326 PLIXY'S NATUEAL HISTOET. [Book XXI. 



the fact, as they state, that its leaves are white in the morning, 

 purple at midday, and azure 63 * at sunset. There are two 

 varieties of it, the field polium, which is larger, and the wild, 64 

 which is more diminutive. Some persons give it the name of 

 " teuthrion." 65 The leaves resemble the white hairs of a 

 human being ; they take their rise immediately from the root, 

 and never exceed a palm in height. 



CHAP. 22. (8.) FABRICS WHICH RIVAL THE COLOURS OF FLOWERS. 



We have now said enough on the subject of the odoriferous 

 flowers ; in relation to which, luxury not only glories in having 

 vanquished Nature in the' composition of unguents, but has 

 even gone so far as to challenge, in her fabrics, those flowers 

 which are more particularly recommended by the beauty of 

 their tints. I remark that the following are the three princi- 

 pal 66 colours; the red, that of the kermes 67 for instance, which, 

 beginning in the tints of the rose, reflects, when viewed 68 side- 

 ways and held up to the light, the shades that are found in the 

 Tynan purple, 69 and the colours of the dibapha 70 and Laconian ! 

 cloths: the amethystine colour, which is borrowed from the 

 violet, and to which, bordering as it does on the purple, we 

 have given the name of " ianthinum " 71 it must, however, be 

 remembered, that we here give a general name to a colour 

 which is subdivided into numerous tints and a third, properly 

 known as the " conchy Hated " colour, but which comprehends 



63 * This marvel is related by Dioscorides in reference to the Tripolium, 

 and not the Folium. 



64 The Teucrium montanum, probably, of Linnaeus. 



65 This name belongs, properly, to the wild or mountain Poliura. 



66 Principales." The meaning of this term is explained at the end of 

 this Chapter. Red, yellow, and blue or else, red, green, and violet, are 

 probably the primary colours of light. 



67 See B. ix. c. 65, and B. xvi. c. 12. He alludes to the Coccus ilicis 

 cf Linnaaus. 



68 See B. xxxvii. c. 40, as to the meaning of the word " Suspectus." 

 This passage, however, as Sillig remarks, is hopelessly corrupt. 



68 See B. ix. cc. 60, 63. 



70 "Doubly-dyed," or " twice dipped," in purple. See B. ix. c. 63. 

 Littre remarks here that, according to Doctor Bizio, it was the Murex 

 braiidaris that produced the Tyrian purple, and the Murex trunculus the 

 amethystine purple. 



71 Q r violet-colour." See B. xxxvii. c. 40. 



73 For further information on these tints, see B. ix. cc. 64, 65. 



