pPanC "bore, IfDecje^/, anxk T9i^rlc/", 387 



lata, the Love's Creeper of the Hindus, is a plant by which all 

 desires arc ^[ranted to such as inherit the Indian Paradise. Iponioca 

 Bona-nox, " Good-night," is so named in allusion to its opening its 

 flowers in the evening. 



IRIS. — The Iris of "all hues" derives its name from the 

 goddess Iris, one of the Oceanides, a messenger of the gods, and 

 the especial attendant of Juno. As goddess of the rainbow, she is 

 represented with its variegated colours glistening in her wings. 

 Thus Virgil says : — 



" Iris on safTron wings arrayed with dew 

 Of various colours through the sunbeams flew." 



Iris is usually depi(5ted as descending from the rainbow, and her 

 glorious arch is said not to vary more in its colours than the flower 

 which bears her name. Columella observes — 



" Nor Iris with her glorious rainbow clothed 

 So fulgent as the cheerful gardens shine 

 With their bright offspring, when they're in their bloom." 



The Greeks plant the Iris on tombs, possibly because the goddess 

 Iris was believed to guide the souls of dead women to their last 

 resting-place, as Mercury condudted the souls of men. The Iris 

 was one of the flowers dedicated to Juno, and with the ancients 

 was wont to be employed as the symbol of eloquence or power ; 

 hence the Egyptians placed this flower on the brow of the Sphinx, 

 and on the sceptres of their monarchs. The three leaves of the 

 blossom represent faith, wisdom, and valour. The Iris is sup- 

 posed to be the flower which forms the terminating ornament of the 



sceptre of the ancient kings of Babylon and Assyria. The Franks 



of old had a custom, at the proclamation of a king, to elevate him 

 upon a shield, or target, and place in his hand a reed of Flag in 

 blossom, instead of a sceptre, and from thence the kings of the 

 first and second race in France are represented with sceptres in 

 their hands like the Flag with its flower, and which flowers be- 

 came the armorial figures of France. There is a legend that 



Clotilda, the wife of the warlike king Clovis, had long prayed for 

 the conversion of her husband, and at length Clovis, having led his 

 army against the Huns, and being in imminent danger of defeat, 

 recommended himself to the God of his sainted wife. The tide of 

 battle turned, he obtained a complete victory, and was baptised 

 by St. Remi. On this occasion, owing to a vision of St. Clotilda, 

 the Lilies (Iris) were substituted in the arms of France for the three 

 frogs or toads which Clovis had hitherto borne on his sh eld. In 

 the pictures of St. Clotilda, she is generally represented attended 

 by an angel holding a shield on which are the three Fleurs de Lys. 

 This occurred early in the sixth century. Louis VII., in conse- 

 quence of a dream, assumed it as his device in 1 137, when engaged 

 in the second expedition of the Crusaders, and the Iris-flower 

 soon became celebrated in France as the Fleur de Louis, which was 



2C — 2 



