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98 · NATURAL HISTORY OF GEMS.
terus,
or more probably his Chrysoberyllus ; " a Beryl, paler green, which
goes off into a golden lustre :" a description applying indeed better
to our Indian Chrysolite than to any species of the true Beryl. For
Epiphanius states that it is found in the deep quarry or shaft (öñßáç äéðÅôñù),
near Babylon ; and Dion. Periegetes notices as the sole productions of
that region its vast palm-groves, and the " Beryl, enclosed in the
rocks of Serpentine." Powdered, and taken in drink, it was held a
panacea for all complaints of the chest and bowels. The modern
Chryso-béryl (p. 51) when opalescent becomes the Cymophane
(wave-shower), only found in Siberia, and the most beautiful of stones
: a wave of silver floats upon its golden green surface as it is turned
towards the light, and plays therein with the vivacity of the Opal. It
evidently was unknown until quite recently, and is as yet extremely
rare in jewelry, and fetches a very high price. (See Cat's-eye,)
Pliny's
Craterites, or " Stone of Strength," of a tinge between the
Chrysolithus and Amber, and noted for its extremely hard nature, may
with reason be supposed, on the ground of the latter quality, only an
epithet of the Oriental Topaz.
It would appear that all this class of stones were esteemed in proportion to the depth of orange they possessed, for yellow was certainly not a colour admired by the Rotuans, except in Jiair. Pliny notices, speaking of gold, that its colour was not esteemed the finest of all either in gems or
in other things. This was therefore the reason why their engravers
neglected so completely the Yellow Rock-crystal, whilst the Purple was
such a favourite with them.
The
mineralogists of the Lower Empire certainly applied the name
Chrysolithus in the sense it bears at present. This is deducible from
the remark of Epiphanius above quoted: and placed beyond a doubt by the
definition of it
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