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emblem of civic authority and victory and held sacred even 

 to the mighty goddess Aphrodite, who ruled her realm not 

 with a rod of iron but with rods of myrtle. 



"About the sweet bag of a Bee 

 Two Cupids fell at odds; 

 And whose the pretty prize shu'd ^q 

 They vow'd to ask the Gods. 



fWhich Venus hearing, thither came, 

 i? And for their boldness stript them; 

 And taking thence from each his flame, 

 With rods of Mirtle whipt them. \ Jr 



Which done, to still their wanton cries 

 When quiet grown she'd seen them, 



She kist and wiped thir dove like eyes 

 And gave the Bag between them." 



Such dainty reprimands and such gentle punishments as 

 Venus could administer to her little messengers were however 

 far from being the only instances in which we hear of the 

 myrtle as emblematic of authority. Doctor Johnson reminds 

 us again of this fact that the myrtle is "Ensign of supreme 

 command consigned to Venus," and it is impossible to think 

 of the bay, the laurel and the myrtle except as typifying 

 success, and as being the very substance of the victor's crown 

 and the spirit of his acclaim. History, poetry, romance, — 

 all are full of it. 



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For deathless laurel is the victor's due." 



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