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

[3300] “The best.” [3301] “Formed like the testes.” [3302] “Red stone,” apparently. The reading is very doubtful. [3303] The reading is doubtful, but the word may possibly mean “stone of love,” or something equivalent. [3304] “Fine-haired.” [3305] “Skilled in sacred matters.” [3306] “Of fair length.” Ajasson thinks that this may have been a variety of Pyromachic silex, or gun flint, nearly allied to Chalcedony. [3307] A preferable reading, probably, to “Eumitres.” It perhaps took its name from Mithres, the god of the Sun among the Persians, and meant “blessing of Mithres.” Ajasson thinks that it may have been green Tourmaline, and that its electric properties may have been very “serviceable to the charlatans who had the monopoly of the Temple of Bel.” [3308] See Chapter 55 of this Book. [3309] “With beautiful leaves.” By some authorities this is thought to be Opal, by others Heliotrope or Bloodstone. Ajasson thinks that it may have been a general name for Jasper quartz, or else that it was Quartz agate opalized. [3310] This reading is very doubtful. [3311] “Mouldy stone.” [3312] “Stone of the religious.” [3313] “Black on the surface.” This is the case, Ajasson remarks, with many stones of the class known as “Cat’s eye.” [3314] “Galaxy stone.” Ajasson thinks that this may possibly have been an Opal, or a dead white Topaz, traversed by lines of other colours. [3315] “Milk stone.” [3316] Probably milk-white Quartz, Ajasson thinks. [3317] “White earth.” [3318] “White-streaked stone.” [3319] “Clouded.” [3320] See Chapter 54 of this Book. [3321] An Eastern name, probably. [3322] A Geodes or Aëtites, probably. See B. xxxvi. c. 39, and Chapter 56 of this Book, Note 3278. [3323] “Tongue of stone.” [3324] Divination from the appearance of the moon. [3325] “Gorgon stone.” The head of the Gorgon Medusa was fabled to turn those into stone who looked upon it. [3326] See B. xxxii. c. 11. [3327] This reading is very doubtful. [3328] Now known as Heliotrope, bloodstone, or blood jasper. It is of a deep-green colour, with red spots. [3329] “Turning under the sun.” [3330] See B. xxii. c. 29. [3331] “Stone of Hephæstos” or “Vulcan.” [3332] It acting as a burning-glass, probably. [3333] See B. iv. c. 20, and B. v. c. 22. [3334] “Genitals of Mercury.” This singular stone does not appear to have been identified. See Note 3294 above. [3335] “Sixty colour stone.” [3336] See B. v. cc. 5, 8, and B. vi. c. 34. [3337] “Hawk stone.” It is perhaps identical with the “Circos,” mentioned in Chapter 56. Aëtius says that Hieracitis was of a greenish hue. [3338] “Sand-stone.” Ajasson thinks that this was a granular quartz, of a friable nature when subjected to compression. [3339] As to the identity of “nitrum,” see B, xxxi. c, 46. [3340] “Horn of [Jupiter] Hammon.” He here alludes to the Ammonites of modern Geology, an extinct race of molluscous animals that inhabited convoluted shells, and which are commonly known as “snake-stones.” They abound in strata of the secondary formation, and vary from the size of a bean to that of a coach-wheel. [3341] The reading of this word is doubtful. [3342] “Hyæna stone.” [3343] As to this stone, see B. xxxvi. c. 25. [3344] “Yellow” stone. See Chapter 45. [3345] “Idæan fingers.” These were probably Belemnites, so called from their long, tapering shape, and being first observed, perhaps, on Mount Ida in Crete. Belemnites are the shells of fossil Cephalopods, and are commonly known as “thunder stones.” [3346] “Jaundice stone.” [3347] “Gem of Jove.” [3348] “Dew stone.” [3349] “Indian stone.” [3350] It is just possible that he may be thinking of Indigo here, which he has before called by the same name. See B. xxxiii. c. 57. [3351] “Violet-coloured.” [3352] “Scale stone.” A fossil, probably. [3353] “White eye.” Cat’s eye chalcedony, perhaps. See “Astrobolos” in