tfoifis otf BRONZE. 41 



" cadmia," now known as an ore of zinc, changing copper into 

 " orichalchum." Copper and cadmia were fused together, the 

 former taking up as much as 25 per cent, of what must have 

 been zinc. This bronze, in other words, was brass. So, almost 

 surely, was Aristotle's light-coloured bronze. But yet another 

 doubt there is sometimes. * XaAxos may not only mean brass, or 

 bronze, but pure copper also, without tin or zinc or othei alloy. 

 Homer calls x a *X* fpvfyos, red. Some hold that, before losing his 

 sight altogether, he was somewhat colour-blind. But no one, if 

 perceiving difference of hues in the least degree, could call either 

 bronze or brass red. He must have meant copper. So at least 

 says Gladstone in his Homeric studies. Sir J. Evans doubts this 

 argument ; because some bronze is reddish brown when un- 

 corroded. He agrees, however, in thinking that Homer in places 

 means copper by x a *X*- For in one place at least (II. in., 348), 

 he speaks of spear-heads bending against shields, not likely if of 

 bronze. Sometimes, however, Homer means bronze, because 

 (II. iii : , 363), he tells us of a sword breaking into three or four 

 pieces, which copper could not do. Even now, however, we 

 have not done with the question, What is bronze ? For some 

 ancient bronzes contain other metals besides copper, tin and 

 zinc. In particular, there was the greatly noted aes Corinthium, 

 Corinthian bronze. This, by some, was thought to have been 

 accidentally produced by the fusing of ordinary bronze, gold, and 

 silver images together, in the burning of Corinth by Mummius. 

 Pliny (xxxiv. 3.), doubts this. He specifies three sorts of 

 Corinthian bronze. One is white, silver prevailing in its com- 

 position. Another was of the yellow tone (natura) of gold. In 

 the third the three ingredients were equal. No doubt the second, 

 with its high percentage of gold, was the kind which had the 

 great value often spoken of. Possibly, although of earlier date, 

 two vessels spoken of by Ezra may have been of some such 



* Both x a ^X os an d ses, some say at times mean metal at large. Indeed, in 

 some passages they seemed used for iron. So much so, that the Germau eiseii, 

 iron, is thought to be cognate with ses. 



