Glossa Ordinaria

Sardonyx. The fifth, of three colours, black at the bottom, white, etc., up to because it is carried on by the five senses, it is called the fifth. Sardius. The sixth, of one colour, of a blood-red hue, signifies the glory of martyrdom. The sixth, because on the sixth day of the week Christ was crucified. Or the sardius, having the appearance of red earth, signifies the saints who, although lofty with the understanding of the mind, yet remember their own frailty, considering that they are sons of Adam, who is called red earth, who was made on the sixth day, whence also the sardius is brought in as sixth. Beryl. The eighth is the working of preachers. The beryl shines, etc., up to returning, by the care of earthly administration, to the pallor of the active life. Topaz. This stone is set ninth, because it is rarer and more precious, and it has two colours, from gold and from an ethereal brightness, shining most when it is touched by the splendour of the sun, surpassing the brightnesses of all gems, singularly drawing those who behold it to gaze upon it; and if you polish it more, you darken it; if you leave it to its nature, it is brighter: and there is nothing dearer to kings among riches. It signifies the contemplative life, which holy kings prefer to all the riches of works and gems of virtues, and toward it they especially direct their gaze, and so much the more fully as they are the more frequently illumined by divine grace. From inward charity comes the golden colour, from the sweetness of contemplation the ethereal, which is always darkened by the rubbing of the world; for scarcely can anyone at once be touched by sorrows and behold with tranquil mind the joys of heaven. Or, if you polish: that is, if you honour them with the dignities of the world and adorn them, you darken them, because they are less at leisure for contemplation, or become lesser in merits. And as in the eighth is the active life, so in the ninth the contemplative, which is that of the angels, of whom there are nine orders. Some say that it has the colours of all stones, whence also it has its name, because pan, that is, all. And it is found on an island of Egypt which is called Topazon; it signifies the saints resplendent with all the colours of the virtues. Chrysoprase. It is born in India, of a green and golden mixture. And a certain kind is purple with golden drops; it signifies those who by charity merit the greenness of the eternal fatherland, and display another, a purple one, of martyrdom; and because they follow the example of the Lord, they are in India, that is, near the rising of the sun, and they await to reign with Christ. They are in the number ten; the decalogue is fulfilled through love, which is not ended. Therefore in the chrysoprase are signified the work of martyrdom and its reward. Chryson is gold; prasos is called a leek. Hyacinth. This stone is the eleventh; it changes with the air, clear in fair weather, dark in cloudy weather; it signifies the most discerning doctors, adapting themselves to all qualities, characters, ages, understandings. Amethyst. The twelfth stone is purple, pouring forth from itself certain little flames with the mingled colour of the violet and the rose. The purple colour signifies the raiment of the heavenly kingdom, the princedom of the angelic fellowship to which the saints are to come. The violet, the humble modesty of the saints with the odour of good working. The rose, the precious death of the martyrs, who send forth the flames of charity not only among themselves, but even toward enemies and persecutors. The amethyst, therefore, signifies the perpetual memory of the heavenly kingdom in the hearts of the humble, and that excellent virtue, that they should pray even for their enemies and care for their salvation, which is the virtue of virtues. The variety of colours is the manifoldness of virtues.