E. Cobham Brewer 1810–1897. Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 1898.
Hel’iotrope (4 syl.).
Apollo loved Clyt’ie, but forsook her for her sister Leucoth’oe. On discovering this, Clytie pined away; and Apollo changed her at death to a flower, which, always turning towards the sun, is called heliotrope. (Greek, “turn-to-sun.”)
1
According to the poets, heliotrope renders the bearer invisible. Boccaccio calls it a stone, but Solnus says it is the herb. “Ut herba ejusdem nominis mixta et prœcantationibus legitimis consecrata, eum, a quocunque gestabitur, subtrahat visibus obviorum.” (Georgic, xi.)
2
“No hope had they of crevice where to hide,
Or heliotrope to charm them out of view.”
Dante: Inferno, xxiv.
“The other stone is heliotrope, which renders those who have it invisible.”—Boccuccio: The Decameron, Novel iii., Eighth day.
According to the poets, heliotrope renders the bearer invisible. Boccaccio calls it a stone, but Sol
nus says it is the herb. “Ut herba ejusdem nominis mixta et prœcantationibus legitimis consecrata, eum, a quocunque gestabitur, subtrahat visibus obviorum.” (Georgic, xi.)
