The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-02-20
Nero's EyeEIass.


prophecy, and. above ALL it had the power
OF magnifying, hence its use by the cruel
Nero.
We may all recall the tyrant's emerald
in THE Sign of the Cross" and history
records that Nero was exceedingly near
sighted.
''Smaragdo spectabaf' describes how he
viewed the gladiators and with the enc
raid in his eye he viewed the struggle so
strongly told in "Quo Vadis," which re-
suited in the freedom of Lygia.
Even the serpent of evil could not with .
stand it's influence. for in the Orient they
believe that the snake cannot gaze on the
emerald without losing Its sight, hence
Moore's excellent authority for such lines
as,
blinded like serpents when they gaze
Upon the emeralds virgin blaze"
The fish of the sea. too. feared its brill
linacy. for the authoritative Pliny again
tells that In the Island of Cypress there
was formerly a lion IN marble, with eyes
of smaragdi (emerald) upon the tomb OF
King Hermias and the brilliancy of the
lions eyes penetrated the sea and put the
teeming fish 20 flight. The inhabitants
we're in sore trouble as to the loss of
their fisheries until, happily, the cause
was discovered, other gems were substi-
tuted and the fish returned 20 their shores.
Curiousy enough In the British Muse
UNI a marble lion from Cuidos has its eyes
deeply followed out as IL some gem had
formerly been set In their depths. But
enough of what we may be forgiven for
ranking with the occult and grewsome.
Ishtar's Emerald GirdIe.
In Persia, the land of roses and night
ingales and ali that is exquisite in the
SYMBOLISM of love and beauty, we find
one OF the most beautiful of Hydrologic
tales exceeding far the more familiar
stories OF the Roman Venus
Ishtar, of Nineveh. "the divine Queen"
became goddess of love. Like Lohengrin.
her chariot was drawn by milk-white
swans and her garments were of roses and
myrtle.
Upon the tablets is written the legend
OF her descent into Hades in search of her
husband, Tammuz.
Wearing all her jewels, she boldly de-
| scended-
80 the house where all meet"
but the cruel Queen Nin-ci-gal denied her
entrance and despised her curses.
At last she allowed the porter to open
the first gate, but also ordered him to strip
Ishtar of her jewels. Her crown earrings,
| precious stones on her head, gems of her
| forehead, where yielded at each Of the
| gates In succession, but at the fifth gate
she could not yield her magnificent erner-
| aid girdle, the circle of fidelity and faith
| With weeping protest she at last gave s
up; her rings for feet and hands were en-
trance fee for the sixth, and at last, at
| the seventh, the garments OF her body
were seized Al last she lost her reason,
cursed Nin-ci-gal to her face and was pun
ished by the affection OF all diseases.
Then the SUM- the Moon and the Gods
interfered and she was released, for great
must be the beauty and strong must be
the love which can endure so much for
nj
and wall for her loss
The sun Is dim, the world Is dark, beauty
and brightness has passed away from the
sky the love birds are silent, only the
night birds piaintive note Is heard. the
palms droops, the roses fan and die, for
love and beauty have passed out of sight
and the earth Is desolate.
So Hea comes 90 the rescue. The seven
gates to Hades swing back, her Jewels are
restored but, most joyful Of all, the emer-
aid girdle of faith and fidelity In love once
more encircles the greatest Goddess of the
heavens and earth.
One of the most exquisite OF myths, and
the emerald Is Its gem!
Many and grievous doubts have been
cast by the incredulous as to the real
value or beauty of some of the ancient
emeralds, and assertions have even been
made that only in Peru are fine emeralds
TO be found. But seeing is believing. We
may reasonably uOuDt tne seeming eXhB-
gerations of ancient writer's. but why?
Surely a Roman princess of the third
century might have amongst her betnothal
jewelry a hair net of elevn emerads on
golden chains as had Junia Fadilla, bride
Of Lampridius, when we know Lolita Pau
lima, wife of the Emperor caligula,
'strung emeralds and pearls alternately
over head hair ears, neck. necklaces and
fingers" 1t is Pliny who says, Il myself
have seen her covered with the same"
There Is sentiment, as well as appre-
citation, in the story of Polycrates, tyrant
of Samos, who was urged by Amass King
OF Egypt 20 deny himself pleasures and
sacrifice his will 10 duty
So Polycrates pentent and jealous,
threw into the sea his magnificent emer-
AID ring-his most cherished and valuable
treasure, and fish arose and swallowed
IL, and, as Polycrates did not regret his
| impetuous goodness, the fish was duly
caught, brought to the royal Kitchen and
there i'm it's belly lay the ring. So virtue
was rewarded. We could all give up cas-
lily were we only equally sure of Poly
crates lucki
But enough has been said for the PRES
ent of the emerald of ancient days.
On future occasion we can follow up
the story of the many beautiful stones in
existence in America and Europe-even in
our own city-no hearsay gems-but ac-
tually connected with tradition and his
tory; visible, too, for those incredibles who
keep alive such sayings at Seeing is be-
| levng." M r. l.. A.
-s-e-e