1which turn five brass
wheels, four of which are small, and the fifth much
larger than the rest. The notches in which the small wheels turn are two
palms long and as much as a palm wide; those wheels are a palm wide and
a palm and two digits in diameter; four of the notches are near the four
corners of the trolley; the fifth notch is between the two front ones, and
it is two palms back from the front. Its pulley is larger than the rest, and
turns in its own notch; it is three palms in diameter and one palm wide,
and grooved on the circumference, so that the iron chain may run in the
groove. The trolley has two small axles, to the one in front are fastened
three, and to the one at the back, the two wheels; two wheels run on the
one beam of the crane-arm, and two on the other; the fifth wheel, which is
larger than the others, runs between those two beams. Those people who
have no cranes place the cakes on a triangular board, to which iron cleats
are affixed, so that it will last longer; the board has three iron chains,
which are fixed in an iron ring at the top; two workmen pass a pole through
the ring and carry it on their shoulders, and thus take the cake to the furnace
in which silver is separated from copper.
larger than the rest. The notches in which the small wheels turn are two
palms long and as much as a palm wide; those wheels are a palm wide and
a palm and two digits in diameter; four of the notches are near the four
corners of the trolley; the fifth notch is between the two front ones, and
it is two palms back from the front. Its pulley is larger than the rest, and
turns in its own notch; it is three palms in diameter and one palm wide,
and grooved on the circumference, so that the iron chain may run in the
groove. The trolley has two small axles, to the one in front are fastened
three, and to the one at the back, the two wheels; two wheels run on the
one beam of the crane-arm, and two on the other; the fifth wheel, which is
larger than the others, runs between those two beams. Those people who
have no cranes place the cakes on a triangular board, to which iron cleats
are affixed, so that it will last longer; the board has three iron chains,
which are fixed in an iron ring at the top; two workmen pass a pole through
the ring and carry it on their shoulders, and thus take the cake to the furnace
in which silver is separated from copper.
From the vicinity of the furnaces in which copper is mixed with lead and
the “slags” are re-melted, to the third long wall, are likewise ten furnaces,
in which silver mixed with lead is separated from copper. If this space is
eighty feet and two palms long, and the third long wall has in the centre a
door three feet and two palms wide, then the spaces remaining at either side
of the door will be thirty-eight feet and two palms; and if each of the furnaces
occupies four feet and a palm, then the interval between each furnace and
the next one must be a foot and three palms; thus the width of the five
furnaces and four interspaces will be twenty-eight feet and a palm. There
fore, there remain ten feet and a palm, which measurement is so divided
that there are five feet and two digits between the first furnace and
the transverse wall, and as many feet and digits between the fifth furnace
and the door; similarly in the other part of the space from the door to the
sixth furnace, there must be five feet and two digits, and from the tenth
furnace to the seventh transverse wall, likewise, five feet and two digits.
The door is six feet and two palms high; through it the foreman of the officína
and the workmen enter the store-room in which the silver-lead alloy is kept.
the “slags” are re-melted, to the third long wall, are likewise ten furnaces,
in which silver mixed with lead is separated from copper. If this space is
eighty feet and two palms long, and the third long wall has in the centre a
door three feet and two palms wide, then the spaces remaining at either side
of the door will be thirty-eight feet and two palms; and if each of the furnaces
occupies four feet and a palm, then the interval between each furnace and
the next one must be a foot and three palms; thus the width of the five
furnaces and four interspaces will be twenty-eight feet and a palm. There
fore, there remain ten feet and a palm, which measurement is so divided
that there are five feet and two digits between the first furnace and
the transverse wall, and as many feet and digits between the fifth furnace
and the door; similarly in the other part of the space from the door to the
sixth furnace, there must be five feet and two digits, and from the tenth
furnace to the seventh transverse wall, likewise, five feet and two digits.
The door is six feet and two palms high; through it the foreman of the officína
and the workmen enter the store-room in which the silver-lead alloy is kept.
Each furnace has a bed, a hearth, a rear wall, two sides and a front,
and a receiving-pit. The bed consists of two sole-stones, four rectangular
stones, and two copper plates; the sole-stones are five feet and a palm
long, a cubit wide, a foot and a palm thick, and they are sunk into the ground,
so that they emerge a palm and two digits; they are distant from each other
about three palms, yet the distance is narrower at the back than the front.
Each of the rectangular stones is two feet and as many palms long, a cubit
wide, and a cubit thick at the outer edge, and a foot and a palm thick on the
inner edge which faces the hearth, thus they form an incline, so that there is a
slope to the copper plates which are laid upon them. Two of these rectang
ular stones are placed on one sole-stone; a hole is cut in the upper edge of
each, and into the holes are placed iron clamps, and lead is poured in; they
and a receiving-pit. The bed consists of two sole-stones, four rectangular
stones, and two copper plates; the sole-stones are five feet and a palm
long, a cubit wide, a foot and a palm thick, and they are sunk into the ground,
so that they emerge a palm and two digits; they are distant from each other
about three palms, yet the distance is narrower at the back than the front.
Each of the rectangular stones is two feet and as many palms long, a cubit
wide, and a cubit thick at the outer edge, and a foot and a palm thick on the
inner edge which faces the hearth, thus they form an incline, so that there is a
slope to the copper plates which are laid upon them. Two of these rectang
ular stones are placed on one sole-stone; a hole is cut in the upper edge of
each, and into the holes are placed iron clamps, and lead is poured in; they
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