20 HISTORY OF AGRICULTURE. Part I. 



their proper places. It is sufficient at present to observe, that tallness and strength are of great use in the 

 one, and of very little in the other ; for we should make, as I have said, the tallest man a ploughman, 

 both for the reason I have already mentioned, and because there is no rustic work by which a tall man is 

 less fatigued than by ploughing ; because, wlien employed in this, walking almost lipriglit, he may lean 

 upon the handle of the plough." Of the common labourer he says, " The common labourer may be of any 

 size, provided he is able to endure fatigue." And of the vine-dresser, " Vineyards do not require such 

 tall men, provided they are thick and brawny; for this constitution of body is most proper for digging, 

 pruning, and the other culture necessary for them. In this work diligence is less necessary than in the 

 other works of husbandry ; because the vine-dresser ought to perform his work in company and under 

 the eye of a director. Commonly wicked men are of a quicker genius, whicl) this kind of work requires ; 

 and, as it requires not only a stout servant, but one of an active contrivance, vineyards are commonly 

 cultivated by slaves in chains." {Co/., lib. i. cap. 9.) Thus we see, that, among the Romans, labourers were 

 appointed to the different works of husbandry, according to their strengtli, size, and genius. 



89. With respect to the tvages of agricultural labour ajnong the Romas, very little benefit 

 can be derived from knowing the absolute sum of money paid for any article, unless it 

 can be comjiared with the price of other commodities. The price of a slave in Cato's 

 time, was about 50/. ; in the time of Columella it had risen to 60/. ; or to the price of 

 eight acres of good land. A good vine-dresser cost 661. 13s. 4d., and a good ploughman 

 or labourer not less than 60/. The interest of money at this time was 61. per cent per 

 annum ; therefore, in stating the expense of farm labour, a slave must be rated at not less 

 than 121. per cent, as being a perishable commodity ; so that one who cost 60/. would 

 fall to be charged at the rate of 7/. 45. per annum, besides his maintenance and clothing. 

 Tliis may give some idea of the wages tliat would be paid to a free servant who hired him- 

 self by the year ; of which, however, there appears to have been no great number, their 

 wages not being stated. 



90. All the -eervants ivere maintained and clothed by the farmer or proprietor ; and as may 

 be supposed, it was the interest of the latter that this should be done in a good and suffi- 

 cient manner. Columella mentions what he calls an old maxim, concerning the bailiff: 

 " That he should not eat but in the sight of all the servants, nor of any other thing but 

 what was given for the rest." He mentions the reason of this : " For thus," says he, 

 " shall he take care that both the bread be well baked, and the other things prepared in a 

 wholesome manner." [Col., lib. i. cap. 8.) The same author mentions the treatment 

 that masters ought to give their slaves : " So much the more attentive," says he, " ought 

 the master to be in his enquiry concerning this kind of servants, that they may not be 

 injured in their clothes and other things afforded them, inasmuch as they are subject to 

 many, such as bailiffs, masters of works, and gaolers ; and the more they are liable to 

 receive injuries, and the more they are hurt through cruelty or avarice, the more they are 

 to be feared. Therefore a diligent master ought to enquire, both at themselves, and 

 likewise the free servants in whom he may put greater confidence, whether they receive 

 the full of what is allowed them ; he himself ought likewise to try, by tasting the good- 

 ness of the bread and drink, and examine their clothes, mittens, and shoes." (Co/., lib. i. 

 cap. 8.) In another place, he says,. " That the bailiff should have the family dressed 

 and clothed rather usefully than nicely, and carefully fortified against the wind, cold, and 

 rain ; all which they will be secured from, by sleeved leathern coats, old centones (thick 

 patchwork as bed-quilts) for defending their heads ; or cloaks with hoods. If the labourers 

 are clothed with these, no day is so stormy as to prevent them from working without doors. 

 (Co/., lib. i. cap. 8.) Cato likewise makes particular mention of the clothes of the slaves : 

 " The vestments of the family," says he, " a coat and a gown three feet and a half long 

 should be given once in two years ; whenever you give a coat or a gown, first receive the 

 old one ; of these make centones. Good shoes should be given once in two years." (Caf., 

 cap. 59.) 



91. Cato informs us what quality of bread and wine, and what other kinds qf meat, were given to la- 

 bourers. Of bread, he says, each labourer was allowed at the rate of three pounds avoirdupois, or of 

 three pounds twelve ounces avoirdupois in the day, according to the severity of his labour. " During 

 the winter," says he, " the bailiff she ild have four modii of wheat each month, and during the summer 

 four t7iodii and a half; and the housekeeper, or the bailiff's wife, and the shepherd, should have three. 

 During the winter, the slaves should have four pounds of bread each in the day ; from the time that they 

 begin to dig the vineyard, to the ripening of the figs, they should have five pounds each ; after which 

 they should return again to four." (Ca/., cap. 56.) To this bread, there was a daily allowance of wine; 

 during the three months that immediately followed the vintage, the servants drank a weak kind of wine 

 called lora. The manner in which this liquor was made, is described both by Pliny and Columella ; and 

 from the description given by them, it may well be supposed to be as good as the small beer given to 

 servants in Britain. {Plin. Nat. Hist., lib. xiv. cap. 10.) It does not appear that the Roman slaves were 

 much restricted in the quantity; Cato mentions no measure; he only says, that they have this to drink 

 for three months after the vintage ; he proceeds in this manner : " In the fourth month, each should get 

 a hemina of wine in the day, which is at the rate of two and a half congii in the month ; in the fifth, 

 sixth, seventh, and eighth months, each a sextary in the day, which is five congii in the month ; in the 

 ninth, tenth, and eleventh, each three hemimB in the day, which is an amphora in the month. More 

 than this, at the saturnalia and compitalia, to each man was given a congius. The quantity of wine for 

 each man in the year is eight quadrantals ; however, as addition must be made according to the work in 

 which the slaves are employed, it is not too much for each of them to drink ten quadrantals in the year." 

 This allowance of wine, it must be acknowledged, was not inconsiderable, being at least seventy-four 

 gallons in the year, or at an average 1-62 parts of a pint in the day. 



92. Besides bread and nine, the slaves got ivhat was called jmlmentarium, which an- 

 swers to what in some parts of the country is called kitchen dripping or fat. (^PHn. 

 Nat. Hist.f lib. xviii. cap. 8.) For tliis purpose Cato recommends the laying up as 



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