Sub rosa (Neo-Latin for 'under the rose') denotes secrecy or confidentiality. The rose has an ancient history as a symbol of secrecy.
History
In Hellenistic and later Roman mythology, roses were associated with secrecy because Cupid gave a rose to Harpocrates (the Hellenistic god of silence) so that he would not reveal the secrets of Venus.[1] Banquet rooms were decorated with rose carvings, reportedly as a reminder that discussions in the rooms should be kept in confidence.[1]
This was inherited in later Christian symbolism, where roses were carved on confessionals to signify that the conversations would remain secret.[1]
The phrase entered the German language (unter der Rose) and, later, the English language, both as a Latin loan phrase (at least as early as 1654) and in its English translation.[1]
See also
References
- ^ a b c d "sub rosa". Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary. Retrieved February 6, 2021.
This page was last edited on 26 October 2023, at 20:46