您现在的位置: > Language Tips > Book Channel > Pure English  
 





 
情人节:玫瑰的传说
[ 2007-02-14 10:57 ]

People have been passionate about roses since the beginning of time. In fact, it is said that the floors of Cleopatra's palace were carpeted with delicate rose petals, and that the wise and knowing Confucius had a 600-book library specifically on how to care for roses.

The rose is a legend on its own. The story goes that during the Roman Empire, there was an incredibly beautiful maiden named Rhodanthe. Her beauty drew many zealous suitors who pursued her relentlessly.

Exhausted by their pursuit, Rhodanthe was forced to take refuge from her suitors in the temple of her friend Diana. Unfortunately, Diana became jealous. And when the suitors broke down her temple gates to get near their beloved Rhodanthe, she became angry turning Rhodanthe into a rose and her suitors into thorns.

In Greek legend, the rose was created by Chloris, the Greek goddess of flowers. It was just a lifeless seed of a nymph that Chloris found one day in a clearing in the woods. She asked the help of Aphrodite, the goddess of love, who gave her beauty Dionysus, the god of wine, added nectar to give her a sweet scent, and the three Graces gave her charm, brightness and joy.

Then Zephyr, the West Wind, blew away the clouds so that Apollo, the sun god, could shine and made this flower bloom. And so the Rose was born and was immediately crowned the Queen of Flowers.

The first true primary red rose seen in Europe was "Slater's Crimson China" introduced in 1792 from China, where it had been growing wild in the mountains. Immediately, rose breeders began using it to hybridize red roses for cultivation.

Ever since, the quest for the perfect red rose has been the Holy Grail6 of rosarians: a fragrant, disease-resistant, long-lasting, long-stemmed, reblooming, perfectly formed rose with a clear non-fading vivid red color. Absolute perfection still hasn't been attained, and of course never will!

There is a special rose language invented as a secret means of communication between lovers who were not allowed to express their love for one another openly. In the mid 18th century the wife of the British ambassador in Constantinople described this in her letters, which were published after her death.

These letters inspired many books on the language of flowers, each describing the secret message hidden in each flower. A red rose bud stands for budding desire�" an open white rose asks "Will you love me?" An open red rose means "I'm full of love and desire," while an open yellow rose asks "Don't you love me any more?"


(英语点津姗姗编辑)

 
 
相关文章 Related Stories
 
         
 
 
 
 
 
         

 

 

 
 

48小时内最热门

     

本频道最新推荐

     
  The Notebook
  情人节(海外读者诗歌连载)
  Teacher Man 教书匠
  长城(读者诗歌连载)
  感人故事:夜深了,你的手机关了吗?

论坛热贴

     
  “小众文化”怎么说?
  how to say "请在此刷卡"?
  求教:“异地存取”怎么翻译啊?
  考07年春的高口大家可以交流一下啊
  Ask a European (anything)
  Chinese living in Africa