(sub rosa – confidentially; secretly; privately. from the Latin: sub rosa lit., under the rose, from the ancient use of the rose at meetings as a symbol of the sworn confidence of the participants.)
Sub rosa comes from the Latin, literally "under the rose," from the ancient association of the rose with confidentiality, the origin of which traces to a famous story in which Cupid gave Harpocrates, the god of silence, a rose to bribe him not to betray the confidence of Venus. Hence the ceilings of Roman banquet-rooms were decorated with roses to remind guests that what was spoken there was sub rosa.
In the case of this blog, Sub Rosa is the continuation of my old "Sub Rosa Newsletter". From time to time over the years I have published an e-mail newsletter wherein I offered summaries, analysis, insights, and commentaries on counterintelligence, security, investigations, and related issues. This blog replaces the newsletter and allows me to offer information as it becomes available. I invite everyone who read Sub Rosa in the past to now join us here on-line.
No comments:
Post a Comment