254
BOOK VII.
are now called after the Greek name ceratia; and each double sextula isdivided into four semi-sextulae, which are called granas ; and each semi-sextulais divided into three units of four siliquae each, of which each unit is calleda grenlin. If we made the needles to be each four siliquae, there would betwo hundred and eighty-eight in a bes, but if each were made to be a semi-sextulaor a double scripula, then there would be ninety-six in a bes. By these twomethods too many needles would be made, and the majority of them, by reasonof the small difference in the proportion of the gold, would indicate nothing,therefore it is advisable to make them each of a double sextula ; in this wajtwenty-four needles are made, of which the first is made of twenty-threeduellae of silver and one of gold. Fannius is our authority that the Ancientscalled the double sextula a duella. When a bar of silver is rubbed on thetouchstone and colours it just as this needle does, it contains one duella of gold.In this manner we determine by the other needles what proportion of goldthere is, or when the gold exceeds the silver in weight, what proportion ofsilver.
The needles are made 40 :—
The
1st needle
of 23
duellae
of silver and
1
duella of gold.
)»
2nd
22
if
t f
2
duellae of gold.
1 i
3rd
21
it
it
3
ft ft
f t
4th
20
it
it
4
tt tt
y t
5 th
19
it
it
5
it a
y>
6th
18
it
tt
6
it it
ff
7th
17
it
it
7
tt tt
t f
8 th „
16
it
a
8
a it
we have left Agricola’s adaptation in one scale to avoid confusion. The Latin terms adopted
Roman Term.
German Term.
Number in oneMark or Bes.
Value
Siliqu
Siliqua
1152
1
“ Unit of 4 Siliquae ”
Grenlin
288
4
Pfennig
256
Scripulum
Scruple (?)
192
6
Semi-sextula
Gran
96
12
Drachma
Quintlein
64 .-
18
Sextula
Halb Krat
48
24
Sicilicus
Halb Loth
32
36
Duella
Krat
24
48
Semuncia
Loth
16
72
" Unit of 5 Drachmae & 1Scripulum ”
” Nummus ”
12
96
Uncia
Untzen
8
144
Bes
Mark
1
1152
While the proportions in a bes or mark are the same in both scales, the actual weightvalues are vastly different—for instance, the mark contained about 3609.6, and the bes3297 Troy Grains. Agricola also uses :
Selibra Halb-pfundt
Libra Pfundt
Centumpondium Centner.
As the Roman libra contains 12 unciae and the German pfundt 16 untzen, the actual weights ofthese latter quantities are still further apart—the former 4946 and the latter 7219 Troygrains.
4 s There are no tables in the Latin text, the whole having been written out in extenso,but they have now been arranged as above, as being in a much more convenient and expressiveform.