68 
FLOKAL POESY. 
Hyacinthus was playing at quoits with his divine 
friend, Zephyrus blew so powerfully upon the quoit 
flung by Apollo that it struck the unfortunate prince 
on the temple and killed him, to the intense grief of 
his innocent slayer. To commemorate the grace and 
beauty of the dead youth, Apollo, unable to restore 
him to life, caused the flower which now bears his 
name to spring from his blood. 
An annual solemnity, called Hyacinthia, was estab¬ 
lished in Laconia, in honor of Ilyacinthus. It lasted 
three days, during which the people, to show their 
grief for the loss of their darling prince, ate no bread, 
but fed upon sweetmeats, and abstained from adorning 
their hair with garlands as on ordinary occasions. 
The following day was spent in feasting. Hence, 
perhaps, one of the floral meanings—“Play.” The 
purple hyacinth signifies sorrow, as it is said to bear on 
its petals Apollo’s lament for his friend—Ai, Ai—but 
we fail to trace the letters now. 
An allusion to Hyacinthus will also be recognized in 
Milton’s “ Lycidas : ” 
“Like to that sanguine flower inscribed with woe.”* 
THE HYACINTH. 
CASIMIR. 
Child of the Spring, thou charming flower. 
No longer in confinement lie, 
Arise to light, thy form discover. 
Rival the azure of the sky. 
* Apollo wrote on its leaves his lament, Ai, Ai. 
