FACTS AND FANCIES ABOUT PRECIOUS STONES 387
and
becoming quite obscure as the moon's disk ceased to be illumined by the
sun. As a mate to this, Pope Clement VII (1475-1534) was reputed to
have in his possession a stone with a golden spot which moved across
the surface in exact accord with the apparent motion of the sun across
the heavens from sunrise to sunset.16 These are undoubtedly
fables that were circulated intentionally, or more probably through
pure love of exaggeration, in order to enhance the merit of two
exceptionally fine specimens of moonstone and sunstone in the papal
treasury.
In
the eighteenth century the collection of the Duke of Brunswick
contained a magnificent ancient drinMng-cup, of the kind used in
sacrificial ceremonies, cut from a single piece of onyx; this cup was
said to have formed part of the rich spoils taken from Mithridates by
the Romans under Pompey. It was valued in the duke's inventory at
150,000 thalers, and Catherine II of Russia is stated to have offered
four times that sum, or 600,000 thalers ($400,000) for this unique cup.17
In
the symbolism of the Manichean sect, an early Christian heresy owing
its origin to a direct and predominant influence of Persian ideas,
pearls occupy a prominent place. A legendary or poetic pearl called
"the bright moon" was the symbol of compassion, and one of the
treatises ends with the words: "Our heart has received the majestic
splendor of the pearl granting every wish." "We are also told of "a
diamond pillar" which sustains humanity, and the Messenger of Light is
likened to a perfumed mountain entirely composed of a mass of jewels.18
" Petri Servii, " Dissertatici de unguento armario," Romœ, 1643, p. 43.
° Johann August Donndorf, " Natur und Kunst," Leipzig, 1790, vol. ii, p. 497.
a
Berthold Laufer, " Notée on Turquoie in the East," Chicago, 1913, p.
50, vol. xiii, No. 1, of Anthropological Series of Field Museum of
Natural History ; citing a translation by MM. Chavannes and Pelliot
entitled : " Un traité manichéen retrouvé en Chine," pub. in Journal
Asiatique, 1912.
