The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-07-16
HISTORY OF The ROSE.
The Lovely Flower was Known to
the Earliest Of Earth's
People.
Cleopatra Spent 100000 Ses-
terees for Roses for Just
One Fete.
Used as the Emblem of Silence, Hence
"Undcr the From
the Pope.

The rose is ~mentioneditby the earliest
writer's of antiquity, says the Troy Times.
Herodotus speaks of the double rose; Isaiah
of the desert that shall blossom as the rose.
The old name of Syria meant LAND of
~roses," and from Damascus came the beau
tiful "Damask Perpetuals," akin to the
famous Rose due Roi. Solomon sings of
the Rose of Sharon, which is one of the
nost exquisite flowers in shape and hue.
Its blossoms are bell-shaped, and of many
mingled hues and dies. But its history is
legendary and romantic in the highest de-
gree. In the east. throughout Syria, Judea
and Arabia, it is regarded with the pro-
foundest reverence.
Tho rose OF Jerico grows in the sandy
deserts of Syria and Arabia. This herb
aceous plant will fold its leaves and flowers
upward and become dry and shriveied, but
if immersed in water its bloom and foliage
are suddenly renewed. Numerous super
stitions are connected with this plant,
which is called Rosa Maria, or rose of the
Virgin, and is known as the resurrection
rose.
Among the ancient Romans roses were used
with profuseness and extravaganza. When
Cleo ..atra went to Cilicia to meet Marc
Antony she caused tho floor Of the hall to
be covered with roses to the depth of eigh-
teen inches. At r fete given by Nero. the
expenses incurred for roses alone were
100000 seSterces, or about S10O,0 900.
Roses were used in wreaths and chap
lets to adorn the brows of poets IL
orators. The Romans regarded the rose rs
the emblem OF silence, as we'll rs of love
and joy, and frequently represented Cupid
offering ono to Harpocrates, the god of
silence, and on festive occasions suspended
a rose over the table, intimatin2 to the as
sembled guests that the conversation was to
be literally IA we'll as metaphoricnlly,
"under the rose."
The Greeks and Romans used roses to
ornamsnt the statutes of Venus or Hebe
and of Flora. At their marriage cere-
monies they often played an important
palt t. and were often streun in the aisies
of the churches. Tombs were covered with
them and many of the wealthy Greeks and
Romans loft large legacies for the especial
Purpoae of ornainenting their burial places
with roses, both with plants and cut
flowers. Even at thu present day the white
rose has lost zone Of Its smblematlC BaCrod-
ness for bridal or burial.
The origin of the tinted or blush rose is
ascribed to the beautiful R~hodantes, queen
OF Corinth, who to escnpe tho persecution
OF hor lovers artemp pied to seclnde herself
in tho temple of Diana, being forced from
her sanctuary by the clamo. of the people,
she prayed the gods to change her into a
fewer, and tho rose into which she was
transformed still bears the bushes
that dyed her checks when forced TO
EXPOSE herself TO the public gaze.
The fragrance with which this rose il so
richly endowed ia stated by those same
poetical ancisnts to be derived from n cup
OF nectar thrown by Cupid, and tho thorns
they say are the stines OF bees, with which
the nro OF his bow WINS strung.
Al Pslnyru, in the time Of Zenobis, there