102 
SHAKESPEARE’S GARDEN 
and: 
Great princes’ favourites their fair leaves spread 
But as the marigold at the sun’s eye. 
Sonnets xxv. 
The old herbalists knew its habits well. Thus 
Dodoens-Lyte (book ii., chap, xiii., p. 1 63): 
“ It hath pleasant, bright, and shining yellow 
flowers, the which do close at the setting downe of 
the sunne, and do spread and open againe at the 
sunne rising.” 
There can be little, if any, doubt that our flower is 
the heliotropium or solsequium of our forefathers, but 
can hardly be that meant by Ovid (“ Met.,” iv. 
244-270), into which the unhappy nymph Clytie 
was transformed for giving information of the love 
intrigue of her rival Leucothoe with the Sun-God, 
which mad jealousy impelled her to do, and hence 
she was transformed, so that a flower very like a 
violet conceals her face. Though she is held fast 
by a root, she turns towards the sun, and though 
changed she still retains her passion. 
The other quotation from the poet specially worth 
noting is that in which the flower is called “ Mary 
buds”— 
And winking Mary buds begin 
To ope their golden eyes. 
Cymbeline, II. iii. 25. 
As a special favourite for decking graves it is 
mentioned thus: 
The purple violets, and marigolds, 
Shall as a carpet hang upon thy grave, 
While summer-days do last. 
Pericles , IV. i. 16. 
This month, clustering on tree and ruined wall, 
ever tightening its hold upon that which supports it. 
