CHAP. I.

THE ROMAN REPUBLIC.

C Z5

money lent at interest on mortgages, or othersecurities. But unless the metallic wealth hadincreased in a prodigious degree, that remarkablerise in the prices of other commodities couldnot have been experienced which is noticed byall writers. As one among other instances, weknow that the house of Marius 1 , at Misenum ,was purchased by Cornelia for seventy-five thou-sand drachmas 2 , and a few years after sold toLucullus for five hundred thousand two hun-dred drachmas 3 .

The fortunes of private individuals may bejudged of by a few select notices to be found incontemporary authors. Crassus is said to havepossessed in lands bis millies 4 , besides money,slaves, and household furniture, estimated at asmuch more 5 . Seneca is related to have pos-

1 Plutarch , in Mario. 4 £2421. 1 7^- 6d. sterling.

3 £16,152. 5s. 10c?. sterling.

4 £1,614,583. 6.s. 8c/. sterling.

5 Though Crassus had several silver mines and estates ofgreat value, which were profitably managed, yet his revenuesfrom those sources are represented as inconsiderable, whencompared with those he derived from his slaves. He had alarge number of them, whom he educated, who were taught tobecome readers, amanuenses, book-keepers, stewards, andcooks. Besides this he made interest of his money, at a highrate, receiving for the use of it one per cent, at the end ofeach month. It is recorded as a saying of his, “ that no mancould be accounted rich who was not able to maintain an armyout of his own revenues.” It should seem that when he wasdesirous to form a powerful party in the state, he could beoccasionally as profuse as he was habitually avaricious ; for on