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TRANSLATION
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that can reasonably be cut and used as seals.9 And some are discovered in other stones when these are cut up. There are a few which can be set on fire and burnt, and perhaps we should first explain the nature and extent of their differences.
Some of them melt and become fluid when subjected to fire, 9 such as those which come from mines. For when silver, copper, and iron become fluid, so does their stony matrix, either because of the moisture in the matter it contains or because of the nature of such stones. In this way, too, fire-resisting stones and millstones become fluid along with the material placed on them by those who are burning it. And some go so far as to say that all of them melt except marble and that this burns up and lime is formed from it.
But it would seem that it is going too far to say this; for there 10 are many which break and fly into pieces as if they are fighting against being burnt, like pottery, for example. And this is natural since they have lost their moisture; for whatever can be melted must be moist and have a good deal of humidity.
And they say that some stones that are exposed to the sun be- 11 come completely dry, so that they are useless unless they are soaked and wetted again, and others become softer and are more easily broken. It is clear that both kinds are robbed of their moisture by the sun, but it happens that stones of solid texture become hard when they are dry, whereas those that are loose in texture, and those whose formation is of this kind, are easily broken and melted.
Some of those that can be broken are like hot coals when they 12 burn, and remain like this for some time, such as those found in the mine at Binai10 which are brought down by the river; for when they are covered with charcoal they burn as long as air is blown onto them, then they die down and afterwards can be kindled again, so that they can be used for a long time, but their odor is very harsh and disagreeable.
There is a stone called spinos,11 which was found in mines. If 13 this is cut up and the pieces are piled in a heap, it burns when
8 The emendation (πάντα των κατά) has been added to the text.
10 The text uses the plural form (Binai), but the place was usually known as Bina.
11 Probably some sort of asphaltic bitumen.
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