The main use for the Larkspur herb in the middle ages was to get rid of head lice. The Roman aristocrat Crescentius said: "The seed made into a powder and mixed with vinegar is a good salve for lice and scabs. That is why it is called lousewort.... also the powder taken in honey kills worms." A preparation of stavesacre seeds is still a recognized vermicide for head lice today. It was once used to heal wounds (a traditional Venus task) and in the field. Greek mythology says that larkspur sprang from the blood of Ajax, who committed suicide after not being given the armor of the fallen warrior Achilles.