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[172]
The high priest's mitre was the same that we described before, and
was wrought like that of all the other priests; above which there was another,
with swathes of blue embroidered, and round it was a golden crown polished,
of three rows, one above another; out of which arose a cup of gold, which
resembled the herb which we call Saccharus; but those Greeks that
are skillful in botany call it Hyoscyamus. Now, lest any one that
has seen this herb, but has not been taught its name, and is unacquainted
with its nature, or, having known its name, knows not the herb when he
sees it, I shall give such ,as these are a description of it. This herb
is oftentimes in tallness above three spans, but its root is like that
of a turnip (for he that should compare it thereto would not be mistaken);
but its leaves are like the leaves of mint. Out of its branches it sends
out a calyx, cleaving. to the branch; and a coat encompasses it, which
it naturally puts off when it is changing, in order to produce its fruit.
This calyx is of the bigness of the bone of the little finger, but in the
compass of its aperture is like a cup. This I will further describe, for
the use of those that are unacquainted with it. Suppose a sphere be divided
into two parts, round at the bottom, but having another segment that grows
up to a circumference from that bottom; suppose it become narrower by degrees,
and that the cavity of that part grow decently smaller, and then gradually
grow wider again at the brim, such as we see in the navel of a pomegranate,
with its notches. And indeed such a coat grows over this plant as renders
it a hemisphere, and that, as one may say, turned accurately in a lathe,
and having its notches extant above it, which, as I said, grow like a pomegranate,
only that they are sharp, and end in nothing but prickles. Now the fruit
is preserved by this coat of the calyx, which fruit is like the seed of
the herb Sideritis: it sends out a flower that may seem to resemble that
of poppy. Of this was a crown made, as far from the hinder part of the
head to each of the temples; but this Ephielis, for so this calyx
may be called, did not cover the forehead, but it was covered with a golden
plate, 1
which had inscribed upon it the name of God in sacred characters. And such
were the ornaments of the high priest.
1 The reader ought to take notice here, that the very Mosaic Petalon, or golden plate, for the forehead of the Jewish high priest, was itself preserved, not only till the days of Josephus, but of Origen; and that its inscription, Holiness to the Lord, was in the Samaritan characters. See Antiq. B. VIII. ch. 3. sect. 8, Essay on the Old Test. p. 154, and Reland, De pol. Templi, p. 132.
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