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Topazius, Peridot

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TOPAZIUS.
This gem derived its name from the island in the Red Sea, 300 stadia (30 miles) off the mainland, where it was first dis­covered ; Juba, quoted hy Pliny (32), oddly enough deriving the name from Topazein, which, he says, in the Troglodyte tongue means to seek after, because the island is often lost amidst thick fogs. According to Archelaus, Cytis was the name of the same island, where certain Troglodyte pirates, when hard pressed by famine, as they tore up the herbs and roots there growing for their sustenance, accidentally discovered this gem. Epiphanius has a long and confused story to much the same purpose, but makes Topaze an Indian town, where the stone was found acci­dentally by some quarrymen, who mistook it for Alabaster, and sold it to Theban traders, who bringing it home, their queen set it in her diadem, upon the middle of her forehead.
Diodorus Siculus (iii. 38) gives a detailed account of this island. It lay out at sea, some distance to the south of the harbour of Aphrodite, was 80 stadia long (10 miles), and called the Isle of Serpents, from the multitude of reptiles formerly infesting it. These had been completely extirpated by the care of the Alexan­drian kings. The Topazion here found was a transparent gem, agreeable in aspect, resembling glass, and presenting a wonderful golden appearance. No one was allowed to land there under pain of death, and no boat was allowed to be kept on tho island-Provisions for the few soldiers on guard there were brought at intervals from the continent. The gem was not discernible by day, its lustre being then overpowered by the sun's rays, but at night was conspicuous by its brightness ; the guards, who divided the island among their patrols, then ran up and covered the luminous spot with a vase of equal size. Next day they go
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