I] THE FOUR DEPARTMENTS 21 



CHAPTER IV 



THE FOUR DEPARTMENTS 



1 Its elements are those of which, according to 

 Ennius, the universe is composed: water, earth, 

 air, and sun. For before sowing one's seed one 

 must have gained understanding of these things, 

 being, as they are, the source of all production. 

 The farmer must start from this point and direct his 

 course towards two goals — utility and pleasure. 

 Utility seeks profit, pleasure what isagreeable. What 

 is useful plays a more important part than what is 



2 agreeable. And indeed it is also true that the efforts 

 which by culture make land more beautiful not only 

 increase as a rule the return from it — as for example 

 when vineyards and oliveyards are planted in regular 

 order — but also render it more saleable and add to 

 the value of the farm. For every one prefers to buy, 

 and will give more for, a thing which with the 

 same advantages is more beautiful, than for a farm 



3 which, though profitable, is ugly.^ Now, that land 

 is the most useful which is the most healthy, be- 

 cause the return from it is assured; and because, 

 on the other hand, on a malarious soil however 

 fertile it be, sickness and death prevent the settler 



' Nemo cnim, etc. The translation here reproduces the con- 

 fusion of thoufjht in the original ; with fructuosus, fundus or 

 ager must be supplied. 



