 Aphrodite gave a rose to her son Eros, the god of love; he, in turn, gave it to Harpocrates to ensure that his mother's indiscretions (or those of the gods in general, in other accounts) were kept under wraps.This gave roses the connotation of secrecy (a rose suspended from the ceiling of a council chamber pledged all present – "sub rosa" "under the rose"), which continued through the Middle Ages and through the modern era.Inexpensive cast terracotta images of Harpocrates, suitable for house shrines, are found scattered throughout the Roman Empire.