The floral symbolism of the great masters - The Knowledge Den

26 FLORAL SYMBOLISM
with unbending head and grandly-spreading
branches, was considered, both by Saint Mehtus
and Petrus of Capua, to typify pride, while the
violet, wearing the colour of mourning, and
keeping timidly beneath its leaves, they chose
as a symbol of humility.
Some symbols were of pagan origin, for the
palm of victory and the olive branch of peace
were borrowed from the Romans, who had them-
selves inherited them from older civilizations.
Their significance was not changed but simply
limited and sanctified; the victory, for Chris-
tians, was the victory over sin, and the peace,
the peace of God.
These various methods of determining the
value of different plants as symbols did not
always accord. M. Huysman, in La CathMrale,
a very complete study in Christian symbolism,
instances the sycamore :
' Saint Melitus pro-
claims that the sycamore stands for cupidity. . .
Raban Maur and Uanonyme de Clairvaux qualify
it as the unbelieving Jew; Petrus of Capua com-
pares it to the Cross, Saint Eucher to wisdom.'
Even the sifting of the text of Scripture did
not always lead to identical conclusions. ' I