Antique Gems: Their Origin, Uses, and Value as Interpreters of Ancient History; and as Illustrative of Ancient Art: with Hints to Gem Collectors |
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Abraxas Agate Amethyst amongst amulets ancient antique gems Antique paste appears artists Assyrian Augustus bearing beauty Beryl bronze bust Cabinet Calcedony camei cameo Carnelian Caylus century Cinque-Cento coins colour crown Crystal Cupid deities Diamond Dioscorides Egyptian Emerald emperor Empire engraved engraved gems Etruscan execution famous favourite figures finest finger Garnet gem-engraving gems glass Gnostic gold ring Greek Green Jasper ground hand head Hence Hercules Herz Collection imitation inscribed inscription intagli Jacinth Jasper jewellers Julia Titi Jupiter king Lapis-lazuli legend letters lion lustre manner Mertens-Schaafhausen metal Mithras modern nature Onyx origin ornaments perfect period Persian Plasma Pliny polish portrait precious stones present prince probably Red Jasper relief Roman Rome Ruby rude Sapphire Sard Sardonyx Sassanian scarabs seals seated seen Serapis serpent signet Stosch style subjects surface taste Theophrastus tion usually vases Venus virtue wear wearer whilst worn
Popular passages
Page 300 - Those who worship Serapis are likewise Christians ; even those who style themselves the bishops of Christ are devoted to Serapis. The very Patriarch himself,* when he comes to Egypt, is forced by some to adore Serapis, by others to worship Christ.
Page 358 - whose business it is to pervert the truth, mimics the exact circumstances of the Divine Sacraments in the mysteries of idols. He himself baptizes some, that is to say, his believers and followers : he promises forgiveness of sins from the sacred fount, and thus initiates them into the religion of Mithras ; he thus marks on the forehead his own soldiers: he then celebrates the oblation of bread ; he brings in the symbol of resurrection, and wins the crown with the sword.
Page 277 - ... poison-chamber of his ring between his teeth, and falling, died at once. Instead of quoting other deaths of the same kind amongst the illustrious of antiquity,{ some of which we have now no means of authenticating, I will transcribe these practical remarks on this curious practice from Mr. King : — ' The ancients were acquainted with vegetable poisons as speedy in their effects as the modern strychnine, as appears in the death of Britannicus from a potion of Lucasta's,§ and from many other...
Page 354 - After this, Basilides, the heretic, broke loose. * He asserted that there is a Supreme God, by name Abraxas, by whom Mind was created, whom the Greeks call Nous. From her emanated the Word ; from the Word, Providence ; from Providence, Virtue and Wisdom ; from these two again, Virtues, Principalities, \ and Powers were made ; thence infinite productions and emissions of angels.
Page 394 - VII. 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 fade.
Page 357 - The Apostles in the Commentaries -written by themselves, which we call Gospels, have delivered down to us that Jesus thus commanded them: He having taken bread, after that He had given thanks,* said : Do this in commemoration of me ; this is my body. Also having taken a cup and returned thanks, He said : This is my blood, and delivered it unto them alone.
Page 390 - 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...
Page 357 - The apostles, In the commentaries written by themselves, which we call Gospels, have delivered down to us how that Jesus thus commanded them : He having taken bread, after he had given thanks,' said, Do this in commemoration of me; this is my body. And having taken a cup, and returned thanks, he said: This is my blood, and delivered it to them alone.
Page 45 - This is the gem that feels the influence of the air, and sympathises with the heavens, and does not shine equally if the sky be cloudy or bright. Besides, when put into the mouth it is colder than other stones.
Page 399 - Lycia her jet* in medicine commends ; But chiefest, that which distant Britain sends : Black, light, and polished, to itself it draws If warmed by friction near adjacent straws. Though quenched by oil, its smouldering embers raise Sprinkled with water, a still fiercer blaze : It cures the dropsy, shakey teeth are fixed, Washed with the powder'd stone in water mixed.