Latin Texts & Translations

Of balamites ^[Note] there are two kinds, the one of a greenish hue, and the other like Corinthian bronze in appearance; the former comes from Coptos, and the latter from Troglodytica. They are both of them intersected by a flame-like vein, which runs through the middle. Coptos, too, sends us batrachitis; ^[Note] one kind of which is like a frog in colour, another has the tint of ebony, and a third is blackish inclining to red. Baptes ^[Note] is a soft stone, and of a most excellent smell. Beli oculus ^[Note] is a stone of a whitish hue, surrounding a black pupil in the middle, which shines amid a lustre like that of gold. This stone, in consequence of its singular beauty, has been consecrated to the deity ^[Note] held in the highest veneration by the people of Assyria. According to Democritus, there is also a stone called belus, and found at Arbela; it is about the size of a walnut, and looks ^[Note] like glass. Baroptenus or barippe is black, and covered

with knots of a white and blood-red colour: the use of it as an amulet is avoided, as being apt to produce monstrosities.

Botryitis ^[Note] is sometimes black and sometimes purple-red, ^[Note] and resembles a bunch of grapes ^[Note] in form, when making its first appearance. Zoroaster says, that bostrychitis ^[Note] is a stone which is more like the hair of females than anything else. Bucardia ^[Note] resembles an ox-heart in appearance, and is only found at Babylon. Brontea ^[Note] is a stone like the head of a tortoise, which falls with thunder, it is supposed: if too, we are to believe what is said, it has the property of quenching the fire in objects that have been struck by lightning. Bolos ^[Note] is the name of a stone found in Iberia, ^[Note] similar to a clod of earth in appearance.