238 plint's ttatueal histoet. [Book XXXV. 



and two pounds of Greek meliniim,"^ well mixed and triturated 

 together for twelve successive days, produce '* leucophoron,"" 

 a cement used for applying gold-leaf to wood. 



CHAP. 18. PAEiETONrDM. 



Paraetonium^® is so called from the place"^ of that name in 

 Egypt. It is sea-foam,^" they say, solidified with slime, and 

 hence it is that minute shells are often found in it. It is pre- 

 pared also in the Isle of Crete, and at Cyrenae. At Eorae, it is 

 adulterated with Cimolian^^ earth, boiled and thickened. The 

 price of that of the highest quality is fifty denarii per six 

 pounds. This is the most unctuous of all the white colours, 

 and the most tenacious as a coating for plaster, the result of 

 its smoothness. 



CHAP. 19. MELINUir: six EEMEDIES. CEEUSE. 



Melinum, too, is a white colour, the best being the produce 

 of the Isle of Melos."^^ It is found also in Samos ; but this 

 last kind is never used by painters, in consequence of its being 

 too unctuous. The persons employed in extracting it, lie at 

 full length upon the ground, and search for the veins among the 

 rocks. In medicine it is employed for much the same purposes 

 as eretria f^ in addition to which, it dries the tongue, acts as 

 a depilatory, and has a soothing effect. The price of it is one 

 sestertius per pound. 



The third of the white pigments is ceruse, the nature of 

 which we have already^* explained when speaking of the ores 

 of lead ; there was also a native ceruse, formerly found on the 



26 A white earth from the Isle of Melos. See Chapter 19. 



27 See B, xxxiii. c. 20. *' One may readily conceive that this must have 

 been a ferruginous ochre, or kind of bole, which is still used as a ground, 

 poliment, assiette." — Beckmann, Hist. Inv. Vol. II. p. 294, liohn's Edition. 



'^ A white, much used for fresco painting. Ajasson is of opinion, that 

 riiny, in this Chapter, like the other ancient authors, confounds two earths 

 that are, in reality, totally diflferent.— Hydrosilicate of magnesia, or Steatite, 

 and Rhomboidical carbonate of lime. ^9 gee B. v. c. 6. 



30 Ajasson thinks that possibly our compact magnesite, meerschaum, or 

 sea-foam, may be the substance here alluded to. 



31 See Chapter 57 of this Book. 



32 See B. iv. c. 33. Tournefort says that this earth is exactly similar 

 to the Ciraolian earth, described iu Chapter 57. 



33 See B. xxxiii. c. 57, and Chapter 21 of this Book. 

 3* In B. xxxiv. c. 54. 



