In Classical mythology, Krokus was a mortal man who, unhappy with his love affair with Smilax

Smilax

Smilax is a genus of about 300-350 species, found in temperate zones, tropics and subtropics worldwide. In China for example about 80 are found , while there are 20 in North America north of Mexico...

, was turned by the gods into a plant bearing his name: the crocus Saffron

Saffron

Saffron is a spice derived from the flower of Crocus sativus, commonly known as the saffron crocus. Crocus is a genus in the family Iridaceae. Each saffron crocus grows to and bears up to four flowers, each with three vivid crimson stigmas, which are each the distal end of a carpel...

. Smilax is believed to have been given a similar fate and was transformed into bindweed

Bindweed

Bindweed may refer to:* Convolvulaceae , a family including about 60 genera and more than 1,650 species** Calystegia , a genus of about 25 species of flowering plants...

. In one variation of the myth, Krokus was said to be a companion of Mercury

Mercury (mythology)

Mercury was a messenger who wore winged sandals, and a god of trade, the son of Maia Maiestas and Jupiter in Roman mythology. His name is related to the Latin word merx , mercari , and merces...

 and was accidentally killed by the god in a game of discus

Discus

Discus, "disk" in Latin, may refer to:* Discus , a progressive rock band from Indonesia* Discus , a fictional character from the Marvel Comics Universe and enemy of Luke Cage* Discus , a freshwater fish popular with aquarium keepers...

. Mercury was so distraught at this that he transformed Krokus' body into a flower. The myth is similar to that of Apollon

Apollon

Apollon may refer to:* Apollo, ancient Greek god of light, healing and poetry* Apollon , Formula One constructor* Apollon Kalamarias, Greek football club* Apollon Athens, a Greek football club from Athens...

 and Hyakinthos, and may indeed be a variation thereof. In his translation of Nonnos' Dionysiaca

Dionysiaca

The Dionysiaca is an ancient epic poem and the principal work of Nonnus. It is an epic in 48 books, the longest surviving poem from antiquity at 20,426 lines, composed in Homeric dialect and dactylic hexameters, the main subject of which is the life of Dionysus, his expedition to India, and his...

, W.H.D. Rouse describes the tale of Krokus as being from the late Classical period and very little is known about it.