Chap. 6.] THE HIOHT OF WEARING GOLD RINGS. 79 



wearing rings, Neither in the countries of the East, 74 nor 

 in Egypt, is any use made of seals, the people being content 

 with simple writing only. 75 



In this, as in every other case, luxury has introduced various 

 fashions, either hy adding to rings gems of exquisite brilliancy, 

 and so loading the lingers with whole revenues, as we shall 

 have further occasion to mention in our iJook on Gems; ;e or 

 else hy engraving them with various devices : so that it is in 

 one instance the workmanship, in another the material, that 

 constitutes the real value of the ring. Then again, in the 

 case of other gems, luxury has deemed it no less than sacrilege 

 to make a mark 77 even upon them, and. has caused them to be sot 

 whole, that no one may suppose that the ring was ever intended 

 to he employed as a signet. In other instances, luxury has 

 willed that certain stones, on the side even that is concealed ly 

 the linger, should not Tb be closed in with gold, thus making 

 gold of less account than thousands of tiny pebbles. On the 

 other hand again, many persons will admit of no gems being 

 net in their rings, but impress their seal with the gold 7 * itself, 

 uii invention which dates from the reign of Claudius Ciesar. 

 At the present day, too, the very slaves even, incase their iron 

 rings with gold (while other articles belonging to them, they 

 decorate with pure gold),** a licence which lirst originated in 

 the Isle of Samothruce/ 1 as the name given to the invention 

 clearly shows, 



74 This is an erroneous assertion, both ns to the East, and as to Egypt. 

 Sec instances to (lie contrary in Genesis, c. xli. v. 42; and in Esther, c. iiL 

 verses 10, 12, and c. viii. verses '2, 8, 10. 



75 "Literis contcnta solis." 



76 The Thirty-seventh l!ook. Sec also his remarks in B. ii. c. 63 : 

 41 We tear out earth's entrails in order to extract the gems with which wo 

 may load our finders. How many hands are worn down that one little joint 

 may be ornamented !" Martial, Kpigr. B. v. Ep. 11, speaks of his friend 

 Stella as wearing on the joint of one finger lardinyxer, emeralds, and 

 jaspers. 77 '* Yiolari." Sec B. *' v *ivii. c. 1. 



7tf A fashion much followed at the present day. 



79 This also is a not uncommon fashion at the present day. 



* From the "Trinunimuh" of Plautus, A. iv. s. 4. we learn that the ring 

 worn by hlaves was called ''comlalium." From the ''Truculentus" of Plaii- 

 tus we Irani also that these rings were sometimes made of bronze. The 

 "jus nmili," or right of wearing a gold ring, was never conceded to slaves. 



bl See B. iv. c.'U'J. In the Oiigines of Isidorus Hiipnleniis, B. xix. c. 

 32, we find mention made of *' A Samothracian gld ring, with an iron 

 bc/.il, so called from thy place of its invention." 1'liny has already niude 



