CHAP. XLII. ROSA‘CEZ. RO'SA. 791 
When verdant Sculpture or Architecture is to be employed in gardens, there 
are very few plants that will so soon cover frame work as the evergreen 
climbing roses; and they have the advantage over ivy of producing fine 
flowers, which are succeeded by fruits that attract singing birds; and over 
other rapid-growing climbers, such as the Ampeldpsis hederacea, in addition 
to these advantages, that of being green all the year. 
Poetical, mythological, historical, and legendary Allusions. The rose has 
been a favourite subject with the poets of all countries, in all ages; and a 
tolerably large volume might be formed, if all the poems written on it were 
collected, as there has, perhaps, never yet existed a poet of any eminence, 
who has not sung its praises. In mythological allusions it is equally rich. 
It was dedicated by the Greeks to Aurora, as an emblem of youth, from its 
freshness and reviving fragrance; to Venus, as an emblem of love and beauty, 
from the elegance of its flowers ; and to Cupid, as an emblem of fugacity and 
danger, from the fleeting nature of its charms, and the wounds inflicted by its 
thorns. It was given by Cupid to Harpocrates, the god of silence, as a bribe, 
to prevent him from betraying the amours of Venus; and was hence adopted 
as the emblem of silence. The rose was, for this reason, frequently sculp- 
tured on the ceilings of drinking and feasting rooms, as a warning to the 
guests, that what was said in moments of conviviality should not be repeated ; 
from which what was intended to be kept secret was said to be told “ under 
the rose.” The Greek poets say that the rose was originally white, but that 
it was changed to red, according to some, from the blood of Venus, who 
lacerated her feet with its thorns when rushing to the aid of Adonis; and, 
according to others, from the blood of Adonis himself. The fragrance of 
the rose is said by the poets to be derived from a cup of nectar thrown over 
it by Cupid; and its thorns to be the stings of the bees with which the arc 
of his bow was strung. Anacreon makes the birth of the rose coeval with 
those of Venus and Minerva : — 
“Then, then, in strange eventful hour, 
The earth produced an infant flower, = 
Which sprang with blushing tinctures drest, 
And wanton’d o’er its parent breast, 
The gods beheld this brilliant birth, 
And hail’d the Rose —the boon of earth,”’ Moore’s Anacreon.” 
Another fable relating to the birth of the rose is, that Flora, having found 
the dead body of one of her favourite nymphs, whose beauty could only be 
equalled by her virtue, implored the assistance of all the gods and goddesses 
to aid her in changing it into a flower which all others should acknowledge 
to be their queen. Apollo lent the vivifying power of his beams, Bacchus 
bathed it in nectar, Vertumnus gave its perfume, Pomona its fruit, and Flora 
herself its diadem of flowers. Other mythological writers relate that the 
beautiful Rhodante, Queen of Corinth, to escape the persecutions of her 
lovers, attempted to seclude herself in the temple of Diana; but, being forced 
by the clamour of the people from her sanctuary, prayed to the gods to change 
her into a rose; which still bears the blushes that dyed her cheeks when 
forced to expose herself to public gaze, and under which form she is still 
universally admired. A beetle is often represented, on antique gems, as 
expiring surrounded by roses; and this is supposed to be an emblem of a 
man enervated by luxury; the beetle being said to have such an antipathy to 
roses, that the smell of them will cause its death. 
The Romans were very fond of roses. Pliny tells us that they garnished 
their dishes with these flowers ; and we have already alluded (p. 785.) to their 
custom of wearing garlands of them at their feasts. Cleopatra received Antony, 
at one of her banquets,in an apartment covered with rose leaves to a consider- 
able depth; and Antony himself, when dying, begged to have roses scattered 
on his tomb. The Roman generals, who had achieved any remarkable vic- 
tory, were permitted to have roses sculptured on their shields. Rose-water 
was the favourite perfume of the Roman ladies ; and the most luxurious even 
used it in their baths. 
