CHAP. XLII. ROS^CEJE. jRO'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 Ampelopsis Aederacea, 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 \\aschanged 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, fliny 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 ej&tf , 

 used it in their baths. v^cT^v n " 



^A 

 > 



* 



