英语词汇laelia的起源、历史背景-英语词源词典

Laelia. These tropical American orchids, comprising about 35 species and prized for their showy flowers, may be named for Gaius Laelius, a Roman statesman and general who died about 165 b.c., or for his son Gaius Laelius, a Roman consul nick- named Sapiens, the wise. Both father and son were soldiers and excellent orators, the father the best friend of Scipio Africanus Major, and the son famous for his friendship with Scipio Africa- nus Minor. The younger Laelius was also a close friend of Cicero, who wrote that he and Scipio used to like to go on holidays to the seaside, “where they became incredibly childish and used to collect shells and pebbles on the beach.” Sapiens probably had a hand in writing the plays of Terence; his wide learning was ad- mired throughout Rome. Another candidate English botanist John Lindley may have had in mind when he named Laelia, was a vestal virgin of that name, in allusion to the delicacy of the flowers. The vestal virgins, six in number, were daughters of the best Roman families, trained in youth to serve the goddess of hearth and home in her temple in Rome, where they prepared sacrifices and tended a perpetual sacred fire. Their vows includ- ed obedience and chastity, and after serving Vesta for 30 years they were allowed to leave the temple and marry, which they seldom did in practice. The virgins were influential, even having the power to pardon criminals, but if they broke the vows of chastity the penalty was a public funeral followed by burial while they were still alive. Needless to say, most remained vestal virgins.

词汇	laelia
词源	Laelia. These tropical American orchids, comprising about 35 species and prized for their showy flowers, may be named for Gaius Laelius, a Roman statesman and general who died about 165 b.c., or for his son Gaius Laelius, a Roman consul nick- named Sapiens, the wise. Both father and son were soldiers and excellent orators, the father the best friend of Scipio Africanus Major, and the son famous for his friendship with Scipio Africa- nus Minor. The younger Laelius was also a close friend of Cicero, who wrote that he and Scipio used to like to go on holidays to the seaside, “where they became incredibly childish and used to collect shells and pebbles on the beach.” Sapiens probably had a hand in writing the plays of Terence; his wide learning was ad- mired throughout Rome. Another candidate English botanist John Lindley may have had in mind when he named Laelia, was a vestal virgin of that name, in allusion to the delicacy of the flowers. The vestal virgins, six in number, were daughters of the best Roman families, trained in youth to serve the goddess of hearth and home in her temple in Rome, where they prepared sacrifices and tended a perpetual sacred fire. Their vows includ- ed obedience and chastity, and after serving Vesta for 30 years they were allowed to leave the temple and marry, which they seldom did in practice. The virgins were influential, even having the power to pardon criminals, but if they broke the vows of chastity the penalty was a public funeral followed by burial while they were still alive. Needless to say, most remained vestal virgins.
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