name
of the sun, cut in a heliotrope, and is fashioned as follows: A
complete serpent, like a circle, holding its tail in its mouth; on the
inside is a scarab, sacred and radiant. As to the name, thou shalt
engrave this in sacred characters on the reverse side of the gem, as is
taught by the prophets, and thou shalt wear the ring in all purity.
Having it with thee, all thy wishes will be fulfilled; the hatred of
kings and emperors toward thee will be appeased; when thou wearest it
all that thou sayest to others will be believed, all will favor thee,
all doors will be open to thee. Thou wilt rend the bonds and break the
stone-walls, if thou takest out the stone, that is the gem, and
pronouncest the name inscribed beneath it. This ring is equally useful
for demoniacs, give it to them, and on the instant the demon will flee."
Dreams
of rings set with precious stones have a special significance, and
Achametis tells us, from his Hindu sources, that if anyone should dream
of receiving a ring set with a red stone, the splendor of the stone
signified great authority and much joy to the dreamer. If, however, a
man had a dream of a ring set with a yellow stone, the vision portended
that his wife would be liable to illness and chagrin.20
An
Anglo-Saxon dream-book from the time before the Norman Conquest, gives
the significance of various dreams about rings. Thus, for example,
merely to see a ring betokened a desired place ; should one dream of
receiving a ring as a gift, however, this denoted freedom from care.
If the dreamer fancied himself to be the owner of a gold ring, this
indicated that great honor was going to be his portion. Lastly, the
dream that
20 Artemidori Daldiani et Achametis Sereini " Oneiro-critica," Lutiti«, 1603, p. 259.
