286 plint's natusal histoht. .[Book XXXV. 



mentioned, upon the pediment of the temple, was made of clay 

 as well. "We learn also from him, that it was by the same 

 artist that the Hercules was executed, which, even to this day, 

 is named^^ at Eome from the material of which it is composed. 

 Such, in those times, were the most esteemed statues of the 

 gods ; and small reason have we to complain of our forefathers 

 for worshipping such divinities as these ; for in their day there 

 was no working of gold and silver — no, not even in the 

 service of the gods. 



CHAP. 46. — WORKS IX POTTEEY. 



Statues of this nature are still in existence at various 

 places. At Eome, in fact, and in our municipal towns, we 

 still see many such pediments of temples; wonderful too, for their 

 workmanship, and, from their artistic merit and long duration^ 

 more deserving of our respect than gold, and certainly far less 

 baneful. At the present day even, in the midst of such 

 wealth as we possess, we make our first libation at the sacrifice, 

 not from murrhiue^" vases or vessels of crystal, but from ladles*^ 

 made of earthenware. 



Bounteous beyond expression is the earth, if we only consider 

 in detail her various gifts. To omit all mention of the cereals, 

 wine, fruits, herbs, shrubs, medicaments, and metals, bounties 

 which she has lavished upon us, and which have already passed 

 under our notice, her. productions in the shape of pottery 

 alone, would more than suffice, in their variety, to satisfy our 

 domestic wants; what with gutter-tiles of earthenware, vats for 

 receiving wine, pipes'"'" for conveying water, conduits^"* for 

 supplying baths, baked tiles for roofs, bricks for foundations, 

 the productions, too, of the potter's wheel ; results, all of 

 them, of an art, which induced King Numa to establish, as a 

 seventh company,^* that of the makers of earthenware. 



Even more than this, many persons have chosen to be buried 

 in coffins^^ made of earthenware ; M. Varro, for instance, who 



59 The "Hercules fictilis." It is mentioned by Martial, B.siv. Ep. 178. 



60 See B. xxxiii. c. 2, and B. xxxvii. cc. 7, 8, 11. 6i u SiTiipuviu." 

 6- See B. xxxi. c. 31. 



^■^ "Mammatis." The exact meaning of this word is unknown. Tlie 

 passage is evidently in a corrupt state. 



*^' As to the Roman ''Collegia," see B. viii. c. 42, and B. xxxiv. e. 1. 



•5' " Solia." — The same name is given also to a kind of sitting or re- 

 clluing-bath, often raenticned by Pliny. 



