348 CURIOUS LORE OF PRECIOUS STONES
was
applied to the yellow Brazilian chrysoberyl, while the moon controls
the beryl, the rock-crystal and also the pearl. To the share of Venus
fall the sapphire and carbuncle as well as coral and pearl; usually
the emerald is the stone of Venus. Mars lays claim to the diamond,
jacinth, and ruby, the last-named stone according with the ruddy hue of
our neighbor planet. Under the control of Jupiter are placed the
emerald, sapphire,'amethyst, and turquoise, so that the planet has the
richest assortment of gems ; it will be remarked that the celestial
sapphire unites the influence of Venus and Jupiter, the two especially
propitious planets. Lastly, far-away Saturn must be content with all
dark, black, and -brittle stones; there was, indeed, little inducement
to wear a Saturnian stone, for the influence of this cold and distant
planet was always regarded as baleful.
The
planetary controls of precious stones as given in the Lapidario of
Alfonso X, according to "Chaldaic" tradition, show that the same stone
was influenced in many or most cases by more than one of the "seven
planets" (including the Sun and Moon). Thus the diamond, belonging to
the first degree of the sign Taurus, was dominated by both Saturn and
the Sun ; the emerald was controlled by Jupiter, and also by Mercury
and by Venus. The red jargoon was influenced by Mars, the yellow
variety by Jupiter and the white jargoon by Venus. The carnelian
received virtue from the Sun and from Venus. The ruby, although more
especially a sun-stone, came as well under the influence of the Planet
of Love. Coral belonged both to Venus and to the moon, while
lapis-lazuli and chalcedony only owed allegiance to Venus ; this planet
also lent virtue to the beryl.14
"Lapidario del Rey D. Alfonso X; codice original, Madrid, 1881, fols. 101-109.
