Chapter 383

731The reasons are mentioned by Ateius Capita, as quoted by Macrobius, Saturnal. B. vii. c. 13: also by Apion the Grammarian, as quoted by Aulus Gellius, B. x. c. 10.

732The ring of each finger had its own appropriate name.

733The “dactyliotheca,” or “ring-box.”

734Juvenal, Sat. i. l. 26,et seq., speaks of the summer rings of the Roman fops, and their fingers sweating beneath the weight.

735Martial, Epigr. B. xiv., speaks of the numerous accidents to which a weighty ring was liable.

736Hannibal, too, for instance, as mentioned in Note701to the preceding Chapter.

737He alludes, probably, to forgeries perpetrated through the agency of false signets.

738Plautus, Cicero, Horace, and Martial, each in his own age, bears testimony to the truth of this statement.

739Or remembrancer; a slave whose duty it was to remind his master of the name of each member of his household; see B. xxix. c. 8. Athenæus, B. vi., speaks of as many as twenty thousand slaves belonging to one household. Demetrius, the freedman of Pompey, mentioned in B. xxxv. c. 58, had a retinue of slaves equal to an army in amount.

740Meaning “Marci puer,” or “Luci puer”—“Marcius’ boy,” or “Lucius’ boy.”

741Suetonius says, c. 73, that Tiberius, in his last illness, awoke after a long lethargy, and demanded his signet-ring, which his son-in-law, Caligula, had removed from his finger, under the supposition that he was dead. Macro, to avoid any unpleasant results in the way of punishment, caused the emperor to be smothered with the pillows and bedclothes.

742This famous and somewhat improbable story of the ring of Polycrates is told by Valerius Maximus, B. vi. c. 9; Herodotus, B. iii.; and Cicero, De Finibus, B. iv. Pliny again mentions it in B. xxxvii. cc.2,4.

743He was crucified by Oroetes, the Persian satrap of Sardis.

744“Anulo exsiliente.”

745In Chapter13of this Book.

746The laticlave tunic. See B. viii. c. 73, and B. ix. c. 63.

747“Præcones.”

748See the list of writers at the end of B. ix.

749“Equus militaris.”

750See B. xxix. c. 8. The “Decuriæ” of “judices,” or “judges,” were so called, probably, from ten (decem) having been originally chosen from each tribe. As to the Decuriæ of the judices, see Smith’s Dict. Antiq. pp. 531-2. The account given by Pliny is confused in the extreme.

751“Turmæ.” Squadrons of thirty “equites” or horsemen; ten of which squadrons were attached to each legion.

752Before the time of Augustus, there were butthreedecuries.

753A law introduced by Aurelius Cotta,B.C.70, enacted that the Judices should be chosen from the three classes—of Senators, Equites, and Tribuni ærarii, or Tribunes of the treasury, these last being taken from the body of the people, and being persons possessed of some property.

754Members selected by lot.

755“Nongenti.”

756Tacitus says that this took place the year before, in the consulship of C. Sulpicius, and D. Haterius. See the Annales, B. iii. c. 86.

757Brother of the Emperor Galba.

758“Aucupatus.”

759Suetonius says that Tiberius instructed the ædiles to prohibit stews and eating-houses: from which we may conclude, Hardouin says, that C. Sulpicius Galba was an ædile.

760Or, in other words, belonging to the equestrian order. The Roman equites often followed the pursuits of bankers, and farmers of the public revenues.

761A law passed in the time of Julius Cæsar,B.C.69, which permitted Roman equites, in case they or their parents had ever had a Census equestris, to sit in the fourteen rows fixed by the Lex Roscia Theatralis.

762Caligula.

763Conjointly with L. Vitellius.

764Or farmers of the public revenues; the “publicans” of Scripture. In reality, they were mostly members of the equestrian order, and the words “equites” and “publicani” are often used as synonymous.

765“This passage seems to be the addition of some ignorant copyist. It is indeed a remarkable fact, that we havenoinscription in which we see the Equites namedafterthe people as well as the Senate.”—Laboulaye,Essai sur les lois Criminelles des Romains: Paris, 1845, p. 224.

766According to Livy, B. i. c. 15, the Celeres were three hundred Roman knights whom Romulus established as a body-guard. Their name, probably, was derived from the Greekκέλης, a “war-horse,” or “charger,” and the body consisted, no doubt, of the patricians in general, or such of them as could keep horses. Another origin assigned to the appellation is “Celer,” the name of a chieftain, who was a favourite of Romulus. The adjective “celer,” “swift,” owes its origin, probably, to the title of these horsemen.

767A title derived, possibly, as Delafosse suggests, “a flectendis habenis,” from “managing the reins.”

768Called “Trossum” or “Trossulum,” it is supposed. The remains of a town are still to be seen at Trosso, two miles from Montefiascone in Tuscany. The Greek wordτρωξαλλὶς, a “cricket,” and the Latin “torosulus,” “muscular,” have been suggested as the origin of this name. Ajasson suggests the Latin verb “truso,” to “push on,” as its origin.

769See theendof this Book.

770From the ambiguous nature of the name, it being in later times an expression of contempt, like our word “fop,” or “beau.” In this latter sense, Salmasius derives it from the Greekτρυσσὸς, “effeminate.”

771This concluding passage is omitted in most editions.

772See B. vii. c. 29.

773Dionysius of Halicarnassus is therefore probably wrong in his assertion that torcs ofgoldwere given to Siccius Dentatus, a Roman citizen, as the reward of valour.

774See B. vii, c. 29.

775On this subject, see B. xvi. c. 3, and B. xxi. c. i.

776A.U.C.323, or 431B.C.

777Situate about fourteen miles from Rome, and on the road to the town called La Colonna.

778A.U.C.479, andB.C.275. In the following year Merenda himself was consul, with Manius Curius Dentatus.

779“Testamento prælegavit.” Properly speaking, “prælegare” was “to bequeath a thing to be given before the inheritance was divided.” The crown thus left by Piso was to be three pounds in weight.

780Oxen, namely. The smaller victims had the head encircled with chaplets.

781The clasps by which the “sagum” or military cloak was fastened on the shoulders.

782See the beginning of Chapter4of the present Book.

783Isidorus Hispalensis, Orig. B. xix. c. 30, says that bracelets were formerly so called from the circumstance of being conferred on warriors as the reward of bravery—“ob virtutem.” Scævola, Ulpian, and others speak of “viriolæ” as ornaments worn by females.

784See B. xxxvii. c.6.

785In allusion to the use of gold as an ornament for the shoes and sandal-ties.

786A dress worn over the tunic, and which came as low as the ankles or feet. The stola was the characteristic dress of the Roman matrons of rank; other females being restricted to the use of the toga, which did not reach so low.

787Between the matrons of rank whose feet were not to be seen at all, and the plebeian females, whose feetwereseen, but comparatively unadorned.

788In the same way that the gold ring was the distinguishing mark of the Equites, so would the gold ankle-jewels be the characteristic of this new order of females. In the use of the word “Equestrem,” Ajasson absolutely detects an indelicate allusion, and rallies our author on thus retaining “the aroma of the camp!”

789“Pædagogiis.” The origin of our word “page.” The pages of the Romans were decorated with gold ankle-jewels and other ornaments for the legs.

790Or Horus, the god of silence. Ajasson is of opinion that this impression on the seal was symbolical of the secrecy which ought to be preserved as to written communications.

791To the Emperor’s presence.

792Thefirstcrime having been committed by him who introduced the use of gold rings. See the beginning of c.4of this Book.

793The golden denarius was known also as the “aureus” or “gold coin.” It was worth 25 silver denarii. As to the modern value of the money used by the ancients, see the Introduction to Vol. III. The golden denarius is mentioned also in B. xxxiv. c.17, and in B. xxxvii. c.3.

794A.U.C.479.

795Meaning, literally, the “little pound,” in reference to the diminished weight of the “as.”

796Meaning “two pounds,” or in other words, “two asses.” See B. xxxiv. c.2. As to the weight of the “libra,” or pound, see the Introduction to Vol. III.

797“Brasse bullion, or in masse.”—Holland.

798“Money weighed out,”i.e.“expenses.”

799“Money weighed out for the payment of interest.”

800“To weigh out money for payment,”i.e.“to pay.”

801“A weight of money.”

802“Weighers-out;” meaning “keepers of accounts,” or “paymasters.”

803“Weighers-out” of the soldiers’ wages;i.e.“paymasters.”

804From “pecus,” a sheep. See B. xviii. c. 3.

805“Pounds” or “asses.”

806The third of an “as.”

807The fourth of an “as.”

808Or ounces; being one-fourth of the “as,” of one “libra” in weight. See Introduction to Vol. III.

809A.U.C.663.

810The same as the quinarius, one-half of the denarius. In B. xx. c. 100, it is mentioned as a weight. See also the Introduction to Vol. III.

811As, originally, there were 288 “scripula,” or scruples, to the “libra” or pound, this would appear to give 5760 sestertii to the pound of gold, and not 900 merely. Though this apparent discrepancy has generally puzzled the commentators, the solution, as suggested by M. Parisot, in the Notes to Ajasson’s Translation, appears equally simple and satisfactory. He suggests that in the “as,” or “libra,” oftwo ounces, there were 288 scruples. Now, the scruple remaining the same, when the as or libra was reduced to one ounce, it would contain but 144 of these scruples. Then, on making the as the sixteenth part of a denarius instead of the tenth, it would lose three-eighths of its value in scruples, or in other words, 54 scruples, thus making it worth but 90 scruples. Then again, as above stated, by the Papirian Law, the weight or value of the libra or as was reduced one-half, making its value in scruples only 45; or, in other words, five thirty-seconds of its original value, when worth two unciæ or ounces. This number of scruples to the libra would give, at the rate of twenty sesterces to the scruple of gold, exactly 900 sesterces to the libra of gold.

812Or “aurei.”

813“Fames auri.” Similar to the words of Virgil, “Auri sacra fames.” “The curst greed for gold.” See Note666to Chapter 3 of this Book.

814Another version of this story was, that he extracted the brain, and inserted lead in its place.

815See B. xiv. c. 16.

816InB.C.88, M. Aquilius proceeded to Asia Minor as one of the consular legati to prosecute the war against Mithridates. On being defeated near Protomachium, he was delivered up to Mithridates by the inhabitants of Mytilene, and after being treated in the most barbarous manner, was put to death by pouring molten gold down his throat.

817“Insperso.” Sillig is of opinion that Pliny is here speaking of the work now known by Italian artists astausiaorlavoro all’ agemina.

818Hardouin thinks that Pliny is here making allusion to the Greek word “chrysendeta,” vessels “encircled with gold.” It is frequently used in Martial’s works.

819See B. xv. c. 38.

820It is against such practices as these that Martial inveighs, B. i. Ep. 28, and B. ix. Ep. 12.

821A slave only; and not by any of his brother patricians. Antony was rendered infamous by his proscriptions.

822Appian and Livy mention the fine as consisting of ten thousand talentsin all, or in other words, eight hundred thousand pounds of silver (at eighty pounds to the talent). Sillig is therefore of opinion that Pliny is in error here in inserting the word “annua.” The payment of the ten thousand talents, we learn from the same authorities, was spread over fifty years.

823Asia Minor.

824“Folia.” Hardouin prefers the reading “solia,” meaning “thrones,” or “chairs of state,” probably.

825Ajasson refuses to place credit in this statement.

826This vase of Semiramis was her drinking bowl, in much the same sense that the great cannon at Dover was Queen Elizabeth’s “pocket pistol.”

827The country to which, in previous times, the Argonauts had sailed in quest of the Golden Fleece, or in other words in search of gold, in which those regions were probably very prolific.

828See B. vi. c. 4.

829This story of the defeat of the great Ramses-Sesostris by a petty king of Colchis, would almost appear apocryphal. It is not improbable, however, that Sesostris, when on his Thracian expedition, may have received a repulse on penetrating further north, accustomed as his troops must have been, to a warmer climate.

830Of the amphitheatre.

831Covered, probably, with plates of silver.

832“Pegma.” A scaffold with storeys, which were raised or depressed, to all appearance, spontaneously. Caligula is the emperor meant.

833Another reading is “seven” pounds in weight, and “nine” pounds; which would appear to be more probable than seventhousand, and ninethousand, as given by the Bamberg MS. It is just possible, however, that the latter may have been the united weights ofallthe coronets contributed by Spain and Gaul respectively, the word “inter” being an interpolation.

834See B. iv. c. 31, B. xi. c. 47, and B. xviii. c. 20.

835Hence known as the “Golden Day,” according to Dion Cassius, B. lxiii.

836For further particulars as to the Golden Palace, see B. xxxvi. c.24.

837A.U.C.597.

838Or Marsic War. See B. ii. c. 85.

839There is an error in this statement, probably, unless we understand by it the small libra or pound of two ounces, mentioned in c.13of this Book.

840This remark is confirmatory of the incorrectness of the preceding statement.

841The reading here is doubtful.

842A.U.C.612.

843See B. xix. c. 6.

844Chapter 57.

845In fact, no colour at all.

846Inthisclimate, the light of most of the stars has the complexion, not of gold, but of silver.

847The topaz, for instance.

848For ductility and malleability, both which terms may perhaps be included in the “facilitas” of Pliny, gold is unrivalled among the metals. As to weight, it is heavier than lead, the specific gravity of gold being 19.258, and that of lead 11.352. Pliny is therefore wrong in both of these assertions.

849He forgets asbestus here, a substance which he has mentioned in B. xix. c. 4.

850Chlorine, however, and nitro-muriatic acid corrode and dissolve gold, forming a chloride of gold, which is soluble in water. Ajasson remarks, that gold becomes volatilized by the heat of a burning-glass of three or four feet in diameter; and that when it acts as the conductor of a strong current of electricity, it becomes reduced to dust instantaneously, presenting a bright greenish light.

851The gold thus tested was called “obrussum,” “obryzum,” or “obrizum,” from the Greekὄβρυζον, meaning “pure gold.”

852See B. xviii. c. 23, where he calls the chaff used for this purpose by the name of “acus.”

853The present mode of assaying the precious metals, is by fusing them upon a cupel with lead.

854For which purpose, lead was used, no doubt, in drawing the lines in the MSS. of the ancients. See Beckmann’s Hist. Inv. Vol. II. p. 339.Bohn’s Ed.

855This is far surpassed at the present day, its malleability being such that it may be beaten into leaves not more than one two hundred and eighty thousandth of an inch in thickness, and its ductility admitting of one grain being drawn out into five hundred feet of wire. For further particulars as to the gold leaf of the ancients, and the art of gilding, as practised by them, see Beckmann’s Hist. Inv. Vol. II. p. 391,et seq.Bohn’s Edition.

856See B. xxxvi. c.64.

857He alludes to what are now known aspepitas, oval grains of river-gold. “Striges” is the reading in the Bamberg MS., “strigiles” in the former editions.

858“Massa.” As we should say at the present day, “nuggets.”

859“Ramentum.”

860The contrary is now known to be the case; gold is sometimes, though rarely, found in an oxidized state.

861As to the solvents of gold, see Note850above. Stahl says that three parts of sub-carbonate of potash, dissolved in water, and heated with three parts of sulphur and one part of gold, will yield a complete solution of the metal.

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