Again we must contrast this modern symbolism with the ancient. Grey was the union of black and white, and so partook of the symbolism of each. Christ in grey robes was not a cheerless Christ. His grey robes symbolised resurrection--the triumph of life over death; they symbolise the joy of white over the despair of black, of the joy of knowledge of future and everlasting life over the dark, inscrutable ways of apparent death. The grey friars wore grey robes to portray Christ risen, still alive and working for the people of earth. CHAPTER X THE OLD LANGUAGE OF THE RAINBOW “Be thou the rainbow to the storms of life.”--BYRON. We have come to the end of our survey of the inner meanings of separate colours, showing us how “The invisible things of God from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things which are made.”[25] [25] Romans i. 20. However, we should not properly complete our task if we did not consider the rainbow and the deep symbolic meaning attached to it. Since every ray gives out some great truth and blessing, the rainbow stood for all blessing, the sign of the presence of God’s love. In Greece, Iris (who is sometimes regarded as the rainbow itself, or a goddess clothed with the rainbow, or dwelling in the rainbow, or making a rainbow path to earth) is the messenger of the gods. She is not mentioned in the _Odyssey_ but very often in the _Iliad_. She has some of the functions of Hermes, but unlike Hermes has little or nothing to do with the pale realms of Pluto. She is generally looked upon as Juno’s chief messenger, and confers blessings on those whom Juno loves. In the _Æneid_, book iv., we have a beautiful description of Iris coming to release the suffering soul of Dido, the luckless Queen of Carthage:-- “Then Juno, pitying her agony Of lingering death, sent Iris down with speed Her struggling soul from clinging limbs to free. * * * * * So down to earth came Iris from on high On saffron wings all glittering with the dew. A thousand tints against the sunlit sky She flashed from out her rainbow as she flew.” The Scandinavians believed that on the rainbow arch the souls of the heroes were able to march in triumph to the great wassail in Valhalla. Curiously enough this rainbow is spoken of as “treble-hued.” It would be interesting to know which three main colours of the rainbow they thought of.