Introdnctioti. xv 



That the cowry shell was consecrated to Venus 

 and that the beliefs associated with it had long been 

 current in the Mediterranean is clear from the writings 

 of Pliny (Bk. IX., chap. 41). In the Defence made by 

 Apiileius against the charge of sorcery these ideas con- 

 cerning the cowry's magical properties are discussed.'' 



Later on I shall explain how the ])roperties of cowries 

 became transferred in some part to pearls. In the notes 

 on Pliny's Natural History (Bohn's PIdition, 1855), Dr. 

 Bostock and Mr. H. T. Riley (Vol. II., p. 433) refer to 

 the habits of dog-fishes ("Canes marini"), and quote 

 from Procopius (De Bell. Pers. B. i, c. 4) the following 

 "wonderful story in relation to this subject" : — " sea-dogs 

 are wonderful admirers of the pearl-fish, and follow them 

 out to sea. ... A certain fisherman, having watched for 

 the moment when the shell-fish was deprived of the pro- 

 tection of its attendant sea-dog, . . . seized the shell-fish 

 and made for the shore. The sea-dog, however, was soon 

 aware of the theft, and making straight for the fisherman, 

 seized hiin. Poinding himself thus caught, he made a last 

 effort, and threw the pearl-fish on shore, immediately on 

 which he was torn to pieces by its protector." 



This legend is linked by numerous bonds of coiniexion 

 with the stories of dragon-protectors of pearls and also 

 with those relating to dolphins. It would take me too 

 far afield to discuss its genesis here, but there can be little 

 doubt that it is a garbled version of the dangers from 

 sharks incurred by divers for pearls and conch shells in 

 the Indian Ocean {^&q postea, p. 88). In the Far Kast the 

 shark is replaced by the dragon (see postea, p. 103). I 

 have referred to this matter only because I believe it will 



'■ " .Apvlei Apologia," with Introciuction and Commentary by Profes.sor 

 II. E. Butler, and A. S. Owen, Oxford, 1914, §33 and 34, and especially the 

 notes upon them. 



