BOOK XXXV. xviii. 36-.XX1. 38 



the most tenacious for plasters because of its smooth- 

 ness. 



XIX. Melinum» also is a white colour, the best 

 occurring in the island of Melos. It is found in 

 Samos also, but the Samian is not used by painters, 

 because it is excessively greasy. It is dug up in 

 Samos by people lying on the ground and searching 

 for a vein among the rocks. It has the same use in 

 medicine as earth of Eretria ; it also dries the tongue 

 by contact, and acts as a depilatory, with an abrasive, 

 effect. It costs a sesterce a pound. 



The third of the white pigments is ceruse or lead 

 acetate, the nature of which we have stated in xxxiv, 

 speaking of the ores of lead. There was also once a ^^'^* 

 native ceruse earth'' found on the estate of Theodotus 

 at Smyrna, which was employed in old days for 

 painting ships. At the present time all ceruse is 

 manufactured from lead and vinegar, as we said. 



XX. Burnt ceruse was discovered by accident, ceruse, etc. 

 when some was burnt up in jars in a fire at Piraeus. 



It was first employed by Nicias above mentioned. 

 Asiatic ceruse is now thought the best ; it is also 

 called purple ceruse and it costs 6 denarii per Ib. It § 327. 

 is also made at Rome by calcining yellow ochre 

 which is as hard as marble and quenching it M'ith 

 vinegar. Burnt ceruse is indispensable for repre- 

 senting shadows. 



XXI. Eretrian earth^ is named from the country 

 that produces it. It was employed by Nicomachus 

 and Parrhasius. It has coohng and emollient effects 

 and fills up wounds ; if boiled it is prescribed as a 

 desiccative, and is useful for pains in the head and 

 for detecting internal suppurations, as these are 



See note * on § 30. 



289 



