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embalmings. At the fête of Isis, which was celebrated with great
magnificence, they sacrificed an ox filled with Myrrh and other
aromatics. This ancient people delighted in displays of perfumes :
in a religious procession which took place under one of the
Ptolemies, marched one hundred and twenty children, carrying
incense. Myrrh, and Saffron in golden basins, followed by a
number of camels bearing precious aromatics. At Heliopolis,
the city of the sun, where the great luminary was worshipped under
the name of Re, incense was burnt to him thrice a day,—resin at
his rising. Myrrh when in the meridian, and the compound called
KupM at his setting. In the temples of Isis similar rites were
observed. According to Herodotus, powdered Myrrh formed one
of the principal ingredients inserted in the bodies of mummies.------
The Persian kings usually wore on their heads crowns composed
of Myrrh and Labyzus. In mediæval times, it was customary
for the king to make an oblation on Twelfth Day. In pursuance of
this custom, we read that so late as 1762 George I I I . made the usual
offering at the Chapel Royal, of gold. Frankincense, and Myrrh—
the gifts of the Magi, offered to the infant Saviour at Bethlehem ;
the gold typifying king ; Frankincense, God; and Myrrh, man.
M Y R T L E .—The father, mother, and brothers of Myrene,
•a beautiful Grecian, were murdered by robbers, who despoiled
their home, and carried Myrene away. She escaped, however, and
on her return was made a priestess of Venus. On the occasion of
a festival, she discovered one of the assassins of her family, who
was seized, and disclosed the hiding-place of his confederates.
Myrene’s lover promised that, if she would yield him her hand, he
would bring the rest of the band to punishment. He was successful,
and received his promised reward ; but Venus, offended at being
deprived of her favourite priestess, caused the bridegroom to expire
suddenly, and changed the bride into the Myrtle, which she ordained,
as a proof of her affecition, should continue green and odoriferous
throughout the year. The Myrtle became, therefore, an especial
favourite with Venus. Reputed to possess the virtue not only of
creating love, but of preserving it, it was, both by the Greeks and
Romans, considered symbolic of love, and was appropriately consecrated
to Venus, the goddess of love, around whose temples
groves of Myrtle were planted. It was behind a Myrtle-bush in the
island of Cythera, that Venus sought shelter when disturbed at her
bath by a band of Satyrs ; with Myrtle she caused Psyche to be
chastised for daring to compare her charms with the heaven-born
beauty of her mother-in-law ; and with Myrtle the goddess selecited
to deck her lovely brows when Paris adjudged to her the golden
Apple—the prize for supremacy of beauty : hence the shrub was
deemed odious to Juno and Minerva. Because she presided over
the Myrtle, Venus was worshipped under the name of Myrtea, and
had a temple dedicated to her under that appellation at the foot of
Mount Aventine. It is probable that the Myrtle was dedicated to
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Venus because of its fondness for the sea—from the foam of which
the goddess sprang, and was wafted by the Zephyrs to the shore
where she was received by the Horæ, and crowned with Myrtle’
Myrtle chaplets were worn by her attendants, the Graces, and hv
her votaries when sacrificing to her. During her festivals in April
protégés) were decked with Myrtle wreaths.’
1 he Myrtle of which the nuptial crowns were composed was the
Myrtus latifoha of Pliny, called by Cato Myrtus conjugula. The
Myrtle was adopted by Minerva and Mars; the priests of the
latter deity being sometimes crowned with it. The plant was
also associated with Hymen, the son of Venus, and the Muse Erato
whose chaplet was composed of Roses and Myrtle. It sometimes
symbolised unchaste love. In the festivals of Myrrha, the incestuous
mother of Adonis, the married women crowned themselves with
Myrtle. Virgil represents the viaims of love in the infernal remons
hiding themselves behind bunches of Myrtle. At the festival of
toe Bona Dea at Rome, where all other fiowers and shrubs mi©ht
be used. Myrtle was forbidden to be placed on the altar, because
It encouraged sensual gratification. The Greeks were extremelv
partial to the Myrtle. At their most sacred festival, the Eleusinian
mysteries, the initiates, as well as the high priest, who officiated at
the altar oi Ceres, were crowned with Myrtle. The Athenian
magistrates wore chaplets of the fragrant shrub in token of their
authority ; and bloodless victors entwined Myrtle with their Laurel
wreaths. When Aristogiton and Harmodius set forth to free their
country from the tyranny of the Pisistratidæ, their swords were
wreathed with Myrtle. With the Romans, the Myrtle was a
highly-esteemed plant, and invariably expressive of triumph and joy
It also symbolised festivity, and, when steeped in wine, was supposed
to impart to it invigorating qualities. On the ist of April, Roman
ladies, after bathing beneath the Myrtle-trees, crowned themselves
with the leaves, and proceeded to the shrine of Venus to offer
sacrifice. The Roman bridegroom decked himself with Myrtle on
his bridal day ; and the hero wore it as a badge of vicitory and
sometimes interweaved it with Laurel in honour of Venué and
Mars. When the Romans fought to guard the captured Sabine
women, they wore chaplets of Myrtle on their heads, and, according
to Pliny, after the combatants had at length become reconciled
they laid down their weapons under a Myrtle, and purified them-
^ Iv e s with Its boughs. The tree was sacred to the Sabine Mars
Quirinus ; and two Myrtles stood before his temple, as two Laurels
stood before the temple of the Roman Mars, symbolising the
union of the Roman and Sabine peoples. The Romans crowned
themselves with Myrtle after a vicitory, but only when blood had
not been shed. Pliny relates that Romulus planted in Rome
two Myrtles, one of which became the favourite of the patricians,
the other of the people. When the nobles won, the people’s.
Myrtle drooped ; when, on the other hand, the people were viei,;
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