1in
the latter, and in the front of the furnace, three feet above the floor of
the building, is the mouth out of which the re-melted copper flows into a
forehearth and a dipping-pot. On the left side of the mouth is an aperture,
through which beech-wood may be put into the furnace to feed the fire. If
in a centumpondíum of copper there were a sixth of a líbra and a semí-uncía of
silver, or a quarter of a libra, or a quarter of a líbra and a semi-uncia—there is
re-melted at the same time thirty-eight centumpondía of it in this furnace, until
there remain in each centumpondíum of the copper “bottoms” a third of a
líbra and a semí-uncía of silver. For example, if in each centumpondium of
copper not yet re-melted, there is a quarter of a libra and a semi-uncia of silver,
then the thirty-eight centumpondia that are smelted together must contain a
total of eleven líbrae and an uncía of silver. Since from fifteen centumpondía
of re-melted copper there was a total of four and a third líbrae and a semi-uncia
of silver, there remain only two and a third librae. Thus there is left in the
“bottoms,” weighing twenty-three centumpondía, a total of eight and three
quarter líbrae of silver. Therefore, each centumpondíum of this contains a
third of a libra and a semí-uncía, a drachma, and the twenty-third part of a
drachma of silver; from such copper it is profitable to separate the silver.
In order that the master may be more certain of the number of centumpondía
of copper in the “bottoms,” he weighs the “tops” that have been drawn
off from it; the “tops” were first drawn off into the dipping-pot, and cakes
were made from them. Fourteen hours are expended on the work of thus
dividing the copper. The “bottoms,” when a certain weight of lead has
been added to them, of which alloy I shall soon speak, are melted in
the blast furnace; liquation cakes are then made, and the silver is afterward
separated from the copper. The “tops” are subsequently melted
in the blast furnace, and re-melted in the refining furnace, in order that
red copper shall be made16; and the “tops” from this are again smelted in
the blast furnace, and then again in the refining furnace, that therefrom
the building, is the mouth out of which the re-melted copper flows into a
forehearth and a dipping-pot. On the left side of the mouth is an aperture,
through which beech-wood may be put into the furnace to feed the fire. If
in a centumpondíum of copper there were a sixth of a líbra and a semí-uncía of
silver, or a quarter of a libra, or a quarter of a líbra and a semi-uncia—there is
re-melted at the same time thirty-eight centumpondía of it in this furnace, until
there remain in each centumpondíum of the copper “bottoms” a third of a
líbra and a semí-uncía of silver. For example, if in each centumpondium of
copper not yet re-melted, there is a quarter of a libra and a semi-uncia of silver,
then the thirty-eight centumpondia that are smelted together must contain a
total of eleven líbrae and an uncía of silver. Since from fifteen centumpondía
of re-melted copper there was a total of four and a third líbrae and a semi-uncia
of silver, there remain only two and a third librae. Thus there is left in the
“bottoms,” weighing twenty-three centumpondía, a total of eight and three
quarter líbrae of silver. Therefore, each centumpondíum of this contains a
third of a libra and a semí-uncía, a drachma, and the twenty-third part of a
drachma of silver; from such copper it is profitable to separate the silver.
In order that the master may be more certain of the number of centumpondía
of copper in the “bottoms,” he weighs the “tops” that have been drawn
off from it; the “tops” were first drawn off into the dipping-pot, and cakes
were made from them. Fourteen hours are expended on the work of thus
dividing the copper. The “bottoms,” when a certain weight of lead has
been added to them, of which alloy I shall soon speak, are melted in
the blast furnace; liquation cakes are then made, and the silver is afterward
separated from the copper. The “tops” are subsequently melted
in the blast furnace, and re-melted in the refining furnace, in order that
red copper shall be made16; and the “tops” from this are again smelted in
the blast furnace, and then again in the refining furnace, that therefrom
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