Immigrate to Greece and learn about Greek mythology: Greece, the center of ancient civilization, also revered the rose as a divine gift. Among the gods, the rose is a symbol of love and beauty, while in the human world, it is used to express both joy and sorrow. In the writings of Greek poets, the appearance of the rose is rendered with beautiful mythological colors. According to the poets, the rose was formed from the white foam on the body of Aphrodite (known as Venus in Roman mythology), the goddess of love and beauty, when she was born from the sea foam. When the other goddesses saw the rose on the goddess, they were amazed by its beauty, which rivaled that of the goddess herself, and showered it with nectar that grants immortality. The nectar gave the rose its fragrance, but it did not grant it eternal life, as some gods were filled with jealousy.
In Greek legend, the rose was created by Chloris, the goddess of flowers. Initially, the rose was merely an inanimate seed of a forest nymph. One day, Chloris happened to discover it in a clearing in the forest. Chloris asked Aphrodite, the goddess of love, to bestow upon it a beautiful appearance; she had Dionysus, the god of wine, pour divine nectar over it to give it a fragrant scent. The three Graces then bestowed upon it charm, intelligence, and joy. Subsequently, the god of the West Wind dispersed the clouds, allowing Apollo, the sun god, to shine upon it and cause it to bloom. Thus, the rose was born and was immediately crowned the queen of flowers.
There is a poignant legend in Greek mythology regarding the origin of the red rose. In ancient Greece, Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty, fell in love with Adonis, a beautiful youth who presided over the natural world. The two lived happily together, but one day, Adonis was killed by a wild boar while hunting. Where his blood flowed, beautiful white flowers covered in thorns bloomed. After Aphrodite sensed that Adonis had met with disaster, she searched for him frantically. When she saw Adonis transformed into flowers, she began to run through the flower beds. The thorns of the stems scratched her hands and legs, and her blood dripped onto the pure white petals, instantly turning all the white flowers a deep, blood red. Later, where the goddess's blood dripped, clusters of beautiful, vibrant red roses grew. Aphrodite transplanted these flowers into her own garden, planted them in large numbers, and named them—roses—to commemorate her most beloved lover. Since then, the red rose has become a symbol of steadfast love.