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of scorpions and vipers. Amethyst is deep fiery-red, and is found in the mountains of Libya near the shores of the sea. Chrysolite is golden, and is found in the Aphraitis rock, near the edge of Achaemenid Babylon. For they call Babylon and that well of the rock Achaemenid. When ground up, it is medicinal for those suffering from spasms (and colic) and intestinal ailments. Beryl is bluish-green, and comes from near the foothills of the mountain called Taurus. Onyx is yellowish, and this too is found in the same mountain.

De xii gemmis (fragmenta alia ap. Anastasium Sinaitam, Quaestiones et

responsiones)

Of Epiphanius, from the work addressed to Diodorus.

The mountain, then, was called Somoron, and its neighboring regions, from Shemer, one of the sons of the Canaanites, before Abraham set foot in the land. But when the guards came, they were called Samaritans, that is, guard89.597 ians. They were guardians not only of the land, but also of the law; for they guarded only the Pentateuch, which they received through Esdras the king, so that from this the seed of Abraham might be distinguished. But they did not perfectly keep the law; wherefore Scripture says: "They continued to practice the law of God, and to worship idols."

Since the law commands that idols not be worshiped, how will it still be fulfilled? The matter stands thus: For the polluted priests of the four nations, knowing that Esdras had come, abominating idols according to the law of God, hastily hid the idols on Mount Gerizim in some recess, and turned the heart of the Samaritans to pray toward the mountain. Whence, wherever they are, they pray toward the mountain, turning from the east toward the west, and from the west toward the east, and from the north toward the south, they pray facing the northern part of the mountain, so that the Scripture might be fulfilled, which says: "They continued to practice the law of God, and to worship their idols." For even if they themselves are ignorant that the idols lie there, yet it is not possible for the divine Scripture to be false.

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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 τῶν Χαναναίων, πρὶν ἢ ἐπιβῆναι τὸν Ἀβραὰμ τῇ γῇ. Ἐλθόντων δὲ τῶν φυλακῶν, ἐκλήθησαν Σαμαρεῖται, τουτέστι, φύλα89.597 κες. Φύλακες δὲ ἦσαν οὐ μόνον τῆς γῆς, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῦ νόμου· ἐφύλαττον γὰρ τὴν Πεντάτευχον μόνην, ἣν ἔλαβον διὰ Ἔσδρα τοῦ βασιλέως, ἵνα ἐκ τούτου διακρίνηται τὸ σπέρμα τοῦ Ἀβραάμ. Ἀλλ' οὐ τελείως τὸν νόμον ἐφύλαττον· διό φησιν ἡ Γραφή· "Ἔμειναν ποιοῦντες τὸν νόμον τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ προσκυνοῦντες τὰ εἴδωλα."

Τοῦ δὲ νόμου κελεύοντος εἴδωλα μὴ προσκυνεῖσθαι, πῶς ἔτι πληρωθήσεται; Ἔχει δὲ ἡ ὑπόθεσις τὸν τρόπον τοῦτον· Γνόντες γὰρ οἱ μιερεῖς τῶν τεσσάρων ἐθνῶν, ὅτι ἐνεδήμησεν Ἔσδρας, βδελυττόμενος τὰ εἴδωλα κατὰ τὸν νόμον Θεοῦ, σπεύσαντες ἔκρυψαν τὰ εἴδωλα ἐν τῷ Γαρίζῃ ὄρει ἐν μυχῷ τινι, καὶ ἀπέστρεψαν τὴν καρδίαν τῶν Σαμαρειτῶν πρὸς τὸ ὄρος εὔχεσθαι. Ὅθεν, ὅπου δ' ἂν ὦσι, πρὸς τὸ ὄρος εὔχονται οἱ ἀπὸ ἀνατολῆς πρὸς δυσμὰς ἀποστρεφόμενοι, καὶ ἀπὸ δυσμῶν πρὸς ἀνατολὰς, καὶ ἀπὸ βοῤῥᾶς πρὸς τὴν μεσημβρίαν, πρὸς τὸ ἀρκτῷον τῷ ὄρει προσέχοντες εὔχονται, ἵνα πληρωθῇ ἡ Γραφὴ, ἡ λέγουσα· "Ἔμειναν ποιοῦντες τὸν νόμον τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ προσκυνοῦντες αὐτῶν τὰ εἴδωλα." Εἰ γὰρ καὶ αὐτοὶ ἀγνοοῦσι κειμένων τῶν εἰδώλων ἐκεῖσε, ἀλλ' οὐ δυνατόν ἐστι τὴν θείαν Γραφὴν ψεύσασθαι.