Varieties of Gems and the Lygirion
One gem is like wine, more yellow than the undiluted sort, for it is not of a single color or of the same power; one is more tawny and whiter, neither very shining nor receding. Another is like crystal water, which the myth-makers call a phantom of visions. This was found among the Iberians and the shepherds of the Hyrkanians near the Caspian land. Another is jasper, not very shining and green, possessing lines in its midst. There is also another jasper, called the ancient one, which resembles either snow or the foam of the sea. The myth-makers say that hunters fear this one and phantoms in the field.
1.7 The Lygirion stone. We have in no way known the discovery of this, neither from the physiologists nor from any of the ancients who have studied these matters. We do find a stone called the lagkurion, which some call the lagourion in the coarse dialect; and perhaps I think this is the lygirion, since the divine writings have translated the names differently, such as the emerald green, and because in the naming of these stones they did not even mention the hyacinth, even though it is a transparent and precious stone; thus the divine writing calls this lygirion to our mind so that we might not miss it. The hyacinth has various appearances; for the deeper the color of the stone is found, the more necessary it is than the others. The hyacinth resembles the heath, or perhaps it is somewhat purple-tinted. Therefore also the divine writing says that the priestly garments are adorned with hyacinth and porphyry. The first stone is called thalassites, the second rhodinos, the third nativos; the fourth is called channaios, and the fifth perileukios. These are found in the inner barbarity of Scythia. These stones, in addition to being precious, possess such a power: when thrown into coals of fire, they themselves are not harmed, but they extinguish the coals. Not only this, but if someone takes the stone, wraps it in a shield, and places it upon coals of fire, even the covering shield is not ignited but remains unburnt. It is said that the stone is useful to women in childbirth, and it is also a repeller of phantoms.
1.8 The Agate stone. This was understood to be called perileukos, which is found under the hyacinth; and it is wonderful, appearing subaquatic in form, and around the outside...
Greek
ὥσπερ οἴνῳ ὁμοιάζουσα ἢ ἀμεθύστου ξανθοτέρα· οὐ γάρ ἐστι μιᾶς χροιᾶς οὐδὲ τῆς αὐτῆς δυνάμεως· ἀλλ' ἡ μέν ἐστι χαυνοτέρα καὶ λευκοτέρα, οὔτε πάνυ στίλβουσα, οὔτε πάλιν ἀποδέουσα. Ἄλλη δὲ κρυστάλλου ὕδατι ὁμοία· λέγεται δὲ ὑπὸ μυθοποιῶν ἄκος εἶναι φαντασιῶν. Εὑρέθη δὲ παρὰ Ἴβηρσι καὶ ποιμέσιν Ὑρκανῶν τοῖς κατὰ τὴν Κασπίαν γῆν. Ἄλλη δὲ ἴασπις οὐ πάνυ λάμπουσα, χλωρά, ἥτις ἔχει γραμμὰς μέσας. Καὶ ἄλλος ἴασπις ὁ παλαιὸς καλούμενος ὅμοιος ἢ χιόνι ἢ ἀφρῷ θαλάσσης. Τοῦτόν φασιν οἱ μυθοποιοὶ τοὺς θῆρας ἐν ἀγρῷ φοβεῖσθαι, καὶ τὰ φάσματα. 1.7 Λίθος λιγύριον. Τούτου δὲ τὴν εὕρεσιν οὐδαμῶς ἔγνωμεν, οὔτε παρὰ φυσιολόγοις, οὔτε παρά τισιν ἀρχαίοις τοῖς περὶ τούτων μεμεριμνηκόσιν. Εὕρομεν δὲ λαγκούριον οὕτω καλούμενον λίθον, ὅν τινες τῇ τρανῇ διαλέκτῳ λαγούριον καλοῦσι· καὶ τάχα τοῦτο οἶμαι τὸ λιγύριον, ἐπειδὴ αἱ θεῖαι γραφαὶ τὰ ὀνόματα ἑτέρως μετεποιήσαντο, ὡς τὸν σμάραγδον πράσινον, καὶ ὅτι πως ἐν τῇ τῶν λίθων τούτων ὀνομασίᾳ οὐκ ἐμνήσθησαν καὶ ὑακίνθου, καίτοι γε προόπτου καὶ ἐντίμου ὄντος λίθου· ὥστε εἰς νοῦν ἡμᾶς λαβεῖν μήποτε τὸ λιγύριον τοῦτο καλεῖ ἡ θεία γραφή. Ὑάκινθος οὖν τὰς μὲν ἰδέας ἔχει διαφόρους· ὅσῳ γὰρ εὑρίσκεται ὁ λίθος βαθύτερος τῇ χροιᾷ, τοσοῦτον ἀναγκαιότερός ἐστι τῶν ἄλλων. Ἔοικε δὲ ὑάκινθος τῇ ἐρέᾳ ἢ ὑποπορφυρίζων ποσῶς. ∆ιὸ καὶ ἡ θεία γραφὴ ἐξ ὑακίνθου καὶ πορφύρας τὰ ἱερατικὰ ἐνδύματα κεκοσμῆσθαί φησι. Καὶ ὁ μὲν πρῶτος λίθος καλεῖται θαλασσίτης, ὁ δὲ δεύτερος ῥοδινός, ὁ τρίτος νάτιβος· ὁ τέταρτος λέγεται χαννιαῖος, ὁ δὲ πέμπτος περιλεύκιος. Εὑρίσκονται δὲ οὗτοι ἐν τῇ ἐσωτέρᾳ βαρβαρίᾳ τῆς Σκυθίας. Οὗτοι δὲ οἱ λίθοι μετὰ τοῦ εἶναι πολύτιμοι ἔχουσι καὶ ἐνέργειαν τοιαύτην· βαλλόμενοι εἰς ἄνθρακας πυρὸς αὐτὰ μὲν οὐ βλάπτονται, τοὺς δὲ ἄνθρακας σβεννύουσιν· οὐ μόνον δὲ τοῦτο, ἀλλὰ καὶ εἰ λαβών τις τὸν λίθον ἐνειλίσσῃ ὀθόνῃ καὶ ἐπιθῇ ἐπ' ἄνθρακας πυρός, οὐδ' αὐτὴ ἡ καλύπτουσα ὀθόνη φλογίζεται, ἀλλὰ μένει ἀσινής. Λέγεται δὲ ὁ λίθος ταῖς τικτούσαις γυναιξὶν εἰς εὐτεκνίαν χρησιμεύειν· ἔστι δὲ καὶ φασμάτων ἀπελαστικός. 1.8 Λίθος ἀχάτης. Οὗτος ὑπελήφθη εἶναι περίλευκος καλούμενος, ὃς ὑπὸ τὸν ὑάκινθον εὑρίσκεται· θαυμαστὸς δέ ἐστι, τῷ εἴδει ὑποκυανίζων, ἔξωθεν περιφέρειαν
About this text
A bishop explains the twelve gems of the high priest's breastplate, stone by stone.
Catalogue & scope
Khazarzar scan
Witnesses
- Copy-text PG 41–43 (Khazarzar) (Greek)
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