[ 4^5 ] 
tTie greater part of Greece, but that he found the* 
Eginean Talent eftablifhed in Egypt, when he pof- 
feffed himfelf of that opulent kingdom. 
Yet fo imperfeft are the accounts now remaining, of 
the ancient weights, that no writer hath mentioned 
this Talent, or one like it, as ufed in Egypt. On the 
contrary, Pliny tells us, on the authority of VarrOy. 
that the Egyptian Talent weighed 8o Roman pounds- 
(3) . But this is undoubtedly a falfe reading, and for 
lEgyptium we flaould read Eubo'icurn'y for Pliny is 
fpeaking of the riches of Afia, where the Euboic 
Talent was ufed for weighing. gold ; and we know the- 
weight of that Talent was fettled at 80 Roman 
Pounds, by the treaty between the Romans and 
Antiochus. 
The fragment of weights and meafures afcribed to 
Galen, makes the Egyptian Mina to weigh 16 Ounces 
(4) ; and confequently,- the Talent 80 Roman Pounds. 
But this Talent could not be the ftandard of the Pto- 
lemaic coins. 
There is a pafTage in Pollux which makes the 
Egyptian Talent contain 1500 Attic Drachms (5).- 
But this is an injudicious interpolation- in the laft edi- 
tion of that author.. 
The fragment afcribed to Cleopatra, and one that 
follows it, mention a Ptolemaic Mina of 18 Ounces,, 
w'bofe Drachm fhould weigh 75 ^. Troy grains j.. and 
Cleopatra fays,there was an Egyptian Drachm, .whichi 
weighed but the fixth part of the Attic, 
(3) Nat..Hift.L.XXXm. c. 3. 
(4) Stephani Thef. Gvxc, t. IV, col. 25. 
(5J L. IX,. c. 6. § 86,. 
