because of the heat. And it is wetted immediately before it is used; for if this is done a short time before, it quickly hardens and it is impossible to divide it. Its strength, too, is remarkable; for when the stones are broken or pulled apart, the gypsos does not become loose, and often part of a structure falls down and is taken away, while the part hanging up above remains there, held together by
67 the binding force. And it can even be removed and calcined and made fit for use again and again.
In Cyprus and in Phoenicia it is used mainly for these purposes, but in Italy it is also used for treating wine. And painters employ it for some parts of their art, and so do fullers, who sprinkle it on clothes. It seems to be far superior to other earths for taking impressions, and is generally used for this purpose, especially in Greece, owing to its stickiness and smoothness.
68 Its powers are seen in these and similar uses, but its nature is such that it seems, as it were, to contain the qualities both of lime and of earth, namely, heat and stickiness, or rather each of these in a marked degree. It is also clear from the following example that it has a fiery nature; for once a ship loaded with clothes was itself burnt when the clothes became wet and caught fire.
69 Gypsos is also burnt in Phoenicia and in Syria, where it is fired in a furnace. Marbles especially are burnt, and also the more ordinary kinds of stones, while cow-manure is placed alongside the hardest ones64 to make them burn better and more quickly. It seems to become extremely hot when it has been set on fire, and stays hot for a very long time. And when it has been calcined, it is pulverized like ashes. From this it seems clear that its nature is entirely due to fire.
54 If και αττ\ω$ roiis στβρβωτάτους, παρατιθέντες βοΚιτον were read, the meaning would be "and in general the hardest kinds of stones, while cow-manure is placed alongside them." Eichholz translates άπλως as "absolutely."
