Rabelais,[456] describing the temple of the oracle of the “Dive Bouteille,” says that of its seven columns the first was of sapphire; the second, of jacinth; the third, of “dyamant”; the fourth, of the “male” balas-ruby; the fifth, of emerald, “more brilliant and glistening than were those which were set in place of eyes in the marble lion stretched before the tomb of King Hermias”; the sixth column was of agate, and the seventh of transparent selenite, “with a splendor like that of Hymettian honey, and within appeared the moon in form and motion such as she is in the heavens, full and new, waxing and waning.” We are then told that these stones were attributed to the seven planets by the Chaldæans, as follows:
| Sapphire | Saturn |
| Jacinth | Jupiter |
| Diamond | Sun |
| Ruby | Mars |
| Emerald | Venus |
| Agate | Mercury |
| Selenite | Moon |
Some of these attributions differ from those usually made and may represent another tradition.
PLANETARY INFLUENCES OF STONES[457]
| Jasper | Venus and Mercury. |
| Sapphire | Jupiter and Mercury. |
| Emerald | Venus and Mercury. |
| Chalcedony | Jupiter, Mercury, and Saturn. |
| Sardonyx | Saturn and Mars. |
| Chrysolite | Mercury and Venus. |
| Beryl | Venus and Mars. |
| Topaz | Saturn and Mars. |
| Chrysoprase | Mercury and Venus. |
| Jacinth | Mars and Jupiter. |
| Amethyst | Mars and Jupiter. |
| Pearl | Venus and Mercury. |
| Carbuncle | Mars and Venus. |
| Diamond | Jupiter. |
| Agate | Venus and Mars. |
| Alectoria | Sun. |
| Turquoise | Venus and Mercury. |
| Chelidon | Jupiter. |
| Ætites | Sun. |
| Dionesia | Saturn. |
| Hematite | Mercury. |
| Lapis-lazuli | Venus. |
| Armena | Mercury and Venus. |
| Garnet | Sun. |
| Amber | Sun. |
| Jet | Saturn. |
| Lyncurius | Sun. |
| Crystal | Moon and Mars. |
| Bezoar | Jupiter. |
| Armenia | Jupiter. |
| Selenite | Moon. |
| Magnet | Mars. |
| Judaica,} | |
| Hegolite or } | Mercury. |
| Cogolite } | |
| Iris | Jupiter. |
| Halcyon | Saturn and Mars. |
| Asbestus | Saturn. |
| Sarcophagus | Moon. |
| Arabian, white | Moon. |
| Arabian, green | Jupiter. |
| Hyena | Sun. |
| Androdamas | Moon. |
| Pyrites: | |
| Copper-colored | Sun, Venus. |
| Gold-colored | Sun. |
| Silver-colored | Moon. |
| Tin-colored | Moon, Saturn. |
| Ash-colored | Jupiter. |
| Calatia | Moon. |
| Stalactite | Venus. |
| Thenarcus | Sun. |
| Carnelian | Jupiter, Mars, Venus. |
| Opal | Sun, Mercury. |
Fixed stars associated with precious stones:[458]
- Diamond. Caput Algol 18° of Taurus.
- Crystal. The Pleiades 24° of Taurus.
- Ruby, carbuncle. Aldebaran 3° of Gemini; also the Hyades.
- Sapphire. The Goat 15° of Gemini.
- Beryl. Sirius 10° of Cancer.
- Garnet. Heart of Lion 23° of Leo.
- Magnet. Tail of the Great Bear 8° of Scorpio; also the Pole Star.
- Topaz. Right and left wing of Raven 8° of Libra.
- Emerald and Jasper. Spica Virginis 17° of Libra.
- Amethyst. Scorpion 3° of Sagittarius.
- Chrysolite. Tortoise 8° of Capricorn.
- Chalcedony. Tail of Capricorn 15° of Aquarius.
- Jacinth. Shoulder of Equis Major 18° of Pisces.
- Pearl. Umbilicus Andromedæ 20° of Aries.
- Sardonyx. Same as Topaz.
Images and virtues of the constellations as engraved on gems:[459]
Ursa Major, Ursa Minor, and Draco. Both bears are represented in the folds of a serpent, the Great Bear in the upper and the Lesser Bear in the lower folds. In almost all the signs. Nature: Ursa Major, Mars and Venus. Ursa Minor: Saturn. Draco: Saturn and Mars. Renders the wearer wise, cautious, versatile, and powerful.
The boundary lines of the various signs are carried up to the pole, and any constellation that is within these lines is considered to belong to the respective sign; thus, every constellation belongs to one or more signs.