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Asteria, Girasol Sapphires

Asteria, Girasol Sapphires Page of 384 Asteria, Girasol Sapphires Text size:minus plus Restore normal size   Mail page  Print this page
38                   NATURAL HISTORY OF GEMS.
the centre shines a star with the light of the full moon." Indeed this exactly applies to the Moon-stone, the Indian sort of which is incomparably superior to the European, and which presents upon its silver-grey surface that softly lustrous and full orb comparable to nothing except the luminary whence comes its name.
Or again the Cymophane (opalescent Chrysoberyl) may lay claim to the honour of Pliny's notice : for of all gems displaying the lunar orb floating upon their pallid ground, this is incomparably the most beautiful : and coming also from Ceylon may have had its charms appreciated by the Roman ladies. It possesses, too, the extreme hardness he specifies.
Plutarch (' On Eivers ') says that the Sangaris produces the gem called Aster, which is luminous in the dark, and therefore called Ballen, "the King," by the Phrygians. Ptolemy Hephasstion the astrologer describes a gem, Aste-rites, found in the belly of a huge fish named Pan, from its resemblance to that god. This, if exposed to the sun, shot forth flames, and was a powerful philtre. Helen used it for her own signet, engraved with a figure of the Pan-fish ; and owed to it all her conquests. Suidas quotes the same legend on the authority of iEsopus, reader to King Mithri-dates. The superstitious Asiatic evidently did not acquiesce in Tibullus' axiom—
" Forma nihil magicis utitur auxiliis." Beauty, resistless, craves not magic's aid.
Some, adds Pliny, derive the name of Astrion from the stone's property of imbibing and reflecting the light of the stars, if held opposite to them. The best sort was found in Carmania, being subject to no defects. The Ceraunia was the same thing but of inferior quality. The worst kind of all resembled the light from a lantern ; which means
Asteria, Girasol Sapphires Page of 384 Asteria, Girasol Sapphires
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