Chap. 34.] GAGATES. 361 



like honey. Eruised and incorporated with wax, it is curative 

 of pituitous eruptions, spots upon the skin, and ulcerations of 

 the fauces. It removes epinyctis^^ also, and, applied as a pes- 

 sary, in wool, it alleviates pains in the uterus. 



CHAP. 34. GAGATES : SIX liEMEDIES. 



Gagates^'' is a stone, so called from Gages, the name of a 

 town and river in Lycia.^^ It is asserted, too, that at Leu- 

 coUa^^ the sea throws it up, and that it is found over a space 

 twelve stadia in extent. It is black, smooth, light, and porous, 

 differs but little from wood in appearance,^^* is of a brittle 

 texture, and emits a disagreeable odour®" when rubbed. Marks 

 made upon pottery with this stone cannot be effaced. When 

 burnt, it gives out a sulphureous smell ; and it is a singular 

 fact, that the application of water ignites it, while that of oil 

 quenches it.®^ The fumes of it, burnt, keep serpents at a dis- 

 tance, and dispel hysterical affections : they detect a tendency 

 also to epilepsy,^- and act as a test of virginity.®^ A. decoction 

 of this stone in wine is curative of tooth-ache ; and, in combina- 

 tion with wax, it is good for scrofula. The magicians, it is 

 said, make use of gagates in the practice of what they call 



ble that it derived its .name from /xeXt, "honey," in consequence of its 

 colour than by reason of its supposed sweet juices. The Mellite, Melli- 

 tite, or Honey-stone of modern Mineralogy, also known as Mellate of 

 Alumina, has its name from its honey-yellow colour. It is found in Thu- 

 ringia, Moravia, and Bohemia ; but most probably was unknown in the 

 days of Pliny. 56 gee B. xx. cc. 6, 21. 



^■^ Our jet, which somewhat resembles cannel-coal, and is found in clay 

 soils. 



5^ See B. V. c. 28, where a place called " Gagae" is mentioned. In Note 

 6 to that Chapter, " gagates" is erroneously rendered " agate." 



59 See B. V. c. 26. 



5^* This comparison is not inapt, as it is closely akin to Lignite, or brown 

 coal. 



^^ A bituminous and animal odour, Ajasson says, quite peculiar to itself. 



^^.He has borrowed this erroneous assertion, probably, from JMicander, 

 who, with Pliny, says the same of the "Thracian stone," which has not been 

 identified, but is supposed to have been a sort of coal. See B. xxxiii. c. 30. 



^2 This is, probably, the meaning of "sonticus morbus," a disease, 

 which, according to the jurists, excused those afiected with it, from attend- 

 ing in courts of justice. 



^^ Albertus Magnus, De Mineral, B. ii., says that if it is given in water to 

 a female, it will have a diuretic eflect immediately, if she is not in a state 

 of virginity, and that the contrary will be the case if she is. 



