The Natural History of Pliny, Volume 6 (of 6)

Chapter 308: CHAP. 5.—THE FIRST DACTYLIOTHECÆ AT ROME.

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An encyclopedic survey that first catalogs marine animals, algae, and shellfish, describing habitats, curious behaviors, reported antipathies, and numerous folk remedies and practical uses attributed to specific species, organized by ailments and applications. The later portion treats metals and their ores—including gold, silver, mercury, copper, and brass—describing modes of occurrence, extraction, alloying, testing, gilding, and decorative and monetary uses, alongside technical observations and medicinal remedies derived from metallic substances, with systematic lists and practical instructions interwoven throughout.

CHAP. 5.—THE FIRST DACTYLIOTHECÆ AT ROME.

A collection of precious stones bears the foreign name of “dactyliotheca.”2909 The first person who possessed one at Rome was Scaurus,2910 the step-son of Sylla; and, for a long time, there was no other such collection there, until at length Pompeius Magnus consecrated in the Capitol, among other donations, one that had belonged to King Mithridates; and which, as M. Varro and other authors of that period assure us, was greatly superior to that of Scaurus. Following his example, the Dictator Cæsar consecrated six dactyliothecæ in the Temple of Venus Genetrix; and Marcellus, the son of Octavia,2911 presented one to the Temple of the Palatine Apollo.