A Little Book on Colors

...crocotula, a kind of garment, just as from caltha (marigold) comes calthula, from byssus (fine flax), a most delicate kind of linen, comes byssina; and all these were lutea (yellow/saffron), but byssina shone almost like gold. There was in use a garment from the resemblance to the citron, called citrosa. And a certain one of a white color, papaverata (poppy-colored), named by Lucilius the Satirist when he had cast it as a reproach upon Torquatus. He also invented the galbina garment, white, from galbanum. Likewise, from the little flower of the mallow is the color molochinus, as from the flower of the pomegranate is balaustinus. Of the green color, they also made prasinum (leek-green) from the name of the leek leaf, as we have already said. Many, moreover, have been named from animals, such as ceruinus (stag-colored) and murinus (mouse-colored). And these colors are most well-known in a horse. Mustellinus (weasel-colored), of which Terence speaks. Ictericus (jaundice-colored), which suffers from the royal disease, from the color of the golden oriole, which the Greeks call the bird icteros. This is very much luteus (yellow). Cygneus (swan-colored), and the same in Latin olorinus, that is, candidus (white), just as on the contrary coracinus (raven-colored) is black. They also ascribe to these ostrinus, conchyliatus, and muriceus (purple), first discovered by Hercules, as they fable. I have composed a few choriambics about that matter, which I have thought fit to place here.

While Hercules errs along the thirsty shores, by chance he sees the Purple swimming in the foaming tide.
And fierce, he attacked and snatched the entrails with a bite.
Soon he returned, having fed, staining the grasses with blood.
When beautiful Tyro sees him, for she was his companion,
With his face thus bathed in rosy colors, she speaks to Alcides: "I will follow you with no other gift,"
Than if a painted red cloak similar to this is given to me.
Which now, as a spoil of the terrifying beast, I ask of you,
And through the invincible strength of your hands and through the ringing weapons,
Not unknown to the birds flown to the fleeting clouds,
Grant this to the earth (for you can do all things), and let not the sea...