Hail, many-colour’d messenger, that ne’er
Dost disobey the wife of Jupiter;
Who with thy saffron wings upon my flowers
Diffusest honey-drops, refreshing showers,
And with each end of thy blue bow dost crown
My bosky acres and my unshrubb’d down,
Rich scarf to my proud earth; why hath thy queen
Summoned me hither, to this short-grass’d green?
– William Shakespeare
The Tempest, Act 4, Scene 1. These are the words of Ceres, goddess of agriculture. She been summoned by goddess of the rainbow Iris at the order of Juno to assist in the entertainment in honour of the marriage of Ferdinand and Miranda. Ceres says that Iris drops water on the flowers to refresh them. She crowns the earth with her rich scarf.