322 NATURAL HISTORY OF PRECIOUS STONES, &c.
various attributes, and. the statement that it was engraved 
" by command of an oracle."
But
the most interesting monument of such a dedication, furnishing us as it
does with the list of the contents of a wealthy Roman lady's jewel-box,
is the inscription given by Montfaucon (PI. 136), cut upon the pedestal
formerly supporting a statue of Isis as is supposed, discovered at
Alicante. It records that " by divine command Fabia Fabiana had
dedicated in honour of her granddaughter Avita (deceased, it would
appear) 112-1/2 pounds' weight of silver plate : also, ornaments in the
basilicum (diadem), one unto,* and six margarita, emeralds two, cylindri (beryls) seven, carbuncle one gem, hyacinth one gem, ceraunice (rubies) two. In her ears : emeralds two, pearls two. On her neck : a quadribacium, or quadruple row of pearls thirt3T-six, emeralds eighteen. In two circlets or anklets (clu-suris) on her legs : emeralds two, cylindri eleven. In her bracelets (smialiis) : emeralds eight, pearls eight. On her little finger, two rings with diamonds : on the next finger, a ring with many gems (polypsephus), emeralds and one pearl (a cluster-ring, as we should call it) ; on the top-joint of the same finger a ring with an emerald. Upon her shoes, cylindri eight in number."
It
cannot be imagined that in the flourishing times of art the Greeks
attempted to enhance the divine beauty of their embodied deities by
bedizening them in the jewelry
