or σνν rfi ψαφαρότητι. This would mean that the earth is "liable to crumble." Wimmer does not attempt to give the meaning of φαρίδι in his Latin translation. Since Theophrastus speaks in the next sentence of differences (βιαφοραί) in Melian and Samian earth, it is possible that the words τφ φαρί8ί conceal the adjective 8ίάφορον, which would agree with the relative όπερ and would refer to the distinctive quality of Melian eartli. It might be translated as "in marked degree."
63. The innermost earth is called "the star." The wording of the text suggests that the inner stratum was called "the star," but Dioscorides,499 Pliny,500 and Galen501 all show that the name was really given to one kind of Samian earth. Since a lacuna precedes this passage, the missing words may have explained this more clearly. These later writers name κολλούριον or collyrium as another variety of Samian earth, and it is possible that Theophrastus also named this other variety in the phrase that originally preceded the present passage. Since the so-called "star earth" was taken from the innermost part of the vein, presumably the other variety came from the outer parts.
The name collyrium probably signified that the second kind of Samian earth was shaped in the form of small loaves or rolls, but the meaning of the name given to the first kind is obscure If this explanation of collyrium is correct, perhaps the name aster was used because this kind was formed into star-shaped cakes. It is also possible that it was used because a star-shaped trademark was stamped on the cakes. The second explanation seems plausible, as another famous earth, the Lemnian medicinal earth, was sold in the form of small cakes stamped with a characteristic trademark.502 Hill says that "the white was the Aster, supposed by many to be a talc, and so called for its shining,"503 but this explanation of the name is not very likely to be correct. Bailey says that "Dana, no doubt correctly, identifies Samian earth with kaolinite," and he adds that "this sometimes occurs in pearly, hexago-
499 V, 171 (Wellmann ed., V, 153). '«οχχχν, i9i.
501 De simplicium medicamentorum temperamentis ac facultatibus, IX (Kiihn ed., XII, 181).
502 Cf. the notes on sec. 52.
603 Theophrastus's History of Stones, p. 146.
