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PANTARBES.
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PANTARBES.
Pliny has
no mention of this marvellous gem, but later writers have more than
made up for the omission. Apollonius Tyaneus, according to
Philostratus, saw it during his visit to India, and brought back the
following account (iii. 46). It was as big as the thumb-nail, of a
fiery colour and luminous by night. It was generated at four cubits
depth underground ; but so forcible was the exhalation from it as to
cause the superincumbent earth to crack and thus betray its existence.
It eluded the touch of the vulgar, and could only be drawn forth by
means of certain rites and charms known to the Brahmins alone. But its
peculiar virtue was that of attracting all other precious stones ; for
if any number of the latter were dropped into a river or even into the
sea, and this gem were let down attached to a string, they all
clustered about it like a swarm of bees around their queen, no matter
how far dispersed at first, and were drawn up adhering to it. Such a
gem naturally was invested with the most wonderful virtues. By means of
such an amulet Chariclea escapes unharmed from the pyre to which she
had been condemned by the jealous Arsace (Ethiop. viii. 11) ; inasmuch
as she had secreted about her the espousal-ring of king Hydaspes, "
which was set with the stone called Pantarbes, engraved with certain
sacred letters, embodying, as it has proved, some divine charms, by
means of which a virtue is added to the gem antagonistic to Fire ; and
thus giving to the wearer immunity from danger in the very midst of the
flames."
The
fable recorded by Philostratus bears a strong resemblance to the mode
of discovering the Topazion mentioned by Diodorus Siculus ; and
possibly refers to the same stone. The Indian name, modified by the
Greek into Pantarbes (All-feared), seems to
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