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

[3441] See Note 3398 to Chapter 66. [3442] See Chapter 66. [3443] See B. xxxvi. c. 43. Pebbles of white flint were probably meant under this name; from which is derived, according to Ajasson, the French word _caillou_, meaning a flint pebble. [3444] “Fire stone.” Not a Pyrites of modern Mineralogy, probably. [3445] “With many zones.” Probably an agate or jasper. [3446] “Lightning stone.” [3447] “Flame stone.” [3448] “Burning coal stone.” See B. xxxvi. c. 38, and Chapter 27 of this Book. [3449] “Containing liquid.” Identified by Desfontaines with the Geodes enhydros of modern Geology, which sometimes contains a liquid substance. [3450] “Many-haired stone.” [3451] As to these stones, agates or jaspers probably, see “Nebritis,” in Chapter 64, and the Note. [3452] “Dew stone.” The reading here is very doubtful. See Chapter 61. [3453] “Honey-coloured and yellow.” [3454] “Saffron stone.” [3455] All three being derived from the corresponding name in Greek. [3456] See Chapter 55 of this Book. [3457] “Hand stone.” [3458] “Stone of necessity.” [3459] “Retaining stone.” [3460] “Tree stone.” [3461] De Lapidibus. [3462] He alludes to petrified shells, most probably. [3463] “Phaleræ.” See B. vii. c. 2, and B. xxxiii. c. 6. [3464] “Nature;” _i.e._ “works of Nature.” [3465] “Lenticula.” Like a lentil in shape. [3466] Substituting garnets for rubies, as an illustration. [3467] “Minium.” See Chapter 23 of this Book. [3468] Lest the deception should be commonly practised. Seneca, Epist. 19, mentions one Democritus, who had discovered the art of making artificial Emeralds. See further on this subject, Beckmann, Hist. Inv. Vol. 1. p. 124. _Bohn’s Edition._ [3469] Ten in the morning. [3470] See Chapters 18 and 20. [3471] We can only guess at the meaning of this passage, as it is acknowledgedly corrupt. [3472] Our Obsidian. See B. xxxvi. c. 67, and Chapter 65 of this Book. [3473] See Chapter 15 of this Book. Ajasson thinks that he has here confounded two different substances, powdered emery and diamond dust. [3474] See B. iv. c. 26. [3475] “Trigariis.” “Three-horse chariot races,” literally. See B. xxviii. c. 72, and B. xxix. c. 5. [3476] It having been in recent times declared unlawful to work them, as he has already informed us. [3477] “Quacunque ambitur mari.” With these words the Natural History of Pliny terminates in all the former editions. M. Ian was the first among the learned to express a suspicion that the proper termination of the work was wanting; an opinion in which Sillig coincided, and which was happily confirmed, in the course of time, by the discovery of the Bamberg MS., the only copy of the Natural History (or rather the last Six Books) in which the concluding part of this Chapter has been found. [3478] See B. xix. c. 7. [3479] See B. xxxvi. c. 45. [3480] See Chapter 15 of this Book. [3481] See Chapter 16 of this Book. [3482] See Chapters 7, 8, and 11 of this Book. [3483] “Coccum.” See B. xvi. c. 12, and B. xxiv. c. 4. [3484] See B. xix. c. 15, and B. xxii. c. 49. [3485] See B. xii. c. 26. [3486] See B. vi. c. 20, and B. xii. c. 1. [3487] See B. xiii. c. 29, and B. xv. c. 7. [3488] See B. xii. c. 42. [3489] See B. xii. c. 43. [3490] See B. xii. c. 28. [3491] See Chapter 11 of this Book. [3492] See B. xii, c. 54. [3493] See B. xii. c. 33. [3494] See B. xii. c. 30. [3495] See B. xii. c. 25. [3496] See B. xxxiv. c. 41. [3497] In B. xii. c. 37, and B. xxvi. c. 30. [3498] See B. ix. cc. 60, 61. [3499] See B. x. c. 28, and B. xxix. c. 13. [3500] “Numeris omnibus.” [3501] Bernhardy, _Grundriss d. Röm. Lit._ p. 644, has expressed an opinion that there is still some deficiency after the concluding words, “tuis fave;” notwithstanding the comparative completeness of the restored text as given by the Bamberg MS. [3502] See end of B. ii. [3503] See end of B. v. [3504] See end of B. ix. [3505] See end of B. xxxii. [3506] See end of B. xvi. [3507] See end of B. v. [3508] See end of B. xxxiii. [3509] See end of B. xxxvi. [3510] See end of B. x. [3511] A Dithyrambic poet, a native of Cythera, or, according to some, of Heraclea in Pontus. During the latter part of his life he resided at the court of the younger Dionysius, tyrant of Sicily, and died B.C. 380, at the age of 55. Of his poems, only a few fragments are left. [3512] One of the great Tragic Poets of Greece, born at Salamis B.C.