The Etymologies of Isidore of Seville - Pot-pourri

,“moon”). People claim that it wanes and waxes
on particular days, according to the course of that celestial
body. It originates inPersia.
8. Cinaedia is found in the brain of a fish with the same
name; it is white and oblong. People say that with it they
predict calm or storm at sea. 9. Cat’s-eye (beli oculus) is
white surrounding a black pupil lit from the middle with
agolden gleam. Because of its beauty it was dedicated
to Belus, king of Assyria, and thus it is named. 10. A
white gem is called epimelas when it turns black on the
surface, whence it takes its name (cf. ,“upon”; ,
“black”). 11. Exebenus is brilliant and white; goldsmiths
use it to polish gold.
xi. Black gems (De nigris) 1. Agate(achates) was first
found in Sicily, near the river of the same name, and
afterwards in many lands. It is black and has in its middle
black and white circles, joined together and variegated,
like haemitite. With the fumes of agates magicians, if it
may be credited, ward off storms and halt the flow of
rivers. 2. Apsyctos is black and heavy, and marked with
red veins. When heated by fire, this stone retains the
warmth for seven days. 3. Aegyptilla, whichisblack at
the base and blue on the surface, is named after Egypt,
where it is found. 4. Media is black, and was discovered
by the legendary Medea. It has veins the color of bronze.
It gives off saffron-colored moisture and has the flavor
of wine.
5. Veientana is an Italian gemstone, found in Veii (i.e. a
city in Etruria). It is black on the surface with glittering
white spots mingled in it. Bariptos (i.e. baroptenus) is
black with blood red and white spots. 6. Mesomelas is
black with a vein of any other color streaking through its
middle (cf. ,“in the middle”; ,“black”). The
Veneris crinis (lit. “hair of Venus”) has the blackest sheen,
and has the appearance of red hairs in it. 7. Trichrus,
from Africa, is black, but gives off three liquids; black
from the base, blood red from the middle, and yellow
from the surface. 8. Dionysia is black with mingled red
spots. When rubbed with water it smells of wine, and
its fragrance is thought to ward off drunkenness. Pyritis,
indeed, is black, but it scorches the fingers whenitis
rubbed against them.
xii. Varicolored gems (De variis) 1. Panchrus is avariegated
stone exhibiting almost all the colors, hence its
name (cf. , “all”; , “color”). Olca (i.e. oica),
The Etymologies XVI.x.8–xiii.2 325
which has a barbarian name, is yellow, black, green and
white. 2. Mithridax (i.e. mithrax)glitters in various colors
when it is struck by sunlight. It comes from Persia.
Drosolithus is a variegated gem. The reason for its name
is that if it is placed near the fire it emits something like
sweat (cf. , “sweat”; , “stone”). 3. Theopal
(opalus) isembellished by the colors of various gemstones,
for it has the rather pale fire of a carbuncle, the
sparkling purple of an amethyst, and the glittering green
of a smaragdus, all glowing together with a certain variegation.
It takes its name from the language of its native
land (cf. Sanskrit upala,“gem”),foronlyIndia produces
it. 4. Pontica stones are named after the Pontus (i.e. the
Black Sea), and come in different varieties, at one time
glittering with blood red spots, at another with gold
spots. Some have stars and some are streaked with long
lines of color. 5. Hexecontalithos is a multicolored stone
of a small size, whence it has taken this name for itself,
for it is sprinkled with such avariety of spots that the
colors of sixty gemstones are contained in its small orb
(cf. ,“sixty”; ,“stone”). It occurs in Libya
among the Troglodytes. 6. Murra (murrina) isfoundin
Parthia, but especially in Carmania. People think that it
is a liquid that has been compressed by the heat under
the earth, whence it takes its name. Its varieties occur in
purple and white, and it has a fiery look, with reflections
of colors such as are seen in a rainbow. Crystal is created
by the opposite principle, when there is an extremely
strong freezing of ice.
xiii. Crystalline gems (De crystallinis) 1.Crystal (crystallus)
isglittering and watery in color. It is said to be
snow that has hardened to ice over a period of years,
whence the Greeks gave it its name (cf. ,
“ice”). It occurs in Asia and Cyprus, and particularly in
the northern part of the Alps, where the sun never has
its most burning heat, not even in summer. Hence the
lengthy and enduring hardness itself produces the specific
form that is called ‘crystal.’ When crystal is placed
facing the sun’s rays it seizes the flame so that it sets fire
to dried fungus or leaves. It is used for cups, although it
can handle only cold liquids.
2. The diamond (adamans, i.e. adamas) isasmall
unsightly stone from India, possessing a rust-like color
and the clarity of crystal. It is never found any larger
than a hazelnut. It yields to no substance, neither to iron
nor to fire, nor does it ever grow warm, whence it takes