Chap. 66.] PONTICA. 455 



globular form, and proof against the action of fire. Ostracias/^ 

 or ostracitis, is a testaceous stone, harder than ceramitis/ and 

 similar in all respects to achates,^ except that the latter has 

 an unctuous appearance when polished : indeed, so remark- 

 ably hard is ostracitis, that with fragments of it other gems are 

 engraved. Ostritis^ receives its name from its resemblance to 

 an oyster-shell. Ophicardelon is the barbarian name for a 

 stone of a black colour, terminated by a white line on either 

 side. Of Obsian* stone we have already spoken in the pre- 

 ceding Book. There are gems, too, of the same name and 

 colour, found not only in Ethiopia and India, but in Samnium 

 as well, and, in the opinion of some, upon the Spanish shores 

 that lie towards the Ocean. 



CHAP. 66. PANCHRUS. PANGONUS. PANEEOS OR PANERASTOS. 



PONTICA ; FOUR VARIETIES OF IT. PHLOGINOS OR CHRYSITIS. 

 PHGENICITIS. PHYCITIS. PERILEIICOS. P^ANITIS OR G^ANIS. 



Panchrus^ is a stone which displays nearly every colour. 

 Pangonus^ is no longer than the finger : the only thing that 

 })revents it from being taken for a crystal, is, its greater number 

 of angles. What kind of stone paneros' is, Metrodorus does 

 not inform us ; but he gives some lines, by no means without 

 elegance, that were written upon this stone by Queen Timaris, 

 and dedicated to Venus ; from which we have reason to con- 

 clude that certain fecundating virtues were attributed to it. By 

 some writers it is called panerastos.^ Of the stone called 

 *' pontica"^ there are numerous varieties : one is stellated, and 

 presents either blood-red spots, or drops like gold, being reck- 

 oned in the number of the sacred stones. Another, in place of 

 stars, has streaks of the same colour, and a fourth presents all 

 the appearance of mountains and valleys. 



^^ " Shell-stone." Not the same, probably, as the Cadmitis or Ostracitis 

 mentioned in Chapter 56 of this Book. See B. xxxvi. c. 31, where a stone 

 of this name is also mentioned. Horn-stone, probably, a Chalcedonj', more 

 brittle than flint, is meant in the present passage. 



^ See Chapter 56 of this Book. ^ ggg the beginning of Chapter 54. 



3 " Oyster-stone." ^ See B. xxxvi. chap. 67 ; our " Obsidian." 



* '* Of all colours." Either Opal, Ajasson thinks, or Iridized hyalin quartz. 



^ *' All corners." Ajasson seems to think that this may have been 

 Hyalin quartz. '' " Worthy of all love." 



^ Of the same meaning as ''paneros." 



s " Gem of Pontus." According to Desfontaines, these stones are 

 identified, by some with agates, by others with sapphires. 



