I do find that question intriguing. Those scrolls were more than poetry; the ancients did notice that willow bark soothed pain. In fact, the active ingredient is salicin, which our chemistry later refined into acetylsalicylic acid – the real aspirin. So, rather than a romantic metaphor, they were picking up on a genuine bioactive compound. Of course, their methods were crude, and their understanding of “compound” was vague, but the empirical observation was solid enough to survive millennia.

Indeed, the old herbalists were, in a sense, the original chemists, just without the spectrometers. A proper infusion would give a gentle analgesic effect, though not as precise or potent as modern aspirin. Still, if you’re looking for a nostalgic dose of history, steep a few sticks and enjoy the soothing nostalgia. Just be sure to keep an eye out for any accidental overdoses – the ancients didn’t have our safety protocols.