150 plint's nattjeal iiistoet. [Book XXXIV. 



has so infinitely increased, the reputation of the art itself^° is 

 nearly extinct. But it would appear, that in this, as in every 

 thing else, what was formerly done for the saite of reputation, 

 is now undertaken for the mere purpose of gain. Tor 

 whereas this art was ascribed to the gods-^ themselves, and 

 men of rank in all countries endeavoured to acquire fame by 

 the practice of it, we have now so entirely lost the method of 

 making this valuable compound by fusion, that, for this long 

 time past, not even chance itself has assumed, in this depart- 

 ment, the privilege which formerly belonged to art.^" 



Next after the above compound, so celebrated in antiquity, 

 the Corinthian metal has been the most highly esteemed. This 

 was a compound produced by accident, when Corinth was burnt 

 at the time of its capture.-^ There has been a wonderful mania 

 with many for gaining possession of this metal. It is even said, 

 that Verres, whom M. Cicero caused to be condemned, was 

 proscribed by Antouius, along with Cicero, for no other reason 

 than his refusal to give up some specimens of Corinthian metal, 

 which were in his possession. Eut most of these people seem 

 to me to make a pretence of their discernment in reference to 

 this metal, rather for the purpose of distinguishing themselves 

 from the multitude, than from any real knowledge which they 

 possess ; and this I w^ill briefly show. 



Corinth was captured in the third year of the 158th 

 Olympiad, being the j^ear of the City, 608, '"^^ some ages after the 

 period when those artists flourished, who produced all the 

 specimens of what these persons now call Corinthian metal. 

 It is in order, therefore, to refute this opinion, that I shall 

 state the age when these diff'erent artists lived ; for, if we 

 reckon according to the above-mentioned era of the Olympiads, 

 it will be easy to compare their dates with the corresponding- 

 years of our City. The only genuine Corinthian vessels, then, 



20 The art of making compound metals. 21 Yulcan, namely. 



2- No one has accidentally stumbled upou the art of making this com- 

 posite metal. 



^3 We have an account of the destruction of Corinth, and the accidental 

 formation of this compound, in Florus, B. ii. c. 16. Although this ac- 

 count was generally received by the ancients, we may venture to assert, 

 that it cannot be correct; we cannot conceive the possibility of such a 

 fusion taking place during the destruction of the city, or of the complete 

 union of the components, in the mode in which they have been found to 

 exist B. 2t B_c. 146.— B. 



