450 ploy's natural HISTOET. [Book XXXVII. 



however, still more incredible, we have the evident untruthful- 

 ness of one assertion made about it, that it has the property of 

 silencing the winds. Gorgonia^" is nothing but a coral, which 

 has been thus named from the circumstance that, though soft 

 in the sea, it afterwards assumes the hardness of stone : it has 

 the property of counteracting fascinations,*^ it is said. Gonisea,*'^ 

 it is asserted, and with the same degree of untruthfulness, 

 ensures vengeance upon our enemies. 



CHAP. 60. — HELIOTROPIUM. HKPH.^STTTIS. HEEMT7AID010N. HEX- 

 ECONTALITHOS. HIEEACITIS. HAMMITIS. HAMMONIS COENTT. 

 HOfiMISCION. HY^NIA. H^MATITIS. 



Heliotropium*^ is found in Ethiopia, Africa, and Cyprus: 

 it is of a leek-green colour, streaked with blood-red veins. It 

 has been thus named,** from the circumstance that, if placed 

 in a vessel of water and exposed to the full light of the sun, 

 it changes to a reflected colour like that of blood ; this being 

 the case with the stone of Ethiopia more particularly. Out 

 of the water, too, it reflects the figure of the sun like a mirror, 

 and it discovers eclipses of that luminary by showing the 

 moon passing over its disk. In the use of this stone, also, we 

 have a most glaring illustration of the impudent effrontery 

 of the adepts in magic, for they say that, if it is combined with 

 the plant*^ heliotropium, and certain incantations are then re- 

 peated over it, it will render tlie person invisible who carries 

 it about him. 



Hephsestitis*^ also, though a radiant stone, partakes of the 

 properties of a mirror in reflecting objects. The mode of 

 testing it is to put it into boiling water, which sliould imme- 

 diately become cold. If exposed to the rays of the sun, it 

 should instantly cause dry fuel to ignite :" Corycus*^ is the 

 place where it is found. Hermuaidoion^^ is so called from the 



40 « Gorgon stone," The head of the Gorgon Medusa was fabled to turn 

 tliose into stone who looked upon it. ^^ See B. xxxii. c. 11. 



*2 This reading is very doubtful. 



*3 Now known as Heliotrope, bloodstone, or blood jasper. It is of a 

 deep-green colour, with red spots. ** " Turning under the sun." 



^= See B. xxii. c. 29. ^^ " Stone of Hephsestos" or " Vulcan." 



^"^ It acting as a burning-glass, probably. 



** See B. iv. c. 20, and B. v. c. 22. 



*^ " Genitals of Mercury." This singular etoiie does not appear to have 

 b'jen identified. See Note 9 above. 



