600 
The feven and thirtieth Booke 
SSS renee: 
Beas 
see BURG oiscy Sica sca Se 
THE XXXVII. BOOKE OF 
THE HISTORIE OF NATVRE, | 
WRITTEN BY C. PLINIVS 
SECVNDVS. 
g The Proeme: 
FEN? the end that nothing might be wanting to this byitorie of enine concerning Na- 
Cre | tures workes there remaine behind nothing but precious stones, wherein appeareth 
ay 1 
a | her majeflie, brought into a narrowand ftreight roume - and tofay a truth, in no 
a», | part of the world ws fhe more wonderfull,in many re{pects: whether you regard their 
S\ tiy\ | varietie colours matter or beautie; which arcfo rich and precious that many make 
ELEN confcience tofeale with them,think:ng it unlawfull to engrave any print in them,or 
to deminifh their honour and eftimation by that meanes.Some of them are reckoned tneftimable,or va- 
Lued at all the gocds of the world befides, infomuch as many men thinke fome one preciows floneor gem 
Sufficient, to behold therein the very perfection of Nature and her abfolute worke. Touching the firft 
invention of wearing {uch flones in jewels,and how it tooke firft root and grew afterwards to that height 
as all the world ist admiration thereof I bave alreadie [hewed in fome fort in my Treatife of gold and 
rings, And yet 1 will norconceale from you that which Poets doe fable of this matter, who would beare. 
usin hand,that all began at the rocke Cauca[us whereunto Prometheus was bound faft, whowas the 
fort that fer a litle fragment of this rocke within a peece of yron,which being dene about his finger,was 
thering,and the forefaid flone the gem: whereof the Pocks make much fooli{h moraliation. 
CHap. & 
O& Of the rich prectons flones of Polycratesthe Tyrant, and king Pyrthus. The firft 
lappidaries or cutters in precious ftones.Aad who was the firft that had acafe 
of rings and gems in Rome. ; 
TEER Rometheus having given this precedent, brought other ftones into great 
A= priceandcredit,infomuch as men were mightuly enamoured upon them: 
and Pelycrates of Samos, the puiflant prince and mightie monarch over 
all the Iflands andcoafts thereabout,inthe height of his felicitie & hap- 
Bal, piceftate,which himfelfe confefledto be exceffive;beeing troubled in his 
eR mind that he had tafted of no misfortune, and willing after a fort ro play 
meafure tofatisfie her inconftancie, was perfuaded in his mind that hee 
thould content her fufficiently by the voluntarie lofle of one gem that he had, and which hee fet 
fo great {tore by: thinking verely,that this one hearts greefe for parting from fo precious a jewell 
was fufficient to excufe & redeeme him from the fpightfull envie of that mutable goddeffe.See~ 
ing therefore the world to come upon him fuill,and no foure forrows entermingled with his {weet 
delights, in a wearineffe of this continuall bleflednefle he embarked himfelfe and{ailedintothe 
deepe,where wilfully hee flung into the fea a ting from hisfinger, together with thefaid ftone fo. 
precious, (ec therein. But fee what enfied? A mightie fith, even made as a man would fay forthe 
G é 
' at fortunes game, one while to win and another while toloofe, & infome . 
king, 
ia 
