though he had lost a great part of his fortune in the civil war, left by his will 4116 slaves, 3600 yoke of oxen, 257,000 of other cattle; in ready money, H. S. sexcenties, L. 484,275, Plin. ib.

Augustus received by the testaments of his friends quater decies millies, L. 32,291,666 13: 4. Suet. Aug. ult. He left in legacies to the Roman people, i. e. to the public, quadringenties, and to the tribes or poor citizens, (tribubus vel plebi), TRICIES quinquies, Suet. ibid. Tacit. Ann. i. 8.

Tiberius left at his death vigesies septies millies, L. 21,796,875, which Caligula lavished away in less than one year, Suet. Cal. 37. Vespasian, at his accession to the empire, said, that to support the commonwealth, there was need of quadringenties millies, L. 322,916,666 13: 4, an immense sum! more than the national debt of Britain!* Suet. Vesp. 16.

The debt of Milo is said to have amounted to H. S. septingenties, L. 565,104: 3: 4, Plin. xxxvi. 15. s. 24.

Cæsar, before he enjoyed any office, owed 1300 talents, L.251,875, Plutarch. When, after his prætorship, he set out for Spain, he is reported to have said, Bis millies et quingenties sibi deesse, ut nihil haberet, i. e. that he was L. 2,018,229: 3: 4. worse than nothing. A sum hardly credible! Appian. de bell. civ. ii. 432. When he first entered Rome in the beginning of the civil war, he took out of the treasury L. 1,095,979, Plin. xxxiii. 3. and brought into it, at the end of the civil war, above L. 4,843,750, (amplius sexies millies), Vell. ii. 56. He is said to have purchased the friendship of Curio, at the beginning of the civil war, by a bribe of sexcenties sestertium, L. 484,373, Dio. xl. 60. Val. Max. ix. 1. 6. Vel. Pat. ii. 48. and that of the consul, L. Paulus, the colleague of Marcellus, A. U. 704, by 1500 talents, about L. 279,500, Appian. B. C. ii. 443. Plutarch. in Cas. & Pomp. & Suet. Cæs. 29. Of Curio Lucan says, Hic vendidit urbem, iv. ult. Venali Curio lingua, i. 269. and Virgil, as it is thought, Vendidit hic auro patriam, Æn. vi. 621. But this Curio afterwards met with the fate which as a traitor to his country he deserved, being slain by Juba in Africa, Dio. xli. 42. Lybicas en nobile corpus pascit aves! nullo contectus CURIO busto, Lucan. iv. 809.

Antony, on the Ides of March, when Cæsar was killed, owed quadringentics, L. 322,916: 13: 4, which he paid before the kalends of April, Cic. Phil. ii. 37. and squandered of the public money, sestertium septies millies, L. 5,651,041: 13: 4, Cic. Phil. v. 4. xii. 5.

Cicero at first charged Verres with having plundered the Sicilians of sestertium millies, in Cæcil. 5. but afterwards exacted only quadringenties, Actio in Verr. 18.

* In the year 1791, when this book was first published. All these sums are estimated in sterling money.

Apicius wasted on luxurious living sexcenties sestertium,L.484,375; Seneca says, sestertium millies in culinam consumpsit, and being at last obliged to examine the state of his affairs, found that he had remaining only sestertium renties, L. 80,729 : 3:4; a sum which he thought too small to live upon, and therefore ended his days by poison, Senec. consol. ad Helv. 10. Martial. iii. 22. Dio. lvii. 19.

Pliny says, that in his time Lollia Paulina wore, in full dress, jewels to the value of quadragies sestertium, L. 32,201: 13: 4, or, as others read the passage, quadringenties sestertium, L. 322,916 : 13: 4. Plin. x. 35. s. 57.

Julius Cæsar presented Servilia, the mother of M. Brutus, with a pearl worth sexagies sestertia, L. 48,417: 10. Suet. Cæs. 50. Cleopatra, at a feast with Antony, swallowed a pearl dissolved in vincgar worth centies, H. S. L. 80,729:3:4; Plin. ibid. Macrob. Sat. ii. 13. Clodius, the son of Esopus, the tragedian, swallowed one worth decies, L. 8072: 18:4; Val. Max. ix. 1. 2. Horat. Sat. ii. 3. 239. So Caligula, Suet. 34.

A single dish of Esop's is said to have cost an hundred sestertia, Plin. x. 51. s. 72. xxxv. 12.

Caligula laid out on a supper, centies H. S.-L. 80,729:3:4. Senec. Helv. 9. and Heliogabalus, tricies H. S.-L. 24,218 : 15. Lamprid. 27.

The ordinary expense of Lucullus for a supper in the hall of Apollo, was 50,000 drachmæ, L. 1614:11:8. Plutarch. in Lucull.

Even persons of a more sober character were sometimes very expensive. Cicero had a citron-table which cost him H. S. decies; and bought the house of Crassus with borrowed money for H. S. xxxv. i. e. tricies quinquies, L. 24,218:15. Plin. xiii. 15. vii. 38. Cic. Fam. v. 6.

This house had first belonged to the Tribune M. Livius Drusus; who, when the architect promised to build it for him in such a manner that none of his neighbours should overlook him, answered, "If you have any skill, contrive it rather so, that all the world may "see what I am doing," Vell. Pat. ii. 14.

Messala bought the house of Autronius for H. S. ccccxxxvii, L. 3527: 17:34. Cic. Att. i. 13.

Domitius estimated his house sexagies sestertia, i. e. at L. 48,437: 10. Val. Max. ix. 1. 5. The house of Clodius cost centies et quadragies octies, L. 119,479. Plin. xxxvi. 15. s. 24.

The fish-pond of C. Herius was sold for quadragies H. S. L. 32,291: 13:4. Plin. ix. 55. and the fish of Lucullus for the same sum, Ibid. 54.

The house-rent of middling people in the time of Julius Cæsar, is supposed to have been bina millia nummăm, L. 16:2:11. from

Suet. Cæs. 38. That of Calius was xxx millia nummûm, L. 242 ; 3:9. and thought high, Cic. Cal. 7.

The value of houses in Rome rose greatly in a few years. The house of Marius, which was bought by Cornelia for 7 myriads of drachmæ, L. 2421: 17: 6. was not long after purchased by Lucullus for 50 myriads, and 200 drachmæ, L. 16,152: 5:10. Plutarch. in Mario.

The house of Lepidus, which in the time of his Consulship, was reckoned one of the finest in Rome; in the space of 35 years, was not in the hundredth rank, (contesimum locum non obtinuit), Plin. xxxvi. 15. s. 24.

The villa of M. Scaurus being burnt by the malice of his slaves, he lost H. S. millies, L. 807,291: 13:4. ibid.

The golden house (aurea domus) of Nero must have cost an immense sum, since Otho laid out in finishing a part of it quingenties H. S. L.403,645: 16:8. Plin. ibid.

THE

The INTEREST of MONEY.

HE interest of money was called FENUS, vel fenus; or USURA, fructus, merces, vel impendium; the capital, CAPUT or sors; also FOENUS, which is put for the principal as well as the interest, Tacit. Ann. vi. 17. Cic. Att. i. 12. v. 21. vi. 1. 2.

When one AS was paid monthly for the use of a hundred, it was called USURA CENTESIMA, because in an hundred months the interest equalled the capital; or ASSES USURE. This we call 12 per cent. per annum, as Pliny, duodenis assibus debere vel mutuari, Ep. x. 62. v. 55. centesimas computare, Id. ix. 28. which was usually the legal interest at Rome, at least towards the end of the Republic, and under the first Emperors. Sometimes the double of this was exacted, bina centesima, 24 per cent. and even 48 per cent. quaternæ centesima, Cic. Verr. in. 70. Att. vi. 2. Horace mentions one who demanded 60 per cent.; Quinas hic capiti mercedes exsecat; i. e. quintuplices usuras exigit, vel quinis centesimis fuenerat, Sat. i. 2. 14.

When the interest at the end of the year was added to the capital, and likewise yielded interest, it was called Centesimæ renovata, Cic. Ibid. or ANATOCISMUS anniversarius, compound interest, Id. v. 21. if not, centesima perpetua; or fanus perpetuum, Ibid.

USURE semisses, six per cent. ; trientes, four per cent.; quadrantes, three per cent.; besses, eight per cent. &c. Cic. Att. iv. 15. Pers. v. 149. usuræ legitimæ vel licita, legal interest; illicitæ vel illegitima, illegal, Digest. et Suet. Aug. 39.

USURA is commonly used in the plural, and FOENUS in the singular.

The interest permitted by the 12 tables was only one per cent. FOENUS UNCIARIUM vel UNCIA USURE, Tacit. Ann. vi. 16. (See Lex DUILIA MENIA), which some make the same with usura centesima; reduced, A. U. 408. to one half, FOENUS SEMUNCIARIUM, Id. et Liv. vii. 27. but these, and other regulations, were eluded by the art of the usurers, (Fæneratores), Cic. Att. vi. 1. Off. ii. 24. & 25. Sal. Cat. 33. Liv. viii. 28. xxxv. 7. 41. After the death of Antony and Cleopatra, A. U. 795. the interest of money at Rome fell from 12 to 4 per cent. Dio. li. 21.

Professed bankers or money lenders were also called MENSARII vel Trapezita, ARGENTARII, NUMMULARII, vel Collybista, Liv. vii. 21. Suet. Aug. 2. 3. 4. Cic. Flacc. 19. sometimes appointed by the public, Liv. xxiii. 21.

A person who laid out money at interest was said Pecuniam alicui v. apud aliquem occupare, Cic. Flacc. 21. Verr. i. 36. ponere, collocare, &c. when he called it in, relegere, Horat. Epod. 2. ult.

The Romans commonly paid money by the intervention of a banker, Cic. Cacin. 6. (in foro, et de mense scriptura, magis quam ex arca domoque, vel cista pecunia numerabatur. Donat. in Ter. Adelph. ii. 4. 13.) whose account books of debtor and creditor, (Tabula vel codices accepti et expensi; mensæ rationes), were kept with great care, Ibid. hence Acceptum referre, Cic. and among later writers, acceptum ferre, to mark on the debtor side, as received; ACCEPTILATIO, a form of freeing one from an obligation without payment; Expensum ferre, to mark down on the Creditor side, as paid or given away; Expensi latio, the act of doing so; Ratio accepti atque expensi inter nos convenit, our accounts agree, Plaut. Most. i. 3. 146. In rationem inducere vel in tabulis rationem scribere, to state an account, Cic. Verr. i. 42. And because this was done by writing down the sum and subscribing the person's name in the banker's books; hence scribere nummos alicui, i. e. se per scriptum v. chirographum obligare ut solvat, to promise to pay, Plaut. Asin. ii. 4. 34. rationem accepti scribere, to borrow, Id. Truc. iv. 2. 36. rescribere, to pay, or to pay back what one has received, Ter. Phorm. v. 7. 29. Horat. Sat. ii. 3. 76. so perscribere, to order to pay, Ter. Phorm. v. 7. 30. Cic. Att. ix. 12. Flacc. 19. whence PERSCRIPTIO, an assignment or an order on a banker, Cic. Orat. i. 58. Att. iv. ult. Phil. v. 4. Flacc. 30. Att. xii. 51. Hence also NOMEN is put for a debt,. for the cause of a debt, or for an article of an account. NOMINA facere, to contract debt, Senec. ben. i. 1. to give security for payment, by subscribing the sum in a banker's books, Cic. Off. iii. 14. or to accept such security, Cic. Fam. vii. 23. exigere, to demand payment, Cic. Verr. i. 10. So appellare de nomine, Att. v. 29. dissolvere, to discharge, to pay, Id. Planc. 28. solvere, Att. vi. 2. expungere, Plaut. Cist. i. 3. 41.

Explicare, Att. 13. 29. Expedire, 16. 6. Transcribere nomina in alios, to lend money in the name of others, Liv. 35. 7. Pecunia ei est in nominibus, is on loan, Cic. Verr. v. 7. Top. 3. In codicis extrema cera nomen infimum in flagitiosa lilura, the last article at the bottom of the page shamefully blotted, Cic. Verr. i. 36. Rationum nomina, articles of accounts, Ib. 39. In tabulas nomen referre, to enter a sum received, Multis Verri nominibus acceptum referre, to mark down on the debtor side many articles or sums received from Verres, Ibid. Hinc ratio cum Curtiis, multis nominibus, quorum in tabulis iste habet nullum, i. e. Curtiis nihil expensum tulit Verres, Ibid. Hence Cicero pleading against Verres, often says, RECITA NOMINA, i. e. res, personas, causas, in quas ille aut quibus expensum tulit, the accounts, or the different articles of an account, Ascon, Certis nominibus pecuniam debere, on certain accounts, Cic. Quinct. 11. Non refert parva nomina in codices, small sums, Cic. Rosc. Com. 1. Multis nominibus versuram ab aliquo facere, to borrow many sums to pay another, Cic. Verr. ii. 76. Permulta nomina, many articles, 1b. 5.-Likewise for a debtor; Ego bonum nomen existimor, a good debtor, one to be trusted, Cic. Fam. v. 6. Optima nomina non appellando fiunt mala, Colum. 1. 7. Bono nomine centesimis contentus erat, non bono quaternas centesimas sperabat, 12 per cent. from a good debtor, 48 from a bad, Cic. Att. v. 21. Nomina sectatur tironum, i. e. ut debitores faciat venatur, seeks to lend to minors, a thing forbidden by law, Horat. Sat. i. 2. 16. Cautos nominibus certis expendere nummos, i. e. sub chirographo bonis nominibus vel debitoribus dare, to lend on security to good debtors, Id. Ep. ii. 1. 105. Locare nomen sponsu improbe, to become surety with an intention to deceive, Phædr. i. 16..

As the interest of money was usually paid on the Kalends, hence called TRISTES, Horat. Sat. i. 3. 87. and CELERES, Ovid. remed. Amor. 561. a book in which the sums to be demanded were marked, was called CALENDARIUM, Senec. benef. i. 2. vii. 10. Ep.

14.87.

ROMAN MEASURES of LENGTH, &c.

THE THE Romans measured length or distance by feet, cubits, paces, stadia, and miles.

The Romans, as other nations, derived the names of measure chiefly from the parts of the human body; DIGITUS, a digit, or finger's breadth; POLLEX, a thumb's breadth, an inch; PALMUS, an hand's breadth, a palm equal to (=) 4 digiti or 3 inches; PES, a foot, = 16 digits or 12 inches; PALMIPES, a foot and an hand breadth; CUBITUS, a cubit, from the tip of the elbow, bent inwards, to the extremity of the middle finger, =