210 
FLORAL POESY. 
VERVAIN. 
(You enchant me.) 
ERVAIN, or wild verbena, has been the floral 
V symbol of enchantment from time immemorial. 
It was styled “sacred herb” by the Greeks, who as¬ 
cribed a thousand marvelous properties to it, one of 
which was its power of reconciling enemies. Under 
the influence of this belief, they, as did also the Romans, 
sent it by their ambassadors on treaties of peace ; and 
whenever they dispatched their heralds to offer terms 
of reconciliation, renewal or suspension of hostilities, 
one of them invariably bore a sprig of vervain. In his 
“Muses’ Elysium,” Drayton calls it “ holy vervain,” 
and thus speaks of it: 
“A wreath of vervain heralds wear 
Amongst our garlands named. 
Being sent that weighty news to bear 
Of peace or war proclaimed.” 
The peoples of antiquity also frequently used this 
plant in various kinds of divinations, sacrifices, and 
incantations ; and its specific name of verbena originally 
signified a herb used to decorate altars. Ben Jonson 
says : 
“ Bring your garlands, and with reverence place 
The vervain on the altar.” 
It was much valued by the Druids, being regarded by 
them as only second to the mistletoe : they used it 
largely in their divinations and casting of lots. 
