weak of themselves to bear the weight of the
stones, they made two other rings of a larger size, at the edge of that
part of the breastplate which reached to the neck, and inserted into the
very texture of the breastplate, to receive chains finely wrought, which
connected them with golden bands to the tops of the shoulders, whose
extremity turned backwards, and went into the ring, on the prominent
back part of the ephod; and this was for the security of the
breastplate, that it might not fall out of its place. There was also a
girdle sewed to the breastplate, which was of the forementioned colors,
with gold intermixed, which, when it had gone once round, was tied again
upon the seam, and hung down. There were also golden loops that admitted
its fringes at each extremity of the girdle, and included them entirely.

6. The high priest's mitre was the same that we described before, and
was wrought like that of all the other priests; above which there was
another, with swathes of blue embroidered, and round it was a golden
crown polished, of three rows, one above another; out of which arose a
cup of gold, which resembled the herb which we call Saccharus; but those
Greeks that are skillful in botany call it Hyoscyamus. Now, lest any
one that has seen this herb, but has not been taught its name, and is
unacquainted with its nature, or, having known its name, knows not the
herb when he sees it, I shall give such as these are a description of
it. This herb is oftentimes in tallness above three spans, but its root
is like that of a turnip [for he that should compare it thereto would
not be mistaken]; but its leaves are like the leaves of mint. Out of
its branches it sends out a calyx, cleaving to the branch; and a coat
encompasses it, which it naturally puts off when it is changing, in
order to produce its fruit. This calyx is of the bigness of the bone
of the little finger, but in the compass of its aperture is like a cup.
This I will further describe, for the use of those that are unacquainted
with it. Suppose a sphere be divided into two parts, round at the
bottom, but having another segment that grows up to a circumference from
that bottom; suppose it become narrower by degrees, and that the cavity
of that part grow decently smaller, and then gradually grow wider again
at the brim, such as we see in the navel of a pomegranate, with its
notches. And indeed such a coat grows over this plant as renders it a
hemisphere, and that,