24 THE ROSE IN CEREMONIES, FESTIVALS, ETC. 



composed partly of roses, and finally they were not satisfied unless 

 they consisted of these flowers only. 



Martial, as we have already mentioned, speaks often of his 

 crowns of roses. The crown sent by this poet to his friend 

 Sabinus, was composed entirely of these flowers, and he was 

 desirous that they should be considered the production of his own 

 gardens. 



From the poverty of Turkish history, little is known of the 

 early use of the Rose among- them. We have, however, some 

 account of its use among the Mohammedan Persians. 



Although wine was forbidden by the laws of Mahomet, the 

 Persians frequently made use of it ; and in the time of Tavernier 

 and of Chardin, they frequently drank it to excess. One of their 

 kings, Soliman III., was intoxicated almost every day ; and it 

 was the custom then in Persia, to serve the wine in crystal decan- 

 ters, which, when the season permitted, they corked with roses. 



The most interesting purpose to which roses were devoted, 

 was the adornment of tombs and burial-places. The Greeks 

 employed generally for this object, the myrtle and the amaranth ; 

 but the Romans gave the preference to the lily, the saffion-plant, 

 and above all, the Rose. 



The ancients were careful to renew the plants which were 

 placed around the sepulchral urn, in order that it might be sur- 

 rounded by a continual spring. These flowers were regarded as 

 sacred, and as a relic of the deceased. 



The Romans considered this pious care so agreeable to the 

 spirits of the departed, that wealthy citizens bequeathed by will 

 entire gardens, to be reserved for furnishing their tombs with 

 flowers. They also often ordered that their heirs, or those to 

 Vv'hom they left a legacy for the care of their ashes, should meet 

 together every year, on the anniversary of their death, and dine 

 near their tomb, scattering roses about the place. This custom 

 is attested by several stories of ancient Roman tombs. One with 

 an ancient inscription was found at Ravenna, and others in some 

 other parts of Italy. 



D'Orbessan, in his ^^Essai sur les Roses" mentions having 



