Page:The history of silk, cotton, linen, wool, and other fibrous substances 2.djvu/57

 by the soldiers of Crassus, or by others who visited the interior of Asia about the same period.

HORACE.

Nor Coan purples, nor the blaze Of jewels can bring back the days, Which, fix'd by time, recorded stand, By all, who read the Fasti, scann'd.

Od. l. iv. 13. (ad Lycen.) 13-16.

As if uncloth'd, she stands confess'd In a translucent Coan vest.

Sat. i. 2. 101.

These passages allude to the fineness and transparency of silken webs, which in the time of Horace were worn at Rome only by prostitutes, or by those women who aimed at being as attractive and luxurious as possible in their attire.

The former passage shows, that the silks manufactured in Cos were dyed with the murex, "Coæ purpuræ."

The expression "Sericos pulvillos" (Epod. 8. 15.) has been supposed to denote small cushions covered with silk. But the epithet "Sericos" implies nothing more than that they were obtained from the Seres, who supplied the Romans with skins as well as silk ; and leather seems to have been a more proper substance than silk for making cushions.

OVID.

Sive erit in Tyriis, Tyrios laudabis amictus, Sive erit in Cois, Coa decere puta. Aurata est: ipso tibi sit pretiosior auro; Gausapa si sumsit, gausapa sumta proba.

Ars Amat. ii. 297-300.

Whatever clothing she displays, From Tyre or Cos, that clothing praise: If gold shows forth the artist's skill, Call her than gold more precious still: Or if she choose a coasre attire, E'en coarseness, worn by her, admire.