BOOK VII. 



259 



which the ordinary people call numnti*^ ; each of these units we again divide 

 into twenty-four units of four siliquae each, which the same ordinary people 

 call a grenlin ; or else the bes is divided into sixteen semunciae which 

 are called loths, each of which is again divided into eighteen units of four 

 siliquae each, which they call grenlin. Or else the bes is divided into 

 sixteen semunciae, of which each is divided into four drachmae, and 

 each drachma into four pfennige. Needles are made in accordance with 

 each method of dividing the bes. According to the first method, to the 

 number of twenty-four half nummi ; according to the second method, to the 

 number of thirty-one half semunciae, that is to say a sicilicus ; for if the 

 needles were made to the number of the smaller weights, the number of 

 needles would again be too large, and not a few of them, by reason of the 

 small difference in proportion of silver or copper, would have no significance. 

 We test both bars and coined money composed of silver and copper by both 

 scales. The one is as follows : the first needle is made of twenty-three 

 parts of copper and one part silver ; whereby, whatsoever bar or coin, when 

 rubbed on the touchstone, colours it just as this needle does, in that bar or 

 money there is one twenty-fourth part of silver, and so also, in accordance 

 with the proportion of silver, is known the remaining proportion of the copper. 



The 



silver. 



