PLINY'S NATURAL HISTORY

BOOK XII

I. The characteristics of all animals that have been able to be identified are thus categorized by kind and by part. It remains to speak of those things produced by the earth or dug up from it—which are not themselves lacking in a vital spirit, since nothing lives without it—and to ensure that no work of nature is passed over in silence.

For a long time its benefits were hidden, and trees and forests were understood to be the greatest gift given to man. From these came the first food, their soft foliage served as a bed, and their bark as clothing; even now, some nations live in this manner. This makes us wonder all the more that from such beginnings, mountains are now quarried for marble, clothing is sought from the Chinese original: "Seras", pearls are sought in the depths of the Red Sea original: "Rubri maris", and emeralds original: "zmaragdum" are sought in the deepest parts of the earth. For this purpose, the piercing of ears has been devised, for it was not enough to wear jewels on the hands, neck, and hair without also embedding them into the body. Therefore, it is appropriate to follow the order of life and...