every year, on the anniversary of his death, to dine together near his tomb, and to crown it with roses 
gathered from his sepulchral plantation. The first Roman Christians disapproved of the employment of 
flowers, either at feasts or on tombs, because they were so used by the Pagans. Tertullian wrote a book 
against the employment of garlands : and Clement of Alexandria did not think it right that kings should be 
crowned with roses, as our Saviour was crowned with thorns. 
The rose has been a favourite subject with the poets of all countries, in all ages, and a 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 adapted 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 mo- 
ments 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 was changed 
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 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. 
There are many legends related of roses in the East. The story of the learned Zeb, who suggested by 
a rose leaf that he might be received into the silent academy at Amadan is well known. The vacant place 
for which he applied having been filled up before his arrival, the president intimated this to him by filling a 
glass so full of water, that a single additional drop would have made it run over ; but Zeb contrived to place 
the petal of a rose so delicately on the water as not to disturb it in the least; and was rewarded for his inge- 
nious allusion by instant admission into the society. According to the Hindoo mythology. Pagoda Siri, one 
of the wives of Vishnu, was found in a rose. 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. 
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. Pliny tells us that they 
garnished their dishes with these flowers. Cleopatra received Antony, at one of her banquets, in an apart- 
ment covered with rose leaves to a considerable depth ; and Antony himself, when dying, begged to have 
roses scattered on his tomb. The Roman generals, who had achieved any remarkable victory, were per- 
mitted to have roses sculptured on their shields. Rose water was the favourite perfume of the Roman 
ladies ; and the most luxurious even used it in their baths. The Turks believe that roses sprang from the 
moisture of Mahomet’s skin ; for which reason, they never tread upon a rose leaf, or suffer one to he on the 
ground ; they also sculpture a rose on the tombstones of females who die unmarried. 
We read in the history of the Mogul Empire, by Father Catron, that the celebrated Princess Nour- 
mahal filled an entire canal with rose water, upon which she was in the habit of sailing along with the Great 
