Though in the herb a potent virtue lurks
Greatest of all that which in jewels works.
Foremost of all amongst the glittering race
Far India is the Diamond's native place;
Produced and found within the crystal mines,
Its native source in its pure lustre shines:
Yet though it flashes with the brilliant's rays
A steely tint the crystal still displays.
Hardness invincible which nought can tame,
Untouched by steel, unconquered by the flame;
30. But steeped in blood of goats it yields at length,
Yet tries the anvil's and the smiter's strength.
With these keen splinters armed, the artist's skill
Subdues all gems and graves them at his will.
Largest at best as the small kernel shut
Within th' inclosure of the hazel nut.
Another stone the swart Arabians find,
Broke without blood, of less obdurate kind :
Of duller lustre and of lower price,
In weight and bulk it yet the first outvies.
A third gives Cyprus, girdled by the main;
The fourth Philippi's iron mines contain :
40. Yet all alike the obedient iron sway
As does the magnet, if this gem 's away;
For in the presence of this sovereign stone
Robbed of its force an idle mass 'tis thrown.
In magic rites employed, a potent charm,
With force invincible it nerves the arm :
Its power will chase far from thy sleeping head
The dream illusive and the goblin dread;
Baffle the venom'd draught, fierce quarrels heal,
Madness appease and stay thy foeman's steel.
Its fitting setting, so have sages told,
Is the pale silver or the glowing gold;
And let the jewel in the bracelet blaze
Which round the left arm clasped attracts the gaze.
50. Achates' stream, which through Sicilia's plains
Winds his soft course renowned in pastoral strains,
Named from himself the Agate first disclosed-
A jet black stone by milky zones inclosed :
With figured veins its varied surface strew'd,
Painted by nature in a sportive mood.
Now regal shapes, now gods its face adorn;
Such the fam'd Agate by King Pyrrhus worn,
Whose level surface the nine Muses graced,
Round Phoebus with his lyre in order placed.
Strange to relate, 'twas to no artist due,
60. Nature herself the wondrous picture drew.
Another Agate yields the Cretan shore,
As coral red, with gold-dust sprinkled o'er;
An antidote against the poisoned draught,
And for the treach'rous viper's venom'd shaft.
Whilst on that Agate which dark Indians praise
The woods arise, the sylvan monster strays :
Placed in the mouth 'twill raging thirst appease,
And its mild radiance the tired eyeballs ease.
One fumes like myrrh if on the altar strewed;
Another is besprent with drops of blood :
Whilst those which, like the comb, with yellow gleam,
Are most abundant, but in least esteem.
70. The Agate on the wearer strength bestows,
With ruddy health his fresh complexion glows;
Both eloquence and grace are by it given,
He gains the favour both of earth and heaven :
Anchises' son, by this attendant saved,2
O'ercame all labours, every danger braved.
Not least the glory of the gem renowned
Within the belly of the capon found,
A curious perversion this of Virgil's Fidus Achates.'
Which made an each when three years have flown,
Tanagh twice two more in swelling bulk has grown:
Its most size no larger than a bean,
Like purest water or the crystal's sheen;
83. Hence Let is the jewel Light,
For gifts of strength extolled, and matchless might.
If parked with thirst place this within thy mouth,
Twill in a moment quench thy burning drouth;
Aided by this on many a well-fought day
Crotonian Mo bore the palm away:
And many a prince, with laurel on his brow,
Returned victorious o'er a mightier foe.
The weary wretch who in far exile pines,
Restored to home, with pristine honours shines.
It gifts the pleader with persuasive art
To move the court and touch the hearer's heart:
Th' exhausted frame with youthful vigour filled
Exults once more with love's high rapture thrilled.
From this the bride full powerful aid may gain
90. To bind her spouse's heart with triple chain.
Borne in the mouth the virtues of the stone
And all its mighty works are quickly shewn.
Of seventeen species can the Jasper boast
Of differing colours, in itself a host.
In various regions is this substance seen:
The best of all, the bright translucent green;
The greatest virtue is to this assigned;
Fevers and dropsies feel its influence kind.
Hung round the neck it eases travail's throes,
And guards the wearer from approaching woes.
100. Power too it gives when blest by magic rite:
And drives away the phantoms of the night;
But let the gem enchased in silver shine,
And fortify thereby its force divine.
Fit only for the hands of kings to wear,
With purest azure shines the Sapphire rare :
For worth and beauty chief of gems proclaimed,
And by the vulgar oft Syrtites named.
Oft in the Syrtes midst their shifting sand
Cast by the boiling deep on Lybian strand:
The best the sort that Media's mines supply,
110. Opaque of colour which excludes the eye.
By nature with superior honours graced,
As gem of gems above all others placed;
Health to preserve, and treachery to disarm,
And guard the wearer from intended harm :
Νο
envy bends him, and no terror shakes;
The captive's chains its mighty virtue breaks;
The gates fly open, fetters fall away,
And send their prisoner to the light of day.
E'en Heaven is movèd by its force divine,
To list to vows presented at its shrine.
Its soothing power contentions fierce controls,
And in sweet concord binds discordant souls;
120. Above all others this Magicians love,
Which draws responses from the realms above :
The body's ills its saving force allays
And cools the flame that on the entrails preys.
Can check the sweats that melt the waning force
And stay the ulcer in its festering course:
Dissolved in milk it clears the cloud away
From the dimmed eye and pours the perfect day;
Relieves the aching brow when racked with pain
And bids the tongue its wonted vigour gain.
But he who dares to wear this gem divine
Like snow in perfect chastity must shine.
Between the Hyacinth and Beryl placed, 130. With lustre fair is the Calcedon graced;
But pierced, and worn upon the neck or hand,
A sure success in lawsuits 'twill command.
Uke the Jasper, of this precious stone
Three Enes alone are unto merchants known.
of all green things which bounteous earth supplies
Nothing in greenness with the Emerald vies;
Twelve kinds it gives, sent from the Scythian clime,
The Bactrian mountain, and old Nilus' slime;
And some from copper mines of viler race
Marked by the dross drawn from their matrix base :
The Carchedonian from the Punic vale—
To name the others were a tedious tale.
140. From all the rest the Scythian bear the palm
Of higher value and of brighter charm,
From watchful gryphons in the desert isle
Stol'n by the vent'rous Arimaspian's guile.
Higher their value which admit the sight,
And tinge with green the circumambient light:
Unchanged by sun or shade their lustre glows,
The blazing lamp no dimness on it throws.
Such as a smooth or hollow surface spread
Like slumbering ocean in its tranquil bed,
These like a mirror the beholder's face
Exactly image with reflected rays:
And thus did Nero, if report say true,
The mimic warfare of the arena view.
But best the gem that shews an even sheen,
Lustrous with equal never-varying green.
Of mighty use to seers who seek to pry
150. Into the future hid from mortal eye.
Wear it with reverence due, 'twill wealth bestow
And words persuasive from thy lips shall flow,
As though the gift of eloquence inspired
The stone itself or living spirit fired.
Hung round the neck it cures the ague's chill,
Or falling sickness, dire mysterious ill;
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