382 pliny's natueal history. [Book XXXVI. 



for jewellery, and I mj^self have seen solid statnes°^ in this 

 material of the late Emperor Augustus, of very considerable 

 thickness. That prince consecrated, in the Temple of Con- 

 cord, as something marvellous, four figures of elephants made 

 of Obsian stone. Tiberius Caesar, too, restored to the people 

 of Heliopolis, as an object of ceremonial worship, an image in 

 this stone, which had been found among the property left by 

 one of the proefects of Egypt. It was a figure of Menelaiis ; a 

 circumstance which goes far towards proving that the use of 

 tliis material is of more ancient date than is generally sup- 

 posed, confounded as it is at the present day with glass, by 

 reason of its resemblance. Xenocrates says that Obsian stone 

 is found in India also, and in Samnium in Italy; and that it 

 is a natural product of Spain, upon the coasts which border 

 on the Ocean. '*- 



There is an artificial Obsian stone, made of coloured glass 

 for services for the table ; and there is also a glass that is red 

 all through, and opaque, known as " lisematinum."^^ A dead 

 white glass, too, is made, as also other kinds in imitation of mur- 

 rhine^^ colour, hyacinthine, sapphire, and every other tint: 

 indeed, there is no material of a more pliable^^ nature than 

 this, or better suited for colouring. Still, however, the 

 highest value is set upon glass tliat is entirely colourless and 

 transparent, as nearly as possible resembling crystal, in fact. 

 Eor drinking-vessels, glass has quite superseded the use of 

 silver and gold ; but it is unable to stand heat unless a 

 cold liquid is poured in first. And yet, we find that globular 

 glass vessels, filled with water, when brought in contact with 

 the rays of the suu,^^ become heated to such a degree as to 

 cause articles of clothing to ignite. "When broken, too, glass 

 admits of being joined by the agency of heat ; but it cannot 



91 A thing very difficult to be done, as Beckmann observes, by reason 

 of its brittleness. ^' The present Portugal. 



Vi ♦' Blood- red" glass. 



91 See B. xxxvii. cc. 7, 8, 11. This glass was probably of an opal 

 colour, like porcelain. 



^^ This passage is commented upon by Beckmann, Vol. II. p. 75, in 

 connexion with a similar passage in Isidorus, Orig., which is probably cor- 

 rupt, 



98 See B, xxxvii. c. 10. He was not aware, apparentlj', that in such case 

 they act as convex burning-glasses, and that ice even may be similarly 

 employed. 



