TIVAEIA. 39 



in his long robes. Several illustrious fellow-citizens and 

 fellow-labourers with Lucullus appear to have been 

 equally regardless with him, so long as they obtained 

 their end, what the attainment of it might cost. 



Columella enters much more into particulars than 

 VarrOj and we shall quote accordingly from his book, 

 ' De Re Rustica/ directions as to the whereabouts for 

 forming, and how to construct, proper marine piscinas. 

 He particularly recommends them in insular situations, 

 where the soil is poor, and the returns small or none ; 

 in such situations they may be made to turn to excel- 

 lent account.* Mere sterility, however, ought not to be 

 the only consideration in determining the site of a sea- 

 pond; several other things, as we shall presently see, 

 should also enter into the account ; but when these are 

 present the best place to commence operations is so near 



* ' Huno diem qusestum villaticum patris-familias demonstra- 

 bimus qtii sive insulas, sive manticas agro mercatus, propter exi- 

 Utatem soli, quae plerumque littori viciaa est fruotus terrse prse- 

 cipere non poteiit, ex marl reditum oonstituit.' Thus in former 

 days men used to make large fortunes by the sale of their 

 scaly stock. L. Crassus did not keep stews for the sake of 

 lining his inside with fish, as PUny informs us, but ' of a covet- 

 ous mind and for mere gain, since by this and such witty de- 

 vices he gathered large revenues.' In Germany the nobles make 

 more by their carp and pike, than gentlemen agriculturists in 

 England by their sheep and cattle ; and Laoepede, deploring the 

 loss of fish-ponds in France, says 'they used to produce large 

 returns from several sources now dried up with them. When 

 that living agriciilture was put a stop to, the earth around, no 

 longer softened with gentle moisture (descending in dews evapo- 

 rated from their surface), began to require irrigation, and even 

 then was found less prolific than formerly ; the fertilizing manure 

 which used to be strewed over the soil had ceased, and other 

 muck had to be bought and brought from a distance ; and finally 

 the various wild-fowl, in some places once so remunerative, now 

 ceased to yield anything, so that much evil and no good has 

 attended the ' abolition of our ponds.' ' 



