Naturalis historia 37.113

37.113

Viridantium et alia plura sunt genera. vilioris turbae prasius, cuius alterum genus sanguineis punctis abhorret, tertium virgulis tribus distinctum candidis. praefertur his chrysoprasos porri sucum et ipsa referens, sed haec paulum declinantem a topazo in aurum. huic et amplitudo ea est, ut cymbia etiam ex ea fiant, cylindri quidem et creberrime.

CHAP. 34.—PRASIUS; THREE VARIETIES OF IT. There are numerous other kinds also of green stones. To the more common class belongs prasius; one variety of which is disfigured with spots like blood, while another kind is marked with three streaks of white. To all these stones chrysoprasus is preferred, which is also similar to the colouring matter of the leek, but varies in tint between topazos and gold. This stone is found of so large a size as to admit of drinking- boats even being made of it, and is cut into cylinders very frequently.