Chap. 3.] THE JUGERTJM OF LAtfD. 5 



which was capable of being ploughed by a single " jugum," or 

 yoke of oxen, in one day ; an " actus " 14 being as much as the 

 oxen could plough at a single spell, fairly estimated, without 

 stopping. This last was one hundred and twenty feet in length ; 

 and two in length made a jugerum. The most considerable 

 recompense that could be bestowed upon generals and valiant 

 citizens, was the utmost extent of land around which a person 

 could trace a furrow with the plough in a single day. The 

 whole population, too, used to contribute a quarter 15 of a sex- 

 tarius of spelt, or else half a one, per head. 



From agriculture the earliest surnames were derived. Thus, 

 for instance, the name of Pilumnus was given to him who in- 

 vented the " pilum," or pestle of the bake-house, for pounding 

 corn ; that of Piso was derived from " piso." to grind corn ; 

 and those of Fabius, Lentulus, and Cicero, from the several 

 varieties 16 of leguminous, plants in the cultivation of w r hich re- 

 spectively these individuals excelled. One individual of the 

 family of the Junii received the name of " Bubulcus," 17 from 

 the skill he displayed in breeding oxen. Among the sacred 

 ceremonials, too, there was nothing that was held more holy 

 than the marriage by confarreation, 18 and the woman just 

 married used to present a cake made of spelt. 19 Careless cul- 

 tivation of the land was in those times an offence that came 

 under the cognizance of the censors ; and, as we learn from 

 Cato, 20 when it was said that such and such a man was a good 

 agriculturist or a good husbandman, it was looked upon as the 

 very highest compliment that could be paid him. A man 

 came to be called " locuples," or "rich," from being "loci 

 plenus," or "full of earth." Money, too, received its name 

 of "pecunia," 21 from " pecus," "cattle." At the present 



14 Four Roman feet in width, and 120 in length. 



15 Quartarius. 



16 " Faba," a bean ; " Lens," a lentil ; and " Cicer," a chick-pea. 



17 A " bubus," from " oxen." Carus Junius Bubulcus was twice Consul, 

 and once Master of the Horse. 



is Farreum" was a form, of marriage, in which certain words were 

 used, in presence of ten witnesses, and were accompanied by a certain re- 

 ligious ceremony, in which "panis farreus" was employed ; hence this form 

 of marriage was called " confarreatio." 



19 Farreum. 



20 De Re Rust. Preface. 



21 See B. xxxiii. c. 13. 



