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270 NATURAL HISTORY OF GEMS.
would not have been described by Pliny as stars, implying a certain definite form, but as gold-dust, the term he uses for the similar appearance in the Lapis-lazuli.
An ingenious derivation for " Avonturine " bas been offered in the " Apanturin," panther-stone, a
name given to a species of Jasper in the Targum of Jonathan-Ben-Uzziel,
composed in the sixth century. But the "Pantheros" is actually
described by Marbodus, after some ancient authority now lost, as
coloured with black and white, red, green, rose and purple ; a
character, totally unfitting the aventurine quartz, but exactly
applying to the Brocatella Agate. It cannot be by an accidental
coincidence that Orpheus had before given these very same colours, in
spots, to the kind of Agate, the most esteemed for its protective
virtues, which he calls the " Leontoseros," highly extolled by the
demi-gods of old. Now the specific virtue assigned by Marbodus to his
Pantheros is, that whosoever looks upon it in the morning should bo
protected thereby from all malice of his enemies throughout that day.
In fact, its influence was that of the mediœval St. Christopher :—.
" Christophori faciem die quocunquo tueris Illo nempe die mala morte non morions."
The
brilliancy of the Indian Sandaster was so great as to injure the sight,
if viewed too long. Another character quoted from Ismenias, that this
gem could not bo polished in consequence of its tenderness, and
therefore brought a high price in its native condition, docs not by any
means suit the Aventurine, a hard quartz-gem, and requiring a polish to
bring out its beauty. All the writers, consulted by the Roman
naturalist, were agreed that the more numerous the stars the gem
contained, the greater became its value.
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