The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Natural History of Pliny, Volume VI., by Pliny the Elder.

2925 Modern writers differ as to the material of which these vessels were composed. Some think that they were of variegated glass, and others of onyx; but the more general opinion is, that they were Chinese porcelain, and we have the line in Propertius, B. iv. El. 5, l. 26. “And murrhine vessels baked on Parthian hearths.” Ajasson is of opinion, from the description given by Pliny, that these vessels were made of Fluor spar, or fluate of lime. “Myrrhine” is another reading of the word.

2926 “Ante hos annos.” Sillig is of opinion that the reading here should be “L. Annius,” and that L. Annius Bassus, who was Consul suffectus in the year 70 A.D., is the person referred to; or possibly, T. Arrius Antoninus, who was Consul suffectus, A.D. 69.

2927 The Gardens of Nero, in the Fourteenth Region of the City.

2928 He had been formerly a sharer in the debaucheries of Nero. Tacitus called him “Caius.”

2929 See B. vi. cc. 27, 28, 32.

2930 Ajasson is of opinion that this passage bears reference to crystallization. Both he and Desfontaines see in the present Chapter a very exact description of Fluor spar; and there is certainly great difficulty in recognizing any affinity between murrhine vessels, as here described, and porcelain.

2932 In the preceding Chapter.

2933 Meaning that they are semitransparent, Ajasson thinks. One great characteristic of Fluor spar is its being subtranslucent.

2934 This would appear to be the meaning here of “sales.” See p. 396.

2935 One of the grounds, Ajasson says, on which may be based the opinion that they were artificial.

2936 Colourless crystals, quartz, or rock crystal; called “white stone” in jewellery.

2937 See B. xxxvi. c. 45. This was a very general opinion of the ancients with respect to crystal.

2938 Κρύσταλλος, from κρύος, “cold.”

2939 See B. v. c. 29.

2940 In Caria, see B. v. c. 29.

2941 The Island “of the dead.” Brotero supposes it to be the island of Maceira.

2942 See B. vi. c. 34. As Ajasson remarks, there could be no snow or ice here.

2943 See B. iv. c. 35.

2944 Dioscorides attributes the hardening of crystal to the action of the sun.

2945 “Its shape is rhombohedral, and hemihedral in some of its modifications. The planes on the angles between the prism and pyramidal terminations, incline sometimes to the right, and sometimes to the left, and the crystals are termed right and left-handed crystals.”—Dana, System of Mineralogy, Art. Quartz.

2946 Ajasson remarks that blocks have been found in Switzerland, weighing above eight hundred pounds.

2947 Forty-eight sextarii. See Introduction to Vol. III.

2948 This “vomica,” Ajasson says, is either water, azote, rarified oxygen, or water in combination with naphtha.

2949 “Centra,” knots, or flaws. See B. xvi. c. 76, where he speaks of the “centra” in marble. See also Beckmann, Hist. Inv. Vol. I. p. 471. Bohn’s Edition.

2950 “Sale.” See Note 2934 above.

2951 “Without flaw.”

2952 See B. xxxvi. c. 67.

2953 “Succinum.” It is of vegetable origin, and, according to Göppert, was originally the viscous resin of a tree named by him Pinites succinifer.

2954 It is used by men, more particularly, at the present day, as a mouthpiece for pipes.

2955 As to the vegetable origin of amber, there is no doubt that the ancients were right.

2956 Most probably from ἥλιος, the “sun.” Phaëthon was fabled to have been the son of Apollo. See the story in Ovid’s Met. B. ii. l. 340, et seq.

2957 Where amber was not to be found.

2958 In reality, these “Amber Islands” were situate at the mouth of the Vistula, into which the Radanus discharged itself; a river whose name was afterwards confounded with “Eridanus,” the ancient name of the Padus, or Po. See B. iv. cc. 27, 30, as to the produce of amber in the Baltic.

2959 Another reference to its vegetable origin.

2960 De Lapid. n. 53.

2961 In confirmation of this, Ajasson remarks that amber is found at Saint Paulet in the Department Du Gard, and at Aix, in the Department of Bouches-du-Rhône, regions not very distant from the territory of ancient Liguria.

2962 It has been supposed by some that this in reality was Tourmaline, and Woodward has identified it with Belemnites. See Beckmann, Hist. Inv. Vol. I. p. 86. Bohn’s Edition. See further as to “Lyncurium,” B. viii. c. 57, and Chapter 13 of this Book.

2963 See B. iv. c. 28.

2964 See B. iv. c. 27.

2965 Said in reference to the electric spark, Ajasson thinks.

2966 In Hebrew, this word means “a stone.”

2967 From the Greek ἁρπάζω, “to drag.”

2968 See B. x. c. 38.

2969 All this is based, Ajasson thinks, upon the stories of Hindoo mythology.

2970 The old reading is “Osericta:” Ajasson identifies it with the island of Oësel in the Baltic.

2971 See B. x. c. 38.

2972 See B. iv. cc. 27, 30, and the Notes.

2973 See B. iv. c. 30.

2974 It is just possible that the Pinites succinifer may have still existed, to some extent, eighteen hundred years ago. See Note 2953 above.

2975 From “succus,” “juice.”

2976 Goitre, for example.

2977 The projecting part in the Circus or Amphitheatre, next the arena, and immediately in front of the place occupied by the emperor and nobles.

2978 The knots, probably, were adorned with studs or buttons of amber.

2979 “Libitina.” Meaning the litters on which the slain gladiators were carried away from the arena.

2980 Martial has three Epigrams on Insects enclosed in amber; B. iv. Ep. 32 and 59, and B. vi. Ep. 15.

2981 These so-called kinds or varieties are mostly accidental variations only in appearance.

2982 Which is perceptible on its being rubbed: in some cases the odour of amber is very fine, in others it is perfectly fetid; though in the latter case, as Ajasson remarks, it is doubtful whether it may be considered to be genuine amber.

2983 “Lini.” Salmasius suggests “pini,” “pith of pine.”

2984 “Golden amber.” Brotero thinks that this must have been Hyacinth or Zirconite of a yellowish white colour. Ajasson says that the description would equally apply to Idocrase, Meionite, or Harmotome.

2985 See Note 2962, above. Brotero identifies it with orange-coloured Hyacinth; Ajasson and Desfontaines with Tourmaline. Ajasson suggests, also, that the first syllabic in its name—Lync, may have been derived from the Sanscrit Lanka, the name of Ceylon, one of the localities where the Tourmaline is chiefly found.

2986 Ajasson thinks that Rubellite or Red Tourmaline is here alluded to.

2987 This is the case with tourmaline when subjected to heat.

2988 We may here remark, that throughout this Book, in all cases where there is any doubt as to the identification of the substance, the ancient name is retained. Hence our words “adamant” and “diamond.” If Pliny means the latter, which is doubtful, it still maintains the rank here assigned to it. The word “adamas” is supposed to be derived from the Greek ἀ, privative, and δαμάω, “to subdue,” it being supposed to be invincible by fire. The diamond is pure carbon crystallized, and is thought to have been of vegetable origin. Dana has the following remarks upon the word “adamas.”—“This name was applied by the ancients to several minerals differing much in their physical properties. A few of these are quartz, specular iron ore, emery, and other substances of rather high degrees of hardness, which cannot now be identified. It is doubtful whether Pliny had any acquaintance with the real diamond.”—System of Mineralogy, Art. Diamond. We may also add, from the same authority, that the method of polishing diamonds was first discovered in 1456, by Louis Berquen, a citizen of Bruges, previous to which time the diamond was only known in its native uncut state.

2989 This statement cannot apply to the “diamond” as known to us, though occasionally grains of gold have been found in the vicinity of the diamond.

2990 Ajasson is of opinion that the Æthiopia here mentioned is in reality India, and that the “Temple of Mercury” means the Brahmaloka, or Temple of Brahma.

2991 The diamond, as known to us, is octahedral.

2992 Though found in comparative abundance in India, the diamond is not found in Arabia.

2993 This is not the case with the diamond; for on being struck under such circumstances, it will break.

2994 In reality, the diamond will burn, and, at a temperature of 14° Wedgewood, is wholly consumed, producing carbonic acid gas.

2995 See Note 2988, above.

2996 “Millet-seed.”

2997 Ajasson says, that no doubt this adamas was Adamantine, or limpid Corundum.

2998 Ajasson suggests that this may have been Dichroite, or Cordierite, known also as Iolite, or Water sapphire.

2999 Possibly the Siderite, sparry iron, or spathic iron of modern Mineralogy. Ajasson is inclined to think that it is Corundum, of a dark hue.

3000 See B. xx. c. 1, B. xxviii. cc. 23, 41, and B. xxxii. c. 12.

3001 Brotero thinks that this was a story invented by the dealers, with a view of concealing the real method of breaking the stone.

3002 Said, probably, with reference to the rank, nauseous smell of the he-goat.

3003 This is true with reference to the diamond, and, in a less degree, several other crystalline substances, emery and quartz, for example.

3004 Ajasson remarks, that if the diamond is placed in the magnetic line or current of the loadstone, it attracts iron equally with the loadstone, and consequently neutralizes the attractive power of the loadstone in a considerable degree.

3005 The reading is very doubtful here. This word, as it is here given, would appear to be derived from the Greek ἀ privative, and ἄγχομαι, “to strangle oneself,” and to mean, “preventive of suicide.”

3006 See B. iv. c. 27, and Chapter 11 of this Book.

3007 At the present day the ruby is next in esteem to the diamond.

3008 Chapter 54, et seq.

3009 The Emerald, and various other green precious stones, were included under this name.

3010 “Virentes” seems a very preferable reading to “silentes,” as given by the Bamberg MS.

3011 The emerald is supposed to derive this colour from a minute portion of oxide of chrome.

3012 Engraved emeralds are but seldom found among collections of ancient gems. In 1593, there was one found in the tomb of Maria, daughter of Stilicho, in the Vatican, with the head of Honorius, her husband, engraved upon it.

3013 “It may here be objected that real emeralds are too small to admit of being used as mirrors; but the ancients speak of some sufficiently large for that purpose, and also of artificial ones; so that we may with certainty conclude, that they classed among the emeralds fluor spar, green vitrified lava, or the green Icelandic agate, as it is called, green jasper, and also green glass.”—Beckmann, Hist. Inv. Vol. II. p. 67. Bohn’s Edition. It has also been suggested, with reference to this passage, that Nero was short-sighted, and that this emerald was formed like a concave lens. The passage, however, will hardly support such a construction. Ajasson thinks that it must have been a Dioptase or Siberian emerald; or else a green Corundum.

3014 Ajasson is of opinion that the Dioptase, Siberian emerald, or Malachite emerald is meant.

3015 Ajasson thinks that this may be the Dioptase or Achirite of Chinese Bucharia; and that the merchant Achir Mahmed, from whom it takes its name, was by no means the first to introduce it, or to circulate his wonderful stories as to its formation.

3016 See B. ii. cc. 47, 48, and B. xviii. c. 74.

3017 Mount Zalora. in Upper Egypt, still produces emeralds, and was probably the only locality of the genuine stone that was known to the ancients.

3018 “Cetarias.”

3019 Ajasson remarks that the greater part of the defects here described belong in reality to the Dioptase.

3020 “Sal.” See Chapters 8, 10, 22, and 37, of this Book.

3021 Ajasson is of opinion that Diallage is here meant, known also by the names of Bronzite, schillerspath, schillerstein, and omphasite.

3022 See B. iv. c. 11.

3023 “In sole” seems a preferable reading to “in solo,” “on the ground,” as given by the Bamberg MS.

3024 See Chapter 39 of this Book; where it will be shown that this probably is not the modern Sapphire.

3025 Ajasson suggests that these may have been Quartz agates of the dendritic or arborized kind.

3026 He probably alludes here to some variety of the Chalcedony or Opal quartz.

3027 Said with reference to Chrysoprase, Ajasson thinks; a leek-green chalcedony, coloured by nickel.

3028 Probably the Cacholong of modern mineralogy, a variety of opal, nearly opaque, and of a porcelain or bluish white colour.

3029 Ajasson and Brotero identify this with milk-white chalcedony; but on what authority, does not appear.

3030 See B. iv. c. 8.

3031 Supposed by Ajasson to be the Euclase, a brittle green stone, composed of silica, alumina, and glucina. Haüy gave it this name from the Greek words εὖ, “easily” and κλάω, “to break.” According to Dana, however, Euclase was first brought from Peru: if such is the fact, we must, perhaps, look for its identification in Epidote, a green silicate of alumina.

3032 “Brazen smaragdus.” It was probably Dioptase, combined with copper Pyrites. See Notes 3013, 3014, and 3015, above.

3033 With reference to this statement and the others in this Chapter, Ajasson remarks that these stones can have been nothing but prases, green jaspers, fusible spaths, emerald quartz, and fluates of lime.