Chap. 05.J THE AMETHYST, ETC. TINTS. 449 



of the pelagiae to exceed fifty, 7 and that of the buccinum one 

 hundred sesterces for one hundred pounds. 8 



CHAP. 65. THE AMETHYST, THE TYRIAN, THE HYSGINIAN, AND 

 THE CRIMSON TINTS. 



But no sooner have we finished with one branch of this 

 subject than we have to begin upon another, for we find that 

 it is made quite a matter of sport to create expense ; and not 

 only this, but the sport must be doubled by making new mix- 

 tures and combinations, and falsifying over again what was 

 a falsification of the works of Nature already ; such, for in- , 

 stance, as staining tortoise-shell, 9 alloying gold with silver for 

 the purpose of making electrum, 10 and then adding copper to 

 the mixture to make Corinthian metal. 11 



(41.) It was not sufficient to have borrowed from a precious 

 stone the name of " amethyst" for a dye, but when we have ob- 

 tained this colour we must drench it over again with Tyrian 

 tints, 12 so that we may have an upstart name 13 compounded of 

 both, and at the same moment a two-fold display of luxury ; 

 for as soon as ever people have succeeded in obtaining the 

 conchyliated colour, they immediately begin to think that it 

 will do better as a state of transition to the Tyrian hues. 

 There can be little doubt that this invention is due to some 

 artist who happened to change his mind, and alter a tint 

 with which he was not pleased : hence a system has taken its 

 rise, and spirits, ever on the rack for creating wonders, have 

 transformed what was originally a blunder into something 

 quite desirable ; while, at the same time, a double path has 



7 There can be little doubt that Salmasius is right in his conjecture that 

 the reading here should be " quingentos," " five hundred," instead of "quin- 

 quagenos," " fifty :" as it is evident from what Pliny has said in previous 

 Chapters, that the juices of the .pelagia were considerably more valuable 

 than those of the buccinum. 



8 He states this by way of warning to those who are in the habit of 

 paying enormous prices for dyes, such as one hundred denarii for a pound, 

 as mentioned in the last Chapter. 



9 This is mentioned more fully in B. xvi. c. 84. 



10 See B. xxxiii. c. 23. Electrum was an artificial metal, resembling 

 amber in colour, and consisting of gold alloyed with one-fifth part of 

 silver. 



11 See B. xxxiv. c. 3. It was a mixture of gold, silver, and copper. 



12 Described at the end of c. 62. 



13 " Nomen improbum." 



TOL. IT. G- G 



