Properties and Locations of Gems
Eagles carry away meat, and in this way they carry stones. They possess such a power: for when they are thrown upon coals of fire, they themselves are not harmed, but they extinguish the coals. Not only this happens, but if a man takes a stone and having enclosed it in a pane, places it upon coals, while he holds it, it is ignited by the fire, yet the pane remains unharmed.
It is also said to be useful to women in childbirth for the sake of fruitfulness. Agate is sub-shining, and this is also found around those Scythian lands. When rubbed upon the forehead, it prevents the pain of the bite of scorpions and vipers. Amethyst is deeply glowing, and is found in the mountains of Libya near the shores of the sea.
Chrysolith is golden-colored, and is found in the Aphraite rock, near the edge of Achaemenid Babylon. For they call Babylon and that pit of the Achaemenid rock there. When rubbed, it serves as a physician for contemplative (and colicky) and abdominal ailments. Beryl is blue-glancing, and is found near the seeds of the mountain called Taurus. Onyx is yellow, and this is also found in the same mountain.
The mountain was called Semir, and the things resembling it, from a single son of Semir.
Greek
ὑπὸ τῶν ἀετῶν τὰ κρέα, ἀπέρχονται, καὶ οὕτω φέρουσι τοὺς λίθους. Ἔχουσι δὲ ἐνέργειαν τοιάνδε· βαλλόμενοι γὰρ ἐπ' ἀνθράκων πυρὸς, αὐτοὶ μὲν οὐ βλάπτονται, τοὺς δὲ ἄνθρακας κατασβεννύουσιν. Οὐ μόνον δὲ τοῦτο, ἀλλὰ καὶ λαμβάνων τις τὸν λίθον, καὶ περιειλίσας ἐν ὀθόνῃ, τινὶ ἐπιθεὶς ἐπ' ἄνθρακας, κρατῶν αὐτὸν μὲν ἀπὸ τῆς πυρᾶς φλογίζεται, ἡ δὲ ὀθόνη ἀβλαβὴς μένει, Λέγεται δὲ καὶ ταῖς τικτούσαις γυναιξὶν εὐτοκίας χάριν χρησιμεύειν. Ἀχάτης ὑποκυανίζων μέν ἐστιν, εὑρίσκεται δὲ καὶ οὗτος περὶ τὰς Σκυθίας χώρας ἐκείνας. Τριβόμενος δὲ ἐπὶ τῷ μετώπῳ, δήγματος ἀποτρέπει πόνον σκορπίων τε καὶ ἐχιδνῶν. Ἀμέθυσος φλογίζων μέν ἐστι βαθέως, ἐν δὲ τοῖς ὄρεσιν εὑρίσκεται Λιβύης πρὸς ταῖς ὄχθαις τῆς θαλάσσης. Χρυσόλιθος χρυσίζων μέν ἐστιν, εὑρίσκεται δὲ ἐν τῇἈφραίτιδι πέτρᾳ, παρὰ τὸ χεῖλος τῆςἈχεμενίδος Βαβυλῶνος. Τὴν γὰρ Βαβυλῶνα καὶ τὸ φρέαρ ἐκεῖνο τῆς πέτραςἈχεμενίδα καλοῦσι. Τριβόμενος δὲ, στοχαστικοῖς (καὶ κωλικοῖς) καὶ κοιλιακοῖς ἰατρικὸς ὑπάρχει. Βηρύλλιον γλαυκίζων μέν ἐστι, γίνεται δὲ παρὰ τὰ σπέρματα τοῦ ὄρους τοῦ καλουμένου Ταύρου. Ὀνύχιον ξανθὸν μέν ἐστιν, εὑρίσκεται δὲ καὶ οὗτος ἐν τῷ αὐτῷ ὄρει. De xii gemmis (fragmenta alia ap. Anastasium Sinaitam, Quaestiones et responsiones) Επιφανίου ἐκ τοῦ πρὸς ∆ιόδωρον. Σομορὼν μὲν οὖν ἐκλήθη τὸ ὄρος, καὶ τὰ ὁμοροῦντα, ἀπὸ Σεμὴρ ἑνὸς υἱοῦ