LIBER XXXIV 



I. Proxime dicantur aeris metalla, cui et in usu 

 proximum est pretium, immo vero ante argentum 

 ac paene etiam ante aurum Corinthio, stipis quoque 

 auctoritas, ut diximus. hinc aera militum, tribuni 

 aerarii et aerarium, obaerati, aere diruti. docuimus 

 quamdiu populus Romanus aere tantum signato usus 

 esset : et alia re ^ vetustas aequalem urbi auctorita- 

 tem eius declarat, a rege Numa coUegio tertio aerarium 

 fabrum instituto. 



II. Vena quo dictum est modo foditur ignique 

 perficitur. fit et e lapide aeroso, quem vocant 

 cadmean, celebri trans maria et quondam in Campania, 

 nunc et in Bergomatium agro extrema parte ItaUae ; 

 ferunt nuper etiam in Germania provincia repertum. 

 fit et ex alio lapide, quem chalcitim appellant, in 



^ alia re Mayhoff {qui ei alio coni.) : alta coni. lan : alia. 



" The word aes usually means a prepared alloy of copper 

 and tin, that is, bronze; it also inchided brass (alloy of copper 

 and zinc). Much ancient aes contained lead. Pure copper 

 was properly called aes Cyprium. Note that native copper ore 

 or metallic copper is not common in the Old World, but the 

 ancients discovered that it could be produced artiiicially by 

 heating the much more plentiful oxides, sidphides, silicates, 

 and carbonates of copper. 



^ The others were the CoUege of Priests and the College of 

 Augurs. 



" Apparently mineral calamine and smithsonite = silicate 

 and carbonate of zinc ; cf. § 100. 



126 



