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BOOK VI
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121
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darker.
It is found in the mines of Misena and Bohemia and in many-quartz
localities. According to Horus it occurs in Persia and is much harder
than our mineral, in fact, by comparison, our mineral is soft and
fragile. Horus writes that it is a remedy for mongoose bite when burned
and pulverized. Quartz that does not have an angular form will not
throw a rainbow on a nearby wall but does throw a similar group of
colors. This is sufficient concerning quartz and iris.9
Nature
sometimes produces a gem from the same essence as that of quartz but
with more than six angles and for that reason it is called pangonius by the Greeks (from ταν, all, ywvia, angle).
This mineral is rarely found in the same places as quartz but when it
is, it has the same color and transparency but is smoother. When found
by itself it is usually dark and full of small pits like a honeycomb.
Crystals having twelve sides and terminated with a point, like quartz,
are found along the Aller and Ochus rivers. Pliny writes that it is
never found longer than three-quarters of an inch but some are found
longer than this, although they are usually shorter.
Diamond
is formed from an essence not dissimilar to that of quartz but having
been congealed by a more intense cold. It takes its name, adamas, from the fact that it cannot be affected by either iron or fire. It is also called anachites because
it sets one free from idle fears by its constant sparkle according to
the belief of some. It forms in mines in Ethiopia, India, Arabia,
Macedonia and Cyprus. It is found with gold between the temple of
Mercury and the Island of Meroe, Ethiopia. The Arabian stones are found
with the very purest gold; the Macedonian stones, at Philippi. The
Cyprian stones are found in copper mines while the Indian stones are
found unassociated with other minerals. The color of both the
Ethiopian and Macedonian crystals is similar to cucumber seeds; the
Indian, colorless; the Arabian, tinted; the Cyprian, inclined toward
brass-yellow. The Indian stones are the most transparent. Diamonds that
have the same luster as iron are called siderites. Pliny does not mention the place where these occur.
The
Indian stones are sometimes found the size of a hazelnut; the Arabian
diamonds are smaller; the Ethiopian and Macedonian no larger than a
cucumber seed. A stone no larger than a millet seed is called cenchros. Diamond
often has the same color and smoothness as quartz. It is often found in
colorless hexagonal crystals that terminate in a point. According to
Pliny the Indian stones are sometimes found having the appearance of
two cones joined together at their bases. They may be perfectly smooth.
9 Agricola distinguishes between crystals of quartz, crystallus, and massive crystalline quartzose rocks, quarzum. It is rather unusual that no mention of the name quarzum is made in this work since he wrote as follows in Bermannus in 1529.
Ancon. "I see several kinds of rocks here.
Bermannus.
"A large number. . . . Another genus is this one which is seen to be
transparent at times, at times very white, light yellow or bluish gray.
Our people call it quarzum."
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