Saturday, December 10, 2011

Image: Rosa et Amarantus


M0737 - M0738 - M0739

738. Rosa et Amarantus. Iuxta rosam enatus fuerat amarantus. Hanc ergo ille admiratur et beatam praedicat, quae aspectu adeo pulchra esset, hominibusque pariter ac diis honorata, non minus ob odorem quam formam. Cui illa, “Ego quidem, O amarante, ad breve tempus floreo vivoque, et licet me nemo decerpet, mea tamen species decora cito interit; tuae vero venustatis elegantia perennis semperque eadem.”



M0738 = Perry369. Source: Dana 11. This is Perry 369. The Greek word “amaranth” means “un-withering,” (compare the English “evergreen”), although it is not clear which plant this Greek word referred to. As a modern botanical term, amaranth refers to a genus of flowering herbs.