Chap 40.] AMETHTSTOS. 433 



those of a purple colour, or whose tints are derived from purple. 

 To the first rank belongs the amethystos''^ of India ; a stone 

 -svhich is also found in the part of Arabia that adjoins Syria 

 and is known as Petra, as also in Lesser Arnaenia, Egypt, and 

 Galatia ; the very worst of all, and the least valued, being those 

 of Thasos and Cyprus. The name which these stones bear, 

 originates, it is said, in the peculiar tint of their brilliancy, 

 which, after closely approaching the colour of wine, passes off 

 into a violet without being fully pronounced ; or else, accord- 

 ing to some authorities, in the fact that in their purple there 

 is something that falls short of a fiery colour, the tints fading 

 off and inclining to the colour of wine. 



All these stones are transparent and of an agreeable violet 

 colour, and are easy'® to engrave. Those of India have in 

 perfection the very richest shades of purple, and it is to attain 

 this colour that the dyers''^ in purple direct all their endeavours ; 

 it presenting a fine mellowed appearance to the eye, and not 

 dazzling the sight, as in the case with the colours of the carbun- 

 culus. Another variety approaches more nearly the hyacinth 

 in colour : the people of India call this tint ''socon," and the 

 stone itself " socondion," A third stone of this class is of a 

 more diluted colour, and is known as " sapenos," being iden- 

 tical with *' pharanitis," so called from a country'^'^ on the 

 frontiers of Arabia that produces it. Of a fourth kind, the 

 colour is like that of wine ; and in a fifth it borders very closely 

 upon that of crystal, the purple gradually passing off into 

 white. This last kind is but little valued ; for a fine amethyst 

 should always have, when viewed sideways"^ and held up to the 

 light, a certain purple refulgence, like that of carbunculus, 

 slightly inclining to a tint of rose. 



Some prefer giving these stones the name of " psederos"^" or 



''^ So called, according to some authorities, from a, "not," fxiOvo), "to 

 intoxicate," on account of its being a supposed preservative against inebriety. 

 Ajassonis of opinion that Pliny does not here speaks of the Quartz Ame- 

 tliyst of modern mineralogy, but only the Oriental Amethyst, violet Sap- 

 piiire, or violet Corundum. It is not improbable, however, that he includes 

 them all, as well as violet Fluor spar, and some other purple stones; inclusive, 

 possibly, of the Garnet. 



'^ He is probably speaking here of violet Fluor spar ; Oriental amethyst, 

 or violet sapphire, it is next to impossible to engrave. '''' See B. ix. c. 62. 



■'^ The city of Pharan, mentioned by St. Jerome and Eusebius. 



''9 " In suspectu." See B. xxi. c. 22. 



^0 "Lovely youth." The Onal has been thus called in Chapter 22. 



VOL. VI, r F 



