The Washington herald., 1910-06-05

table. II was considered not only dis
honorable, but a crime TO reveal that
which had been said Sub rosa"
Roses were dedicated TO Venus as the
symbol Of beauty. to Cupid as the sym
Dol OF love. 10 Aurora. the rosy-hngered,
to signify her office OF opening the por-
tai OF the day 10 youth and springtIme.
In the sxuberance of their love and
loyalty she meant to the Greeks all
things bright and fresh and fragrant.
Vast rose gardens were planted on the
hills near Athens. which supplied the
flower markets of the day. And in the
Graeco- Roman colonies OF Paestum and
Sybaris the culture must have been car
ried to very high degree of perfection.
Ovid tells US that they were made to
bloom twice a year by means of hot wat
er, which-from testimony gathered from
the literature Of the day-must have been
carried IN pipes much as is done in oul
hOthouses to-day.
Pliny writes about the date of the
Christian era: 1T is a flower known TO
all nations. equally with wine, myrtle
Cleopatra. went to Cilicia 10 meet Marc
Antony. she celebrated their meeting by
daily feasts. During the first three days
the richest tapestry and hangings, yes.
sells of gold and silver, adornments of
precious stones, all that the wealth and
luxury and refinement Of the world could
supply. were lavshed upon the entertain
ments On the fourth day. as the crown
and elimination Of 1t all. she gave 10
him a feast Of roses. The floors of the
rooms and halls were covered to the
depth OF eighteen inches with freshly
blown roses, held in place by a strong
but delicate net stretched above them
so that her guests might walk over them
Nero, not many years later, gave
feast where 100000 was spent in roses
alone. The Romans scattered them
through their temples and on their floors
and couches, and the petals aoated upon
the Falernian, which they drank On the
occasion OF certain water parties given at
Balae, the whole lake of Lucina was
covered with roses, which parted before
the moving boats and closed after them
as they passed Lucius Verus reached
luxury in the use of the roses never
surpassed before or after his time He
slept upon a couch covered with cushions
made of fine, thin net. and filed with
freshly-gathered rose leaves.
The extreme fastidiousness OF the
young smindyrides. the sybarite, whose
sleep was disturbed by a crumpled rose
leaf, has passed into familiar proverb.
In the third century, when Heliogabalus.
the beautiful. long-haired priest of the
sun, was called from serving the affairs
OF Baal. in Phoenicis, to the wearing OF
the imperial purple. his extravagances
left behind all those of his predecessors
and drained the resources of the empire.
His gorgeous dresses, golden ornaments,
and precious jewels were thrown aside
after a single wearing. His floors were
scattered with gold dust and covered
with roses. His porticos and couches
and beds were strewn with them.
Through the four years of his mad career
the pathway that led to his violent death
was literally strewn with roses.
The Oldest rosebush in the world is at
Hildesheim, Germany. 1t was planted
more than 1000 years ago by Charlie
magne, In commemoration of a visit
made by the ambassador of the Caliph
Haroun-al. Rasehid. of Arabian Nights
fame. This rose plant is still living and
blooming profusely, and IS twenty-six
feet high. covering thirty-two feet of
wall though the stem Is only two inches
in diameter In the German Book Of
Heroes" there IS story of a rose gar
den at Worms surrounded by a single
silken thread. The Princess Crymhilde
promised to each knight who should sue
cessfully defend it and slay an attacking
giant a chaplet of roses and a kiss.
HiIdebrandt. one-ef the knights, took the
roses. but declined the kiss, Another.
monk. not only took the kiss. but sued
for one apiece for ali the members of
his fraternity. TO this the princess con-