18 FLORA'S LEXICON. 



MARANTH. Amaranthus. Class 21, Mo- 

 n-secia. ' Order: Pentandria. The ama- 

 ranth is one of the latest gifts of autumn, 

 and when dead its flowers retain their rich 

 scarlet colour. The ancients have associ- 

 ated it with supreme honours ; choosing it 

 to adorn the brows of their gods. Poets 

 have sometimes mingled its bright hue with the dark and gloomy 

 cypress, wishing to express that their sorrows were combined 

 with everlasting recollections. Homer tells us, that at the fune- 

 ral of Achilles, the Thessalians presented themselves wearing 

 crowns of amaranth. 



IMMORTALITY. 



Milton, in his gorgeous description of the court of heaven, 

 mentions the amaranth as being inwoven in the diadems of. an- 

 gels — 



With solemn adoration down they cast 



Their crowns, inwove with amaranth and gold; 



Immortal amaranth, a flower which once 



In Paradise, fast by the tree of life, 



Began to bloom ; but soon for man's offence 



To heaven removed, where first it grew, there grows, 



And flowers aloft, shading the fount of life, 



And where the river of bliss through midst of heaven 



Rolls o'er Elysian flowers her amber stream, 



With those that never fade. 



Pope mentions this flower in his Ode for St. Cecilia's day ; 

 imagining it to be found in celestial bowers ; — 

 By the streams that ever flow, 

 By the fragrant winds that blow 



O'er the Elysian flowers ; 

 By those happy souls that dwell 

 In yellow meads of asphodel, 

 Or amaranthine bowers. 



