202 FLORAL SYMBOLISM 



Dr Anselm Saltzer, O.S.B., writes: ' The Greeks 

 and Romans held the myrtle to be the symbol 

 of beauty, youth and marriage, because of its jji 

 delightful perfume, its evergreen leaves, white 

 blossoms and aromatic berries. In connection 

 with Mary, the myrtle serves as a figure of her 

 purity and other virtues as well as of her in- 

 fluence over the unruly impulses of the human 

 soul.' ' 



Francesco Franciabigio ^ places a vase of 

 single white roses at the Virgin's feet. Double 

 roses, pink or red, are the symbol of divine love, 

 the love of Christ for His Church upon earth, ^ 

 and the white single roses might be the symbol 

 of the passionless love of the ' Mater Consolatrix.' 



These flowers, placed in vases before the * 

 Virgin, are usually significant and appropriate, 

 but they are really more votive than symbohcal. 

 The Latins had brought to the shrine of Venus 

 the myrtle and roses, the apples and poppies 

 that were sacred to her, and painters of Central 

 Italy in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries. 



1 



Die Sinnhildey and Beiworte Martens in der deutschen 

 Liter atur und lateinischen Hymnenpoesie des Mittelaltcrs. 

 " Uf&zi, Florence. 



