There is also another method of classifying stones; according to the resemblance which they bear to various other objects. Thus, for example, the different parts of the body give the following names to stones:—Hepatitis[3421] is so called from the liver; and steatitis[3422] from its resemblance to the fat of various animals. Adadunephros, adaduophthalmos, and adadudactylos, mean “kidney of Adad,” “eye of Adad,” and “finger of Adad,” a god[3423] of the Syrians so called. Triophthalmos[3424] is a stone found in conjunction with onyx, which resembles three human eyes at once.
CHAP. 72.—PRECIOUS STONES WHICH DERIVE THEIR NAMES FROM ANIMALS. CARCINIAS. ECHITIS. SCORPITIS. SCARITIS. TRIGLITIS. ÆGOPHTHALMOS. HYOPHTHALMOS. GERANITIS. HIERACITIS. AETITIS. MYRMECITIS. CANTHARIAS. LYCOPHTHALMOS. TAOS. TIMICTONIA.
Other stones, again, derive their names from various animals. Carcinias[3425] is so called from the colour of the sea-crab; echitis,[3426] from the colour of the viper; scorpitis,[3427] from either the colour or the shape of the scorpion; scaritis, from the fish called scarus;[3428] triglitis, from the sur-mullet;[3429] ægophthalmos, from the eye of the goat; hyophthalmos, from the eye of the swine; geranitis, from the neck of the crane; hieracitis, from the neck of the hawk; and aëtitis, from the colour of the white-tailed eagle. Myrmecitis[3430] presents the appearance of an ant crawling within, and cantharias,[3431] of a scarabæus. Lycophthalmos[3432] is a stone of four different colours; on the exterior it is ruddy and blood-red, and within it is black, surrounded with a line of white, closely resembling the eye of the wolf in every respect. Taos[3433] is a stone with colours like those of the peacock. Timictonia, I find, is the name of a stone, like the asp in colour.
CHAP. 73.—PRECIOUS STONES WHICH DERIVE THEIR NAMES PROM OTHER OBJECTS. HAMMOCHRYSOS. CENCHRITIS. DRYITIS. CISSITIS. NARCISSITIS. CYAMIAS. PYREN. PHŒNICITIS. CHALAZIAS. PYRITIS. POLYZONOS. ASTRAPÆA. PHLOGITIS. ANTHRACITIS. ENHYGROS. POLYTHRIX. LEONTIOS. PARDALIOS. DROSOLITHOS. MELICHRUS. MELICHLOROS. CROCIAS. POLIAS. SPARTOPOLIAS. RHODITIS. CHALCITIS. SYCITIS. BOSTRYCHITIS. CHERNITIS. ANANCITIS. SYNOCHITIS. DENDRITIS.
Hammochrysos[3434] resembles sand in appearance, but sand mixed with gold. Cenchritis[3435] has all the appearance of grains of millet scattered here and there. Dryitis[3436] resembles the trunk of a tree, and burns like wood. Cissitis,[3437] upon a white, transparent surface, has leaves of ivy running all over it. Narcissitis[3438] is distinguished by veins on the surface, and has a smell like that of the narcissus. Cyamias[3439] is a black stone, but when broken, produces a bean to all appearance. Pyren[3440] is so called from its resemblance to an olive-stone: in some cases it would appear to contain the back-bone[3441] of a fish. Phœnicitis[3442] resembles a palm-date in form. Chalazias[3443] resembles a hailstone, both in form and colour: it is as hard as adamant, so much so, indeed, that in the fire even it retains its coolness, it is said. Pyritis,[3444] though a black stone, burns the fingers when rubbed by them. Polyzonos[3445] is a black stone traversed by numerous zones of white.
Astrapæa[3446] has rays like flashes of lightning, running across the middle on a ground of white or blue. In phlogitis,[3447] there is, to all appearance, a flame burning within, but not reaching the surface of the stone. In anthracitis,[3448] there are sometimes sparks, to all appearance, flying to and fro. Enhygros[3449] is always perfectly round, smooth, and white; but when it is shaken a liquid is heard to move within, just like the yolk within an egg. Polythrix[3450] presents the appearance of hair upon a green surface; but it causes the hair to fall off, it is said. Leontios and pardalios[3451] are names given to stones, from their resemblance to the skin of the lion and panther. Drosolithos[3452] has received its name from its colour. Melichrus is a honey-coloured stone, of which there are several varieties. Melichloros[3453] is a stone of two colours, partly honey-coloured, partly yellow. Crocias[3454] is the name given to a stone which reflects a colour like that of saffron; polias, to a stone resembling white hair in colour; and spartopolias, to a stone more thinly sprinkled with white.
Rhoditis is like the rose in colour, chalcitis resembles copper, and sycitis[3455] is in colour like a fig. Bostrychitis[3456] is covered with branches of a white or blood-red colour, upon a ground of black; and chernitis[3457] has, on a stony surface, a figure like that of two hands grasping each other. Anancitis[3458] is used in hydromancy, they say, for summoning the gods to make their appearance; and synochitis,[3459] for detaining the shades from below when they have appeared. If white dendritis[3460] is buried beneath a tree that is being felled, the edge of the axe will never be blunted, it is asserted. There are many other stones also, of a still more outrageously marvellous nature, to which, admitted as it is that they are stones, barbarous names have been given: we have refuted, however, a quite sufficient number of these portentous lies already.
CHAP. 74. (12.)—PRECIOUS STONES THAT SUDDENLY MAKE THEIR APPEARANCE. COCHLIDES.
New species of precious stones are repeatedly brought into existence, and fresh ones are found all at once, destitute of names. Thus, for example, there was a stone formerly discovered in the gold-mines of Lampsacus, which, on account of its extraordinary beauty, was sent to King Alexander, as we learn from Theophrastus.[3461] Cochlides,[3462] too, which are now so common, are rather artificial productions than natural, and in Arabia there have been found vast masses of them; which are boiled, it is said, in honey, for seven days and nights without intermission. By doing this, all earthy and faulty particles are removed; after which, the mass, thus cleansed and purified, is adorned by the ingenuity of artists with variegated veins and spots, and cut into such shapes as may be most to the taste of purchasers. Indeed, these articles, in former times, were made of so large a size, that they were employed in the East as frontals for the horses of kings, and as pendants for their trappings.[3463]