|
220 NATURAL HISTORY OF GEMS.
"
Nomen a loco : vulgus in nigra radice cœrulea facie." But the older
definition, quoted from Iacchus, shows the name originally designated
the Sardonyx cut across tho layers, for he makes the stone
distinguished by veins (bands) of Sard and black passing across a
transparent white ground, " per album sardœ nigrajque venis
transeuntibus" (xxxvii. 54). Köhler supposes, with good reason, that
the first-mentioned two-coloured gem is Pliny's Arabian Sardonyx, "
which retained no trace of the Sard," for if the third and uppermost
layer of the Sardonyx be removed, the remaining two will give us the
very characters in question.
This is the Nicolo of the Italians, a corruption of Onicolo, " a little Onyx," still called by the Germans Onykel : a traditionary name affording in itself a strong testimony that this was anciently the Onyx par eminence ; and, as a diminutive, presenting a curious analogy with the original name ïíý÷ùí. A
most preposterous derivation for the modern title is indeed current,
that the stone was so called after a certain famous (and fabulous)
artist Nicolo, who worked in it in preference to any other ; equally
ridiculous with that deduced by old Camillo from Nicolaus, signifying
in Greek the " conqueror of nations," in virtue of which designation
the gem makes the wearer victorious in battle ! A remark of the
Pesarese Esculapius nevertheless valuable as testifying to the
existence of the name Nicolo for this gem amongst the Italians of the
15th century.
This
variety, or more correctly speaking, this method of cutting the stone
and giving it its characteristic appearance, was unknown in Grecian
art, the intagli occurring in it being invariably in the Roman manner,
and in style all posterior to the reign of Nero. Infinitely the most
splendid specimen both for natural quality and for art that has come
under my notice was Hertz's, the gem, of his cabinet, an oval nearly two inches high, of the richest blue and
|
||
|
|
||