The Natural History of Pliny, Volume 6 (of 6) by the Elder Pliny

[945] Of doubtful identity. See B. xxxiv. c. 48. [946] See Chapter 19 of this Book. [947] “Thracius lapis.” This stone, which is mentioned also by Nicander, Galen, Simplicius, and Dioscorides, has not been identified. Holland has the following Note on this passage] “Which some take for pit-cole, or sea-cole rather, such as commeth from Newcastle by sea; or rather, a kind of jeat (jet).” In either case, he is probably wide of the mark, neither coal nor jet igniting on the application of water. [948] Or mistletoe. [949] In due succession to gold. [950] See B. xxxiv. cc. 47, 53. [951] “Plumbum nigrum”—“Black lead,” literally] so called by the ancients, in contradistinction to “plumbum album,” “white lead,” our “tin,” probably. [952] Lead ore; identified with “molybdæna” in B. xxxiv. c. 53. Native sulphurate of lead is now known as “galena.” See Beckmann’s Hist. Inv. Vol. II. p. 211, where this passage is commented upon. [953] This Beckmann considers to be the same as the “galena” above mentioned; half-vitrified lead, the “glätte” of the Germans. [954] The specific gravity of lead is 11.352, and of silver only 10.474. [955] From the words μετ’ ἄλλα, “one after another.” [956] It is supposed that these shafts were in the neighbourhood of Castulo, now Cazlona, near Linares in Spain. It was at Castulo that Hannibal married his rich wife Himilce; and in the hills north of Linares there are ancient silver mines still known its _Los Pozos de Anibal._ [957] A mile and a half. [958] The proper reading here, as suggested by Sillig, is not improbably “aquatini,” “water-carriers.” That, however, found in the MSS. is “Aquitani;” but those were a people, not of Spain, but of Gaul. Hardouin suggests that “Accitani” may be the correct reading, a people of that name in Spain being mentioned in B. iii. c. 5. [959] Meaning “raw” silver, apparently. [960] “Alumen.” See B. xxxv. c. 52. [961] Kircher speaks of this being still the case in his time. [962] See Chapter 19 of this Book. [963] “Vomica liquoris æterni.” Mercury or quicksilver becomes solidified and assumes a crystalline texture at 40° below zero. It is found chiefly in the state of sulphuret, which is decomposed by distillation with iron or lime. It is also found in a native state. [964] “Argentum vivum,” “living silver.” [965] Ajasson thinks that this is not to be understood literally, but that Pliny’s meaning is, that mercury is a universal dissolvent. [966] “Permanans tabe dirâ.” [967] The specific gravity of mercury is 13.598, that of hammered gold 19.361. Platinum is only a recent discovery. [968] “Id unum ad se trahit.” [969] “The first use of quicksilver is commonly reckoned a Spanish invention, discovered about the middle of the sixteenth century; but it appears from Pliny, that the ancients were acquainted with amalgam and its use, not only for separating gold and silver from earthy particles, but also for gilding.”—Beckmann, Hist. Inv., Vol. I. p. 15. _Bohn’s Edition._ [970] See the description of the mode of gilding, given in Chapter 20 of this Book. Beckmann has the following remarks on the present passage: “That gold-leaf was affixed to metals by means of quicksilver, with the assistance of heat, in the time of Pliny, we are told by himself in more passages than one. The metal to be gilded was prepared by salts of every kind, and rubbed with pumice-stone in order to clean it thoroughly (see Chapter 20), and to render the surface a little rough. This process is similar to that used at present for gilding with amalgam, by means of heat, especially as amalgamation was known to the ancients. But, to speak the truth, Pliny says nothing of heating the metal _after_ the gold is applied, or of evaporating the quicksilver, but of drying the cleaned metal before the gold is laid on. Had he not mentioned quicksilver, his gilding might have been considered as that with gold leaf by means of heat, _dorure en feuille à feu_, in which the gold is laid upon the metal after it has been cleaned and heated, and strongly rubbed with blood-stone, or polished steel. Felibien (_Principes de l’Architecture._ Paris, 1676, p. 280) was undoubtedly right when he regretted that the process of the ancients, the excellence of which is proved by remains of antiquity, has been lost.”—Hist. Inv. Vol. II. pp. 294, 295. _Bohn’s Edition._ [971] Beckmann finds considerable difficulties in this description—“I acknowledge that this passage I do not fully comprehend. It seems to say that the quicksilver, when the gold was laid on too thin, appeared through it, but that this might be prevented by mixing with the quicksilver the white of an egg. The quicksilver then remained under the gold: a thing which is impossible. When the smallest drop of quicksilver falls upon gilding, it corrodes the noble metal, and produces an empty spot. It is, therefore, incomprehensible to me how this could be prevented by using the white of an egg. Did Pliny himself completely understand gilding? Perhaps he only meant to say that many artists gave out the cold-gilding, where the gold-leaf was laid on with the white of an egg, as gilding by means of heat.”—Hist. Inv. Vol. II. p. 295. [972] Chapter 42 of this Book. See also Chapter 20, in Note 868, to which it has been mentioned as artificial quicksilver. [973] He is speaking of Antimony. [974] From its whiteness. [975] Under the name of “female stimmi,” Ajasson thinks that pure, or native, antimony is meant, more particularly the lamelliform variety, remarkable for its smoothness. He thinks it possible, also, that it may have derived its Greek name “larbason,” or “larbasis,” from its brittleness. [976] Ajasson thinks that under this name, crude antimony or sulphuret of antimony may have been included; as also sulphuret of lead, sulphuret of antimony and copper, and sulphuret of antimony and silver; the last of which is often found covered with an opaque pellicle. [977] “Globis.” The fracture of sulphuret of antimony is, in reality, small subconchoïdal. [978] “Eye dilating.” Belladonna, a preparation from the Atropa belladonna, is now used in medicine for this purpose. A similar effect is attributed in B. xxv. c. 92, to the plant Anagallis. In reality, the application of prepared antimony would contract the eyelids, and so _appear_ to enlarge the eyes. This property is peculiar, Ajasson remarks, to sulphuret of antimony, and sulphuret of antimony and silver. [979] Preparations “for beautifying the eyebrows.” See B. xxi. c. 73, B. xxiii. c. 51, and B. xxxv. c. 56. Omphale, the Lydian queen, who captivated Hercules, is represented by the tragic poet Ion, as using “stimmi” for the purposes of the toilet. It was probably with a preparation of antimony that Jezebel “painted her face, and tired her head.” 2 Kings, ix. 30. The “Kohl” used by the females in Egypt and Persia is prepared from antimony. [980] “Spuma argenti.” See the next Chapter. [981] According to Dioscorides, it was prepared as a cosmetic by enclosing it in a lump of dough, and then burning it in the coals till reduced to a cinder. It was then extinguished with milk and wine, and again placed upon coals, and blown till ignition. [982] As to the “nitrum” of the ancients, see B. xxxi. c. 46. [983] “Flos”—literally the “flower.” [984] “From this passage we may infer that the metal antimony was occasionally seen by the ancients, though not recognized by them as distinct from lead.”—Dana’s System of Mineralogy, p. 418. New York, 1850. [985] Pliny has here mistaken the sense of the word στέαρ, which in the passage of Dioscorides, B. v. c. 99, borrowed probably from the same source, evidently means _dough_, and not grease. [986] From ἕλκω, “to drag”—in consequence of its viscous consistency, Hardouin says. [987] In B. xxxiv. c. 53. [988] Cerates, adipose or oleaginous plasters. See B. xxiii. c. 81. [989] “Spuma argenti.” This he uses as a general name for fused oxide of lead, the Litharge of commerce. [990] Ajasson thinks it possible that the “chrysitis,” or “golden” litharge, may have been the yellow deutoxide of lead; the argyritis, or “silver” litharge, the white variety of the same deutoxide; and the “molybditis,” or “leaden” litharge, a general name for sulphuret of lead and silver; of lead and antimony; of lead, antimony, and bismuth; and of lead, antimony, and copper. Or perhaps, he thinks, they may have been the respective names of yellow or golden litharge, white or silver litharge, and terne. With the latter opinion Delafosse seems to coincide. [991] “Tubulis.” These cakes were probably made in a tubular form. [992] “Vena;” meaning the ore probably in its raw state, and mixed with earth. All these distinctions are probably unfounded. [993] See B. xxxiv. c. 53. [994] Of “Puteolana.” [995] The litharge. [996] The scoria. [997] Nothing whatever is known as to the identity of these varieties of litharge. Indeed the words themselves are spelt in various ways in the respective MSS. [998] In B. xxxiv. c. 53, where he identifies it with “galena,” mentioned in Chapter 31 of this Book. [999] See B. xviii. c. 13, B. xvi. c. 61, and B. xxii. c. 66. [1000] Sal gem, or common salt. [1001] In this Chapter. See note 987 above. [1002] The minium spoken of in this and the following Chapter is our Cinnabar, a bisulphurate of mercury. This ore is the great source of the mercury of commerce, from which it is obtained by sublimation. When pure, it is the same as the manufactured vermilion of commerce. [1003] Intended, no doubt, to be typical of blood and carnage; and indicative of a very low state of civilization. [1004] See B. xxxv. c. 45. [1005] See B. v. c. 31. [1006] See B. xvi. c. 12, and B. xxiv. c. 4. [1007] The same as the miltos mentioned below, “miltos” being the word used by Homer, Il. II. 637. This substance is totally different from the minium of the preceding Chapters, and from that mentioned in c.