喳喳地說著話，它們在海上忙碌著。洞穴的周圍爬滿了葡萄藤，枝繁葉茂果實累累。四個噴泉排成一排，水流清澈，水流相繼而至，朝著不同方向噴灑。四周是盛開著紫香堇和香芹的柔軟草地。即使是偶然來到這裏的神仙，也會凝視並且敬畏，並陶醉其中。信使阿耳蓋豐忒斯站在那裏，驚歎不已。”( A great fire was burning on the hearth, and from afar over the isle there was a fragrance of cleft cedar and juniper, as they burned; but she within was singing with a sweet voice as she went to and fro before the loom, weaving with a golden shuttle. Round about the cave grew a luxuriant wood, alder and poplar and sweet-smelling cypress, wherein birds long of wing were wont to nest, owls and falcons and sea-crows with chattering tongues, who ply their business on the sea. And right there about the hollow cave ran trailing a garden vine, in pride of its prime, richly laden with clusters. And fountains four in a row were flowing with bright water hard by one another, turned one this way, one that. And round about soft meadows of violets and parsley were blooming. There even an immortal, who chanced to come, might gaze and marvel, and delight his soul; and there the messenger Argeiphontes stood and marvelled.)
從大神赫爾墨斯的角度來看，女神卡呂普索居住的小島是至美的所在。但赫爾墨斯在洞穴裏並未發現奧德修斯，“因為他（奧德修斯）坐在岸邊哭泣，就像他平常一樣，用淚水、呻吟和悲傷折磨著他的靈魂，他會望著波濤洶湧的大海，流下眼淚。” （for he sat weeping on the shore, as his wont had been, racking his soul with tears and groans and griefs, and he would look over the unresting sea, shedding tears）
從凡人奧德修斯的角度來看，奧吉吉亞島是一個未開化的地方，隨意生長的大樹與野花等組成的自然環境與他的家鄉伊薩卡（Ithaca）的井井有條的種植園相去甚遠。島嶼上沒有各種文明儀式，生活乏味無趣。 盡管女神卡呂普索無比美麗，並不完全缺乏文明的外表，會編織和唱歌，還能為奧德修斯提供凡人的食物，但她仍住在文明人不屑定居的山洞裏 – 這樣的環境不是奧德修斯想要的，女神也並非他精神上的良伴。 “他的美好的生命正在消逝，他悲痛地渴望著歸家，因為仙女不再令他賞心悅目。事實上，到了晚上，他不得不睡在空洞的洞穴裏，心不甘情不願地躺在仙女的身邊，但到了白天，他會坐在岩石和沙灘上，用淚水、呻吟和悲傷折磨著內心，他望著波濤洶湧的大海，流下眼淚。”（his sweet life was ebbing away, as he longed mournfully for his return, for the nymph was no longer pleasing in his sight. By night indeed he would sleep by her side perforce in the hollow caves, unwilling beside the willing nymph, but by day he would sit on the rocks and the sands, racking his soul with tears and groans and griefs, and he would look over the unresting sea, shedding tears.）
《奧德賽》第七章，離開了奧吉吉亞島的奧德修斯在航行時遭遇海難，來到斯凱裏亞（Scheria）。他在前往法埃阿基亞人（Phaeacians）的國王阿爾基諾俄斯（Alcinous）的宮殿的途中，注意到宮殿附近有“一個占地四英畝的大果園，兩邊都有籬笆。果園裏長著高大茂盛的樹木，有梨樹、石榴樹、結著鮮豔果實的蘋果樹，還有甜美的無花果和茂盛的橄欖樹。這些樹的果實在冬天和夏天都不會枯萎，而是一年四季都可以吃；西風吹來，使一些果實生機勃勃，使另一些果實成熟；梨子一個接一個地成熟，蘋果一個接一個地成熟，一串接一串地成熟，無花果一個接一個地成熟。他（國王）在那裏也擁有碩果累累的葡萄園，其中一部分，是平地上一塊溫暖的地方，葡萄正在陽光下曬幹，而其他葡萄則被人們采摘，還有一些葡萄被人們踩踏；前排的是一些未成熟的葡萄，它們正在落花，還有一些葡萄正在變紫。那一頭，最後一排的葡萄藤旁邊，是各種各樣整潔的花圃，一年四季都開滿鮮花。花圃裏有兩個泉眼，一個流向整個花園，另一個則在對麵，從庭院門檻下方流向高大的房屋。市民們從這裏取水。這就是阿基諾俄斯宮殿中的諸神賜予的榮耀禮物。” （a great orchard of four acres, and a hedge runs about it on either side. Therein grow trees, tall and luxuriant, pears and pomegranates and apple-trees with their bright fruit, and sweet figs, and luxuriant olives. Of these the fruit perishes not nor fails in winter or in summer, but lasts throughout the year; and ever does the west wind, as it blows, quicken to life some fruits, and ripen others; pear upon pear waxes ripe, apple upon apple, cluster upon cluster, and fig upon fig. There, too, is his fruitful vineyard planted, one part of which, a warm spot on level ground, is being dried in the sun, while other grapes men are gathering, and others, too, they are treading; but in front are unripe grapes that are shedding the blossom, and others that are turning purple. There again, by the last row of the vines, grow trim garden beds of every sort, blooming the year through, and therein are two springs, one of which sends its water throughout all the garden, while the other, over against it, flows beneath the threshold of the court toward the high house; from this the townsfolk drew their water. Such were the glorious gifts of the gods in the palace of Alcinous.）這一切都令奧德修斯驚歎不已。
乍一看，這裏的果園的形製與奧德修斯的家鄉的果園極為相似，連果樹的品種都是相類似的。但這裏的果園並不需要辛苦的人工管理，靠神明賜與的西風、雨水、陽光就能一年四季果實累累。對於奧德修斯這樣的凡人來說，這種帶著超自然元素的秩序井然的果園讓人類敬畏甚至恐懼，盡管他與國王的女兒互生好感，但還是決定不留在這裏。
《奧德賽》第九章，奧德修斯一行在深海裏漂流了十天後，來到了“食蓮者的土地，他們吃一種花香四溢的食物”。（land of the Lotus-eaters, who eat a flowery food.）他們還吃“香甜如蜜的蓮花果實”（honey-sweet fruit of the lotus）。奧德賽派一些手下去打聽“在這裏吃地上的麵包的是誰”（who here ate bread upon the earth），可見那些食蓮者是不吃文明人的食物的。奧德修斯繼續航行，來到獨眼巨人的國度（the land of the Cyclopes）。“獨眼巨人是一群傲慢無禮的民族，他們信奉不朽的神靈，不種地也不耕耘；但是，他們不用播種和耕耘，就能長出小麥、大麥和果實累累的釀酒葡萄藤，宙斯的雨水給它們帶來豐盛。他們既沒有議會來，也沒有製定法律，他們住在高山上的洞穴裏，每個人都對妻兒孩發號施令，彼此毫不在意。（an overweening and lawless folk, who, trusting in the immortal gods, plant nothing with their hands nor plough; but all these things spring up for them without sowing or ploughing, wheat, and barley, and vines, which bear the rich clusters of wine, and the rain of Zeus gives them increase. Neither assemblies for council have they, nor appointed laws, but they dwell on the peaks of lofty mountains in hollow caves, and each one is lawgiver to his children and his wives, and they reck nothing one of another.）
獨眼巨人雖然和文明人吃一樣的食物，卻不從事農業活動，總體上回避建立文明社會。他們對麵的一個島嶼（評論家稱為“山羊島”Goat Island），是一個“樹木繁茂的小島”（ wooded isle）.“這裏既沒有羊群，也沒有耕地，土地整天都無人耕種，隻有咩咩叫的山羊光顧”。（Neither with flocks is it held, nor with ploughed lands, but unsown and untilled all the days it knows naught of men, but feeds the bleating goats.）奧德修斯見到山羊島，馬上就想到可以將此處改造成一個不錯的定居點，“因為這個島一點也不貧瘠，可以生產一切適時的東西。灰色大海的沿岸有一片水源充足的柔軟草地，葡萄藤永不枯萎，那裏是平坦的耕地，人們可以獲得四時豐收，因為草地下麵的土壤非常肥沃。那裏還有一個安全的停泊港，不需要係泊，也不需要拋下錨石或係緊船尾纜繩，人們可以將船停泊在岸邊……現在，在港口的盡頭，一股清泉從一個洞穴下麵湧出，泉水周圍長滿了白楊樹。”(For the isle is nowise poor, but would bear all things in season. In it are meadows by the shores of the grey sea, well-watered meadows and soft, where vines would never fail, and in it level ploughland, whence they might reap from season to season harvests exceeding deep, so rich is the soil beneath; and in it, too, is a harbor giving safe anchorage, where there is no need of moorings, either to throw out anchor-stones or to make fast stern cables, but one may beach one's ship…. Now at the head of the harbor a spring of bright water flows forth from beneath a cave, and round about it poplars grow.) – 可見奧德修斯根深蒂固的思維方式是在自小生活的文明世界裏形成的，重回熟悉的環境是他內心深處抑止不住的渴望。
《奧德賽》第十章，奧德修斯來到埃伊亞（Aeaea），“透過茂密的灌木叢和林地”（through thick brush and woodland）發現了喀耳刻（Circe,希臘神話中的巫術女神）的住所，女巫島上沒有農田。 他與女巫在蠻荒的島上同居了一年，最終決定離開。
《奧德賽》第二十三章，奧德修斯重返伊薩卡後，試圖重建與妻子佩內洛普（Penelope）的婚姻關係，然而妻子對他看似年輕的外表既歡喜又生疑。她設了一個考驗，命家中的老女仆去移動她的婚床，並讓奧德修斯說出他們的婚床的秘密。奧德修斯聽說婚床被移動過了，不禁勃然大怒：“誰把我的床放在別處了？……沒有一個活著的凡人，無論他多麽年輕和強壯，能輕易地把它從原處撬開，因為在這張精心設計的床上有一個偉大的標記，是我而不是別人建造的。院子裏長著一棵長葉橄欖樹，又粗又壯，樹身像一根柱子。我在樹的周圍用密實的石頭建了我的房間，直到我把它修好，我給它蓋上了很好的屋頂，還裝上了緊密貼合的門。然後，我砍掉了長葉橄欖樹的多葉枝，從根部修剪樹幹，我用斧子巧妙地把它的周圍弄平，把它弄直，就這樣做了床柱；我用占卜術把它全部鑿出來。從這開始，我鑿出了我的床，直到我完成了它，用金、銀和象牙鑲嵌它，我在上麵係了一條亮紫色的牛皮繩。我向你宣布這個標誌；但我不知道，女人，我的床架是否還牢牢地固定在原處，或者現在是否有人從橄欖樹樁下麵砍伐，把床架放在了別處。”( Who has set my bed elsewhere? ……But of men there is no mortal that lives, be he never so young and strong, who could easily pry it from its place, for a great token is wrought in the fashioned bed, and it was I that built it and none other. A bush of long-leafed olive was growing within the court, strong and vigorous, and girth it was like a pillar. Round about this I built my chamber, till I had finished it, with close-set stones, and I roofed it over well, and added to it jointed doors, close-fitting. Thereafter I cut away the leafy branches of the long-leafed olive, and, trimming the trunk from the root, I smoothed it around with the adze well and cunningly, and made it straight to the line, thus fashioning the bed-post; and I bored it all with the augur. Beginning with this I hewed out my bed, till I had finished it, inlaying it with gold and silver and ivory, and I stretched on it a thong of ox-hide, bright with purple. Thus do I declare to thee this token; but I know not, woman, whether my bedstead is still fast in its place, or whether by now some man has cut from beneath the olive stump, and set the bedstead elsewhere.”
奧德賽的院子裏的這棵粗壯的橄欖樹，應該是經過人工培育才長得枝繁葉茂的。樹木和柱子作為一種穩定的元素，暗示了兩人的婚姻經受住了考驗。
《奧德賽》第二十四章，奧德修斯前往父親雷歐提斯（Laertes）的“美麗的秩序井然的農場”（fair and well-ordered farm ），“農場裏有他（雷歐提斯）的房子，四周是棚屋，那裏是他可隨時使喚的奴隸們吃飯、閑坐、睡覺的地方。（There was his house, and all about it ran the sheds in which ate, and sat, and slept the servants that were bondsmen, that did his pleasure）。奧德修斯來到果實累累的葡萄園，恰巧奴隸們都不在，他們去撿石頭準備修葡萄園的圍牆，隻有父親“獨自一人在井然有序的葡萄園裏，在一棵植物周圍挖土。他穿著一件肮髒的、滿是補丁的破舊不堪外衣，小腿上纏著牛皮護脛，以防劃傷。因為荊棘刺手，他戴著手套，頭上戴著山羊皮帽……”（alone in the well-ordered vineyard, digging about a plant; and he was clothed in a foul tunic, patched and wretched, and about his shins he had bound stitched greaves of ox-hide to guard against scratches, and he wore gloves upon his hands because of the thorns, and on his head a goatskin cap） 。從這段描寫可以看出，在荷馬史詩的時代，擁有土地，並有足夠的奴隸為其耕種是一個人擁有財富和權利的象征。古希臘的明君對農業生產相當重視，都要親臨禦園躬耕。農業和父權製是文明社會的象征。
奧德修斯並沒有馬上與父親相認，而是走上前對他說：“老人家，你不缺乏照料花園的本領，不，你照料得很好，田野裏的每一樣東西，無論是植物、無花果樹、葡萄藤、橄欖樹、梨樹還是花圃都得到精心照料。但我還要告訴你一件事，你不要因此而心生憤怒：你沒有好好照料自己，你年老體衰，衣衫襤褸、蓬頭垢麵。你的主人不關心你，肯定不是因為你懶惰，無論是從外表還是身材上看，你也不像個奴隸，因為你就像一個君王，甚至像一個洗過澡、吃過飯的人，應該睡得舒坦；因為這才是老年人的處世之道。”（Old man, no lack of skill hast thou to tend a garden; nay, thy care is good, and there is naught whatsoever, either plant or fig tree, or vine, nay, or olive, or pear, or garden-plot in all the field that lacks care. But another thing will I tell thee, and do thou not lay up wrath thereat in thy heart: thou thyself enjoyest no good care, but thou bearest woeful old age, and therewith art foul and unkempt, and clad in mean raiment. Surely it is not because of sloth on thy part that thy master cares not for thee, nor dost thou seem in any wise like a slave to look upon either in form or in stature; for thou art like a king, even like one who, when he has bathed and eaten, should sleep soft; for this is the way of old men.）奧德修斯話中有話，暗示老邁的明君應該讓位給他這位合法繼承人。現在他歸來了，應該履行新王的職責，並在生活上照顧老國王。
他終於向父親展示年少時在狩獵野豬期間留下的傷疤以自證身份，還聊起了果園中的樹木：“來吧，我還要告訴你，那座井然有序的花園裏有哪些樹木是你曾經給我的。當時我還是個孩子，跟著你穿過花園，向你要這要那。我們經過的正是這些樹，你給它們起了名字，告訴我每一棵的用途。你給了我十三棵梨樹、十棵蘋果樹和四十棵無花果樹。正如我所說的，你還答應給我五十排葡萄藤，它們在不同的時間成熟——上麵結滿了各種各樣的果實—。”
（And come, I will tell thee also the trees in the well-ordered garden which once thou gavest me, and I, who was but a child, was following thee through the garden, and asking thee for this and that. It was through these very trees that we passed, and thou didst name them, and tell me of each one. Pear-trees thirteen thou gavest me, and ten apple-trees, and forty fig-trees. And rows of vines too didst thou promise to give me, even as I say, fifty of them, which ripened severally at different times—and upon them are clusters of all sorts—”）
這段話裏說明，雷歐提斯的花園裏的果樹需要靠人工照料才能獲得大豐收，果樹還是古希臘王室成員互贈的貴重禮物之一，農耕知識是王室成員從小到大的必修課。
回顧奧德修斯的回歸路，卡呂普索島上的野花和樹木與那些更文明的土地上的有序種植園形成了鮮明對比。出現在第七章的不需要人類照料的 法埃阿基亞人的果園，到第二十三章裏的需要人照料的橄欖樹，再到雷歐提斯管理的果園，每一次的遭遇都讓奧德修斯離人類文明更近，離記憶中的家園和精神世界更近。奧德修斯對橄欖樹床的描述促成了他與佩內洛普的重逢，皇家果園是他與父親相認的地方。荷馬詩人從自然環境中汲取圖像，以便早期的聽眾們更好地理解野蠻與文明的對立，並告知世人，良好的文明秩序需要靠人類不斷的勞動來維持。
