Mr. King describes a sard intaglio showing an Ibis stepping out of a nautilus shell, seizing a snake—a symbol of the eternal war between the Sun, represented by the Ibis, on the stone of the Sun, and the earth moistures, represented by the snake. Another from the Rhodes collection represents Venus showing Cupid how to use the bow, appropriately cut on a sard or heart stone; another, also cut on sard, shows Cupid riding on a lion—symbol of the Sun and the heart (organ of the Sun in astrophilosophy).
Alaric the Goth entered the city of Rome with his victorious army August 27th in the year 410 A. D. His birthday cannot be ascertained with any degree of certainty, but it may have been somewhere near that time for he wore on his finger a large carnelian talismanic ring on which was engraved: “Alaricus Rex Gothorum.”
Madame Blavatsky relates stories of the Shamans of Tartary who carried carnelians under their left arms, and by employing these stones in certain ways they were enabled to separate the astral from the physical body. The carnelian was used by them in certain magical work and was reputed to be a stone of wonderful power. It is significant that these Shamans carried the carnelians on their left sides, near the great Sun of the human body—the heart. Madame Blavatsky herself possessed a carnelian to which special virtue was attached. She was born when the Sun was in the sign of the Lion, and the carnelian was therefore one of her chief talismanic gems. The carnelian was called the Stone of the Martyrs. It is said to bestow the power to see into the astral plane if, when placed before a light for about four minutes, it is steadily gazed upon. Considering the powerful effect the Sun has on the carnelian, it were best that, if phenomena of this order are to be obtained through the agency of such an instrument, the stone be first exposed to the rays of the Sun. It is inadvisable, however, to look directly at the sun with the naked eye.
The carnelian is said to bring content to the wearer, and Albertus Magnus said that it made the soul happy, drove away the evil effects of sorcery, witchcraft, enchantment and fear. It was the stone of the victor and of victory, and was used as a charm against bad temper—for bad temper according to the masters is a form of black magic. Black magic was evilly directed in the light of a waning moon, and it was detected by the varying sheen of the protective carnelian or sard. Also in dreams the stone was a symbol that evil thoughts were being directed against the dreamer. It represented the magical force of Faith and the weakening folly of scepticism in the Rosicrucian mysteries. Medicinally the stone was used to stop bleedings, and in the Middle Ages it was administered in powdered form. At this period it was stated that the yellow variety was the gem for Dies Solis or Sunday. Both the carnelian and sard are attached to the zodiacal Leo, the Mansion of the Sun, and the connection apart from tradition is proven scientifically by the effect of the solar rays on the stone itself. It is said to promote coolness in argument and dignity in dispute, and the Muhammedan tradition tells that Muhammad held that to procure contentment and blessings, it was necessary with right mind to Allah, to wear a carnelian.
CATSEYE
“The Catseye is one of the jewels of which the Singhalese are especially proud.”
Tennent’s “Ceylon.”
The catseye is a chalcedonic quartz, translucent, of various colours—yellow-green, yellow-brown, hyacinth-red, grey, green-grey, etc. It is of a peculiar opalescence, resembling the eye of a cat, when cut en cabochon, an effect produced by amianthoid asbestos filaments which run parallel through the stone. The virtues ascribed to the catseye are many. It was said to put colour into pale faces, to give pleasure to the mind, to relieve the soul of melancholy, to cure chronic disorders and wasting diseases, and to keep the wearer from financial distress and ruin. It is said to have been successfully employed in relieving croup and asthma. Pressed on to the forehead between the eyes it aided thought and helped foresight. Carried by those with Capricorn rising in the horoscope, or with the Sun, Jupiter or Venus in Capricorn, it is credited with especial value as a charm for success in speculative ventures. Enwrapped in women’s hair, it was employed as a birth charm, and if calcined and applied to wounds, said Rabbi Ben Adoulah, it healed them. Further, it cured inflammations of the eyes, if lightly rubbed on the closed lids. To dream of a catseye was said to warn of treachery. It was the Eye of Belus in old Assyria, and a talisman which made the wearer invisible to his enemies. Old Indian masters advise that the specimen worn be as perfect as possible, saying that bad stones should not be worn at all.
The Catseye is attached to the sign Capricorn.
CEYLONITE. (See [SPINEL].)