A Book of Myths, by Jean Lang - Umnet

as she spoke, her tears and his blood, mingling together, were turned
into flowers.
"A tear the Paphian sheds for each blood-drop of Adonis, and tears and
blood on the earth are turned to flowers. The blood brings forth the
roses, the tears, the wind-flower."
Yet, even then, the grief of Aphrodite knew no abatement. And when
Zeus, wearied with her crying, heard her, to his amazement, beg to be
allowed to go down to the Shades that she might there endure eternal
twilight with the one of her heart, his soul was softened.
"Never can it be that the Queen of Love and of Beauty leaves Olympus
and the pleasant earth to tread for evermore the dark Cocytus valley,"
he said. "Nay, rather shall I permit the beauteous youth of thy love to
return for half of each year from the Underworld that thou and he may
together know the joy of a love that hath reached fruition."
Thus did it come to pass that when dark winter's gloom was past,
Adonis returned to the earth and to the arms of her who loved him.
"But even in death, so strong is love, I could not wholly die; and year
by year, When the bright springtime comes, and the earth lives, Love
opens these dread gates, and calls me forth Across the gulf. Not here,
indeed, she comes, Being a goddess and in heaven, but smooths My
path to the old earth, where still I know Once more the sweet lost days,
and once again Blossom on that soft breast, and am again A youth, and
rapt in love; and yet not all As careless as of yore; but seem to know
The early spring of passion, tamed by time And suffering, to a calmer,
fuller flow, Less fitful, but more strong."
Lewis Morris.
And when the time of the singing of birds has come, and the flowers
have thrown off their white snow pall, and the brown earth grows
radiant in its adornments of green blade and of fragrant blossom, we
know that Adonis has returned from his exile, and trace his footprints
by the fragile flower that is his very own, the white flower with the