Kirsi (Kirss)

Cherry. Name ultimately derives from an ancient Turkish city/peninsula whence the first cherries were exported, known to the Greeks as Κερασοῦς (Kerasous), hence Fr. cerise, Ger. Kirsche, etc., (the same principle gave us currants from Corinth, copper from Cyprus, etc.). Reputedly brought back to Rome by Lucullus after the Third Mithridatic War. This was the Mithridates (No.IV) who gave his name to ‘Mithridatism’ for plying his body with small doses of poison to protect himself from assassination attempts (obviously a popular chap). The story that when he attempted to use the method to commit suicide, failed, and had to have himself run through by his bodyguard, a double irony to say the least, is almost certainly apocryphal. One of a group of berry streets in Lilleküla District. See also Maasika.