2642 “Cavea.” The place where the spectators sat, much like the “pit” of our theatres.
2644 “Choragio.”
2645 He was defeated and slain in Africa by Juba and P. Attius Varus.
2646 And, consequently, of more strict manners, and more strict morals.
2647 “Tabulis.” The wooden frames, probably, which formed the margin of one side of each theatre, and which, when they were brought together, would make a diameter running through the circle which they formed. Hardouin thinks that these theatres are alluded to in Virgil, Georg. B. III. l. 22, et seq.
2648 In allusion, probably, to the addresses delivered by Curio, when tribune, from the Rostra, in favour of Cæsar.
2649 “Pensiles.” Pliny not improbably intends a pun here, this word meaning also “suspended,” or “poised”—in reference, probably, to their suspension on the pivots in Curio’s theatres.
2650 Between Cæsar and Pompey, which he is supposed to have inflamed for his own private purposes.
2651 He was prætor B.C. 144; and, in order that he might complete his aqueduct, his office was prolonged another year.
2652 This aqueduct was begun by Appius Claudius Cæcus, the censor, and was the first made at Rome; B.C. 313.
2653 See B. iii. c. 17. It was commenced by M. Curius Dentatus, B.C. 273, the water being brought a distance of 43 miles. It was afterwards known as the “Anio Vetus,” to distinguish it from another aqueduct from the same river, mentioned in this Chapter, and called the “Anio Novus.” The former was constructed of Peperino stone, and the water-course was lined with cement. Considerable remains of it are still to be seen.
2654 The Aqua Tepula was constructed B.C. 127; so that it is doubtful if Pliny is not here in error.
2655 The Aqua Marcia was brought a distance of upwards of 60 miles, from the vicinity of Sublaqueum, now Subiaco, and was of such elevation that water could be supplied to the loftiest part of the Capitoline Hill. A considerable number of the arches are still standing. In the vicinity of the city it was afterwards united with the Aqua Tepula and the Aqua Julia; the watercourse of the last being above that of the Aqua Tepula, and that above the course of the Aqua Marcia. See B. xxxi. cc. 24, 25.
2656 See B. xxxi. cc. 24, 25.
2657 See B. xxxi. c. 25.
2658 See end of B. iii.
2659 Victor mentions 856 public baths at Rome.
2660 Caligula.
2661 Anio Novus.
2662 Nero.
2663 See B. ii. c. 106, and B. iii. c. 17. In order to check the sudden rise of its waters, a design was entertained by Julius Cæsar to construct a subterranean canal from the lake into the valley of the Liris, which, unfortunately, was frustrated by his death. Claudius, however, executed the work, by cutting a gallery upwards of an English mile and a half through the limestone rock; a work which, according to Suetonius, occupied thirty thousand workmen continually for eleven years. On opening it with a mock naval combat, an accident happened in which many persons lost their lives, and Claudius himself but narrowly escaped. The emissary answered its purpose for some time, and, though Nero suffered the works to fall into decay, they were repaired by Hadrian. In the middle ages, however, the work fell in, and has not since been restored.
2664 See B. iii. c. 9.
2665 “Magnes.”
2667 “Iron earth;” from σίδηρος, “iron.” The magnet, or loadstone itself, is an oxide of iron, known as Oxidulated iron, or Ferroso-ferric oxide; sometimes in combination with quartz or alumine.
2668 From Heraclea, in Lydia, or in Thessaly, according to some accounts. It is not improbable, however, that it was so called after “Heracles,” or Hercules, on account of its powerful influence upon iron ores.
2669 Isidorus says, “India,” in B. 16 of the “Origines.”
2671 Varieties, no doubt, of oxide of iron.
2672 An absurd distinction, as Ajasson remarks; based, probably, on Eastern notions, and with reference to the comparative powers of attraction.
2673 From αἷμα, “blood.” He alludes to Specular iron, red ochre, or red hematite, another oxide of iron.
2674 Sometimes it has, but in a very slight degree.
2675 Ajasson remarks that most probably the possessors of this pretended variety knew the distinction between the two poles of the magnet, and took care, when it was their interest to do so, to place the opposite pole towards that of the other loadstone.
2676 It was the belief of the Duke of Noya Caraffa, that this stone was identical with Tourmaline: but, as Beckmann says, tourmaline, when heated, first attracts iron, and then repels it. Hist. Inv. Vol. I. pp. 87, 88. Bohn’s Edition. Ajasson is of opinion that the Theamedes was neither more nor less than the ordinary loadstone, with the negative pole presented, by designing persons, towards another magnet.
2677 In B. ii. c. 98, and B. xx. c. 1.
2678 See B. iv. c. 23.
2679 See B. ii. c. 106, Vol. I. p. 137, and Note 687. There is little doubt that this was a volcanic, porous product.
2680 From σάρξ, “flesh,” and φάγω, “to eat.” See B. ii. c. 98. Ajasson identifies it with Alunite, or Alum stone, in its several varieties.
2681 Both of them varieties of calcareous tufa, Ajasson thinks.
2682 Or Sarcophagus: see the preceding Chapter.
2683 Democritus, amongst the ancients, and Savonarola and Cardan, in more recent times, have attributed to stones the powers of reproduction. Vivès speaks of certain diamonds which conceive and fructify; and Avicenna speaks of the selenite or moon-stone of Arabia, which, when suspended from a tree, generates other stones of a similar nature. Tournefort also entertained similar opinions.
2684 Fossil teeth of mammiferæ, probably.
2685 Fossil animal remains, no doubt.
2686 Cneius Pompeius. See B. iii. c. 3.
2687 “Palmati.” This is more probably the meaning, than the “human palm,” as Littré renders it. They were fossil impressions of leaves, in all probability.
2689 Stones so called, possibly, from being found in the vicinity of Cora in Italy: See B. iii. c. 9. These stones are also mentioned by Isidorus, Orig. B. xvi. c. 4.
2690 Identified by Ajasson and Desfontaines? with Quartz molar agate, very abundant in this volcanic region of Italy.
2691 “Molares.” “Millstone.”
2693 Not the Pyrites of modern Mineralogy, combinations of sulphur with various mineral ores.
2694 The Greek for “fire” being πῦρ.
2695 Sulphate of copper, probably, our Chalcopyrite, or yellow copper pyrites.
2696 See B. v. c. 35.
2697 Or “quick,” “vivos.” Ajasson identifies these with the quartz agates that form our gun-flints, a Chalcedonic variety of Silica.
2698 Amadue, or German tinder.
2699 Fossil shells of oysters and bivalve mollusks, combined, probably, with Fahlunite or Hydrous Iolite.
2700 This is the most delicate variety of Asbestus, a kind of Hornblende: it presents the lustre of satin. As to Asbestus, see B. xix. c. 4, where Pliny has evidently taken it to be a vegetable production.
2702 “Earthy” stone. These are either nodules of iron-stone, hollow in the centre, or else round, inorganic masses, hollow, and lined with crystals within. These latter are mostly of a silicious nature.
2703 It was, probably, a yellow, argillaceous earth, and it is more probable that it derived its name from μελὶ, “honey,” in consequence of its colour than by reason of its supposed sweet juices. The Mellite, Mellitite, or Honey-stone of modern Mineralogy, also known as Mellate of Alumina, has its name from its honey-yellow colour. It is found in Thuringia, Moravia, and Bohemia; but most probably was unknown in the days of Pliny.
2704 See B. xx. cc. 6, 21.
2705 Our jet, which somewhat resembles cannel-coal, and is found in clay soils.
2706 See B. v. c. 28, where a place called “Gagæ” is mentioned. In Note 3900 to that Chapter, “gagates” is erroneously rendered “agate.”
2707 See B. v. c. 26.
2708 This comparison is not inapt, as it is closely akin to Lignite, or brown coal.
2709 A bituminous and animal odour, Ajasson says, quite peculiar to itself.
2710 He has borrowed this erroneous assertion, probably, from Nicander, who, with Pliny, says the same of the “Thracian stone,” which has not been identified, but is supposed to have been a sort of coal. See B. xxxiii. c. 30.
2711 This is, probably, the meaning of “sonticus morbus,” a disease, which, according to the jurists, excused those affected with it, from attending in courts of justice.
2712 Albertus Magnus, De Mineral. B. ii., says that if it is given in water to a female, it will have a diuretic effect immediately, if she is not in a state of virginity, and that the contrary will be the case if she is.
2713 See B. xxx. c. 5. According to Dalechamps, this was practised by placing the jet upon a hatchet at a red heat.
2714 “Stone-macerater.” From τήκω, to “macerate,” and λιθὸς, “a stone.”
2715 Dioscorides says that it was found in Cappadocia also; and both he and Galen attribute to it certain medicinal properties. It was used either for colouring, or else, like fuller’s earth, for taking the grease out of wool and cloth. Ajasson is inclined to think that it was either a volcanic scoria or a Peperite, also of volcanic origin.
2717 He is evidently speaking here of the red peroxide of iron.
2719 Literally, “split” stone; so called, probably, from its laminated form. Ajasson identifies it with yellow or brown iron ore, known in Mineralogy as Limonite, or Brown Hematite.
2720 “Explendis oculorum lacunis.”
2723 “All-serviceable,” or “all-heal.”
2724 “Man-subduing.”
2725 The colour of Specular iron, or red peroxide of iron, being of a dark steel-grey or iron-black, this is probably another variety of it. Ajasson thinks that it includes compact or massive red oxide of iron, and scaly red iron, or red iron froth, which leaves red marks upon the fingers.
2726 See Chapter 11 of this Book. Its alleged attraction of silver and copper is fabulous, no doubt.
2727 This is probably the Limonite, or Hydrous peroxide of iron, mentioned in the preceding Chapter. See Note 2719 above.
2728 Identified by Ajasson with Red ochre, or Reddle, a red peroxide of iron, used for red crayons in drawing.
2729 “Liver-stone.” Not to be confounded with the Hepatite of modern Mineralogy, or Sulphate of Barytes.
2730 “Spleen-stone.”
2732 Identified by Ajasson with Laminated protoxide of iron. It has probably an affinity to the variety noticed above, in Notes 2719 and 2727.
2733 Owing solely, in all probability, to its name, “blood-stone.”
2734 Ajasson is at a loss to know whether this is our Anthracite, a non-bituminous coal, or some kind of bituminous coal. Delafosse takes it to be pit-coal.
2735 Or “eagle-stone.” It is a Geodes, mentioned in Chapter 23 of this Book, a globular mass of clay iron-stone. Sometimes it is hollow within, and sometimes it encloses another stone, or a little water, or some mineral dust.
2736 Chapter 4.
2737 See B. iv. c. 2.
2738 A kind of pumice, Ajasson thinks, or porous feldspathic scoria from volcanos.
2741 See B. xxiii. cc. 45, 80.
2742 Probably of a similar nature to the Samian stone.
2743 Pumice is still used as the basis of a dentifrice, but it destroys the enamel of the teeth.
2745 Or “temples of the Muses:” evidently grottos in the present instance.
2746 In allusion to the line, “Aridâ modo pumice expolitum”—“Just polished with dry pumice-stone.” Ep. I. l. 2. Both the backs of books and the parchment used for writing were rubbed with pumice.
2747 Sec B. v. c. 36.
2749 Hist. B. ix. c. 18.
2750 As a preventive of vomiting.
2751 “Musta.” Grape-juice in the process of being made into wine.
2752 Delafosse suggests that this may have been grey-spotted granite. The name is doubtful, as “Edesian” and “Ephesian” are other readings.
2754 “Golden stone.” A variety, perhaps, of the Thebaic stone with gold spots, mentioned in Chapter 13 of this Book.
2755 Possibly so called from Χάλαζα, “hail,” it being, perhaps, a granite with spots like hailstones.
2757 In consequence of its extreme hardness.
2758 Phœnician stone and Tænarian stone do not appear to have been identified. Parian stone may probably have been white Parian marble.
2761 See B. iv. cc. 22, 23.
2762 Ajasson identifies it with Ollar stone, talc, or soap-stone, a hydrous silicate of magnesia, and nearly allied to the Ophites of Chapters 11 and 30.
2763 He being a native of that part of Italy.
2764 The Green Colubine Ollar stone; or soap-stone of Italy.
2765 See B. iii. c. 21.
2766 Identified by Brotero with our Free-stone or grit-stone.
2767 So called from its resemblance to the spots on a peacock’s tail. He alludes, probably, to the mode of roofing with tiles cut in the form of scales, still much employed on the continent, and in Switzerland more particularly.
2768 Or “Mirror-stone.” Transparent Selenite or gypsum; a sulphate of lime.
2769 Now Segorba, in Valentia.
2770 Ajasson is of opinion that various kinds of mica and talc are the minerals here alluded to.
2771 From φεγγὸς, “brightness.” Beckmann is of opinion that this was a calcareous or gypseous spar (Hist. Inv. Vol. II. p. 66); but Ajasson seems to think that it was very similar to Parian marble, which was sometimes called by this name.
2772 This is more likely to apply to a white marble than to a calcareous or gypseous spar. Suetonius says, c. 14, that Domitian, when he suspected that plots were forming against him, caused the porticos in which he walked to be lined with Phengites, which by its reflection showed what was going on behind his back.