68 THE CURIOUS LORE OF PRECIOUS STONES
stone was believed to make the thief invisible, and thus possessed a virtue often attributed to the opal.
A
strange story regarding a magic stone reputed to have been worn by
Alexander the Great is related by Albertus Magnus. According to this
recital, Alexander, in his battles, wore a ''prase" in his girdle. On
his return from his Indian campaign, wishing one day to bathe in the
Euphrates, he laid aside his girdle, and a serpent bit off the stone
and then dropped it into the river.35 Even Albertus, who is
far from critical, admits that the story seems like a fable, and it
probably belongs to a comparatively late period. As the term "prase" is
used very loosely by early writers, this "victory stone" may have been
an emerald or possibly jade.
The
appreciation of coral as an ornament, or for amulets, seems to
presuppose a certain development of civilization, for savage tribes
greatly prefer glass ornaments. Many attempts have been made to
introduce coral beads instead of glass beads among such tribes, but
with no success, as the cheaper, but brighter, glass always commands a
higher price.36
To
still tempests and traverse broad rivers in safety was the privilege of
one who bore either red or white coral with him. That this also
stanched the flow of blood from a wound, cured madness, and gave
wisdom, was said to have been experimentally proved.37
85 Alberti Magni, " Opera Omnia," ed. Borgnet, Parisiis, 1890, vol. v, p. 43. De mineralibus, lib. ii, tract. 2.
"Bauer, "Edelsteinkunde," Leipzig, 1909, p. 750.
"
Albertus Magnus, " Le Grand Albert des secretz des vertus des Herbes,
Pierres et Bestes. Et aultre livre des Merveilles du Monde, d'aulcuns
efïetz causez daulcunes bestes," Turin, Bernard du mont du Chat (c.
1515). Liv. ii, fol. 9 recto.
