| A potion (from Latin potio, potionis, meaning
beverage, potion, poison) is a drinkable medicine or poison.
In legend a potion is a concoction used to heal, bewitch or
poison people, made by a magician, sorcerer or witch. i.e.,
there can be cited love potions, intended to make a person
fall in love with another, or potions for the opposite effect,
intending that a person hate another. The love potion figures
tragically into most versions the tale of Tristan and Iseult,
including Richard Wagner's opera Tristan und Isolde.
Creation of potions of different kinds was a common practice
of alchemy.
During the 19th Century it was common in certain countries
to see wandering charlatans offering potions to heal every
disease, ache, etc. These eventually gained reputations as
quack medicines. In later years, these became replaced by/known
as patent medicines.
Potions have been used in literature many times. For example
in Harry Potter, Severus Snape is known as the potions master.
He is one of the antagonists of the novel, perhaps symbolizing
potions are evil. Potions have been known as evil and are used
classically by witches gathering around a boiling cauldron.
Potions have also gained popularity as a standard item in
computer role playing games, usually as a healing item.
A philter or philtre is a magical charm, usually a potion,
that is said to have the power to cause its imbiber to fall
in love with the person who gave it to them.
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