Democratic Sentinel, Volume 16, Number 26, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 July 1892 — Bacchus. [ARTICLE]

Bacchus.

The ancient Greeks always represented Bacchus and the Bacchanalians as vise-crowned. The ancients, men and gods, appear as if they could not enjoy their liquor unless they were “crowned” with some sort of flowery or vegetable coronal. Garlands of leaves and flowers were outward and visible signs of merriment and rejoicing. People liked to “dress themselves up” when they were happy with anything of this kind, just as children do now. Chaucer describes one such—“A gerlond hadde he sette upon his head, As gret as it were for an ale-stake.” This habit of crowning the alestake with leaves and flowers—putting a “gerlond” on top of it, in sort —was the first public-house sign. In many parts of Belgium, France and Germany it is the only outward sign of a drinking-house to this day. Even when modern pretentiousness has caused the host to adopt some other high-sounding name for his “hotel,” the green branch, bush or “gerjond” hangs in front “Good wine needs no bush,” says the old proverb, in alluding to this ancient custom.