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Sucoinum, Amber

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334
SUCCINUM.
Hence they gave it the expressive designation of Succinum, or the Gum-stone. The Greek Electrum is referred to its supposed con­nexion with the Sun-god, one of whose titles was Elector. Martial has three ingenious epigrams upon a viper (some small reptile), upon an ant, and upon a bee thus imprisoned. The last is— Civ. 32) —
" Et latet et lucet Phaëtliontide coudita gutta Ut videatur apis nectare clausa suo, Dignum tantorum pretium tulit ilia laborum Oredibile est ipsam sic voluisso mori."
Gesner figures as the frontispiece to his book, ' De Natura Fossilium,' a ring carved out of one piece of insectiferous Amber, so ingeniously managed that the insect (a beetle) contained therein, forms the centre and ornament of the shield, as if en­chased under a crystal.
Its medical virtues amongst the Romans were not much more extensive than those it is at present popularly believed to pos­sess. It was worn as an amulet by children, but Callistratus laid down that it was of service in every time of life against in­sanity or stranguries, either taken internally in powder or worn round the neck. This physician gave the name of Chryselectruni to the sort of a clear golden colour, supposed to be of so fiery a quality as to ignite if even brought near a flame. This kind, worn round the neck, cured the ague ;2 ground up with honey and rose-oil was a specific for deafness, and with Attic honey for dimness of sight.
The large circumference of some antique bowls of Amber, occa­sionally discovered, seem to preclude the possibility of their being hollowed out of a single block. It has been ascertained that by boiling pieces of Amber in turpentine they can be so softened as to be kneaded together into a coherent mass, or moulded to any form. Perhaps the malleable glass mentioned by
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