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Aetites, Eagle-Stone

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12
NATURAL HISTORY OF GEMS.
most important property is that of the stones that bring forth others."* This was the Pœonites, described by Pliny under that name, as reported to conceive at a certain time and bring forth another ; on that account very serviceable to women in labour ; found in Macedonia, and in appearance like water frozen. It was therefore a gem, as the feminine gender in the Greet denotes, not a mere rough stone, like the Aetites. Marbodus says of it—
" The mountains of the Macedonian bold Within their mines the Pajonites hold ; Unknown the cause, with imitative throes It heaves and all the pangs of childbirth knows. Hence pregnant women its protection bless In that last hour when travail's throes oppress."
This faculty of propagating its own species was after­wards attributed by mediaeval belief to the most precious of all, doubtless as being the most worthy of such a pri­vilege. " Ruœus relates that a lady of Heveren, belonging to a noble Luxemburgh family, possessed two diamonds, heirlooms, which frequently brought forth others, so that whoever inspected them at certain fixed intervals could clearly discern them giving birth unto an offspring of the same nature as their own."
Of the Aetites another most singular property is alluded to by Dioscorides,—that of detecting theft. His meaning is explained by the traditional practice of the Greek monks, described by De Boot from his own experience. " All the persons suspected of the theft being called together, the monk kneads up in their presence flour and water, sprinkled with the powder of this stone, repeating at the same time
* A statement that the sceptic Pliny would not accept for proved, though endorsed by the authority of his all-powerful patron Mucianus ' ter Consul.' "Idem Theophrastus et Mucianus esse aliquos lapides qui pariunt credunt."
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