everlasting slavery, never
receiving either pay or gratuity. This nation, besides those whom it has
permanently subdued, has also compelled many others to go under the
yoke; so brave is it and so skilful in all warlike exercises, that it
would be invincible were it not continually weakened by civil and by
foreign wars.

84. Most of them wear garments brilliant with various colours, so
completely enveloping the body that even though they leave the bosoms
and sides of their robes open so as to flutter in the wind, still from
their shoes to their head no part of their person is exposed. After
conquering Croesus and subduing Lydia, they learnt also to wear golden
armlets and necklaces, and jewels, especially pearls, of which they had
great quantities.

85. It only remains for me to say a few words about the origin of this
stone. Among the Indians and Persians pearls are found in strong white
sea-shells, being created at a regular time by the admixture of dew. For
the shells, desiring as it were a kind of copulation, open so as to
receive moisture from the nocturnal aspersion. Then becoming big they
produce little pearls in triplets, or pairs, or unions, which are so
called because the shells when scaled often produce only single pearls,
which then are larger.

86. And a proof that this produce arises from and is nourished by some
aerial derivation rather than by any fattening power in the sea, is that
the drops of morning dew when infused into them make the stones bright
and round; while the evening dew makes them crooked and red, and
sometimes spotted. They become either small or large in proportion to
the quality of the moisture which they imbibe, and other circumstances.
When they are shaken, as is often the case by thunder, the shells either
become empty, or produce only weak pearls, or such as never come to
maturity.

87. Fishing for them is difficult and dangerous, and this circumstance
increases their value; because, on account of the snares of the
fishermen they are said to avoid the shores most frequented by them, and
hide around rocks which are difficult of access and the hiding places of
sharks.

88. We are not ignorant that the same species of jewel is also produced
and collected in the remote parts of the British sea; though of an
inferior value.

[138] The book containing this account is lost.

[139] From +nikao+, to conquer.

[140] As the Greek epigram has it--

+Ton gaies kai pontou ameiphth