48 PROSERPINA. 



5. But the word 'petalos' is connected in Greek 

 with another word, meaning, to fly, — so that you 

 may think of a bird as spreading its petals to 

 the wind ; and with another, signifying Fate in 

 its pursuing flight, the overtaking thing, or over- 

 flying Fate. Finally, there is another Greek word 

 meaning ' wide,' w?&tu; (platys) ; whence at last 

 our ' plate ' — a thing made broad or extended — 

 but especially made broad or ' flat ' out of the 

 solid, as in a lump of clay extended on the wheel, 

 or a lump of metal extended by the hammer. So 

 the first we call Platter ; the second Plate, when 

 of the precious metals. Then putting /; for /, and 

 d for t, we get the blade of an oar, and blade 

 of grass. * 



6. Now gather a branch of laurel, and look at 

 it carefully. You may read the history of the 

 being of half the earth in one of those green oval 

 leaves — the things that the sun and the rivers 

 have made out of dry ground. Daphne — daughter 

 of Enipeus, and beloved by the Sun, — that fable 

 gives you at once the two great facts about vege- 

 tation. Where warmth is, and moisture — there, 

 also, the leaf. Where no warmth — there is no leaf ; 

 where there is no dew — no leaf. 



7. Look, then, to the branch you hold in your 

 hand. That you can so hold it, or make a crown 



