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white roses for ever red。 It would be idle； perhaps； to lay much weight on evidence drawn from the calendar of flowers； and in particular to press an argument so fragile as the bloom of the rose。 Yet so far as it counts at all； the tale which links the damask rose with the death of Adonis points to a summer rather than to a spring celebration of his passion。 In Attica； certainly； the festival fell at the height of summer。 For the fleet which Athens fitted out against Syracuse； and by the destruction of which her power was permanently crippled； sailed at midsummer； and by an ominous coincidence the sombre rites of Adonis were being celebrated at the very time。 As the troops marched down to the harbour to embark； the streets through which they passed were lined with coffins and corpse…like effigies； and the air was rent with the noise of women wailing for the dead Adonis。 The circumstance cast a gloom over the sailing of the most splendid armament that Athens ever sent to sea。 Many ages afterwards； when the Emperor Julian made his first entry into Antioch； he found in like manner the gay； the luxurious capital of the East plunged in mimic grief for the annual death of Adonis； and if he had any presentiment of coming evil； the voices of lamentation which struck upon his ear must have seemed to sound his knell。
The resemblance of these ceremonies to the Indian and European ceremonies which I have described elsewhere is obvious。 In particular； apart from the somewhat doubtful date of its celebration； the Alexandrian ceremony is almost identical with the Indian。 In both of them the marriage of two divine beings； whose affinity with vegetation seems indicated by the fresh plants with which they are surrounded； is celebrated in effigy； and the effigies are afterwards mourned over and thrown into the water。 From the similarity of these customs to each other and to the spring and midsummer customs of modern Europe we should naturally expect that they all admit of a common explanation。 Hence； if the explanation which I have adopted of the latter is correct； the ceremony of the death and resurrection of Adonis must also have been a dramatic representation of the decay and revival of plant life。 The inference thus based on the resemblance of the customs is confirmed by the following features in the legend and ritual of Adonis。 His affinity with vegetation comes out at once in the common story of his birth。 He was said to have been born from a myrrh…tree； the bark of which bursting； after a ten months' gestation； allowed the lovely infant to come forth。 According to some； a boar rent the bark with his tusk and so opened a passage for the babe。 A faint rationalistic colour was given to the legend by saying that his mother was a woman named Myrrh； who had been turned into a myrrh…tree soon after she had conceived the child。 The use of myrrh as incense at the festival of Adonis may have given rise to the fable。 We have seen that incense was burnt at the corresponding Babylonian rites； just as it was burnt by the idolatrous Hebrews in honour of the Queen of Heaven； who was no other than Astarte。 Again； the story that Adonis spent half； or according to others a third； of the year in the lower world and the rest of it in the upper world； is explained most simply and naturally by supposing that he represented vegetation； especially the corn； which lies buried in the earth half the year and reappears above ground the other half。 Certainly of the annual phenomena of nature there is none which suggests so obviously the idea of death and resurrection as the disappearance and reappearance of vegetation in autumn and spring。 Adonis has been taken for the sun； but there is nothing in the sun's annual course within the temperate and tropical zones to suggest that he is dead for half or a third of the year and alive for the other half or two…thirds。 He might； indeed； be conceived as weakened in winter； but dead he could not be thought to be； his daily reappearance contradicts the supposition。 Within the Arctic Circle； where the sun annually disappears for a continuous period which varies from twenty…four hours to six months according to the latitude； his yearly death and resurrection would certainly be an obvious idea； but no one except the unfortunate astronomer Bailly has maintained that the Adonis worship came from the Arctic regions。 On the other hand； the annual death and revival of vegetation is a conception which readily presents itself to men in every stage of savagery and civilisation； and the vastness of the scale on which this ever…recurring decay and regeneration takes place； together with man's intimate dependence on it for subsistence； combine to render it the most impressive annual occurrence in nature； at least within the temperate zones。 It is no wonder that a phenomenon so important； so striking； and so universal should； by suggesting similar ideas； have given rise to similar rites in many lands。 We may； therefore； accept as probable an explanation of the Adonis worship which accords so well with the facts of nature and with the analogy of similar rites in other lands。 Moreover； the explanation is countenanced by a considerable body of opinion amongst the ancients themselves； who again and again interpreted the dying and reviving god as the reaped and sprouting grain。
The character of Tammuz or Adonis as a corn…spirit comes out plainly in an account of his festival given by an Arabic writer of the tenth century。 In describing the rites and sacrifices observed at the different seasons of the year by the heathen Syrians of Harran； he says： Tammuz （July）。 In the middle of this month is the festival of el…B？gat； that is； of the weeping women； and this is the Ta…uz festival； which is celebrated in honour of the god Ta…uz。 The women bewail him； because his lord slew him so cruelly； ground his bones in a mill； and then scattered them to the wind。 The women （during this festival） eat nothing which has been ground in a mill； but limit their diet to steeped wheat； sweet vetches； dates； raisins； and the like。 Ta…uz； who is no other than Tammuz； is here like Burns's John Barleycorn：
They wasted o'er a scorching flame The marrow of his bones； But a miller us'd him worst of all For he crush'd him between two stones。
This concentration； so to say； of the nature of Adonis upon the cereal crops is characteristic of the stage of culture reached by his worshippers in historical times。 They had left the nomadic life of the wandering hunter and herdsman far behind them； for ages they had been settled on the land； and had depended for their subsistence mainly on the products of tillage。 The berries and roots of the wilderness； the grass of the pastures； which had been matters of vital importance to their ruder forefathers； were now of little moment to them： more and more their thoughts and energies were engrossed by the staple of their life； the corn； more and more accordingly the propitiation of the deities of fertility in general and of the corn…spirit in particular tended to become the central feature of their religion。 The aim they set before themselves in celebrating the rites was thoroughly practical。 It was no vague poetical sentiment which prompted them to hail with joy the rebirth of vegetation and to mourn its decline。 Hunger； felt or feared； was the mainspring of the worship of Adonis。
It has been suggested by Father Lagrange that the mourning for Adonis was essentially a harvest rite designed to propitiate the corngod； who was then either perishing under the sickles of the reapers； or being trodden to death under the hoofs of the oxen on the threshing…floor。 While the men slew him； the women wept crocodile tears at home to appease his natural indignation by a show of grief for his death。 The theory fits in well with the dates of the festivals； which fell in spring or summer； for spring and summer； not autumn； are the seasons of the barley and wheat harvests in the lands which worshipped Adonis。 Further； the hypothesis is confirmed by the practice of the Egyptian reapers； who lamented； calling upon Isis； when they cut the first corn； and it is recommended by the analogous customs of many hunting tribes； who testify great respect for the animals which they kill and eat。
Thus interpreted the death of Adonis is not the natural decay of vegetation in general under the summer heat or the winter cold； it is the violent destruction of the corn by man； who cuts it down on the field； stamps it to pieces on the threshing…floor； and grinds it to powder in the mill。 That this was indeed the principal aspect in which Adonis presented himself in later times to the agricultural peoples of the Levant； may be admitted； but whether from the beginning he had been the corn and nothing but the corn； may be doubted。 At an earlier period he may have been to the herdsman； above all； the tender herbage which sprouts after rain； offering rich pasture to the lean and hungry cattle。 Earlier still he may have embodied the spirit of the nuts and berries which the autumn woods yield to the savage hunter and his squaw。 And just as the husband…man must propitiate the spirit of the corn which he consumes； so the herdsman must appease the spirit of the grass and leaves which hi