Agricola, Georgius
,
De re metallica
,
1912/1950
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would be held in no less odium amongst good men than is the usurer, did
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they not take account of the risk he runs to secure his merchandise. </
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<
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>In
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truth, those who on this point speak abusively of mining for the sake of
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detracting from its merits, say that in former days men convicted of crimes
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and misdeeds were sentenced to the mines and were worked as slaves. </
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<
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>But
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to-day the miners receive pay, and are engaged like other workmen in the
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common trades.</
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<
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>Certainly, if mining is a shameful and discreditable employment for a
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gentleman because slaves once worked mines, then agriculture also will not be
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a very creditable employment, because slaves once cultivated the fields, and
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even to-day do so among the Turks; nor will architecture be considered
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honest, because some slaves have been found skilful in that profession;
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nor medicine, because not a few doctors have been slaves; nor will any other
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worthy craft, because men captured by force of arms have practised it.
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<
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>Yet agriculture, architecture, and medicine are none the less counted
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amongst the number of honourable professions; therefore, mining
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ought not for this reason to be excluded from them. </
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<
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>But suppose we
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grant that the hired miners have a sordid employment. </
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>We do not mean
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by miners only the diggers and other workmen, but also those skilled in the
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mining arts, and those who invest money in mines. </
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<
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>Amongst them can be
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counted kings, princes, republics, and from these last the most esteemed
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citizens. </
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<
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>And finally, we include amongst the overseers of mines the noble
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Thucydides, the historian, whom the Athenians placed in charge of the
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mines of Thasos.
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29
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And it would not be unseemly for the owners themselves
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to work with their own hands on the works or ore, especially if they them
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selves have contributed to the cost of the mines. </
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<
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>Just as it is not undignified
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for great men to cultivate their own land. </
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<
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>Otherwise the Roman Senate
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would not have created Dictator L. </
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<
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>Quintius Cincinnatus, as he was at
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work in the fields, nor would it have summoned to the Senate House the
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chief men of the State from their country villas. </
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<
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>Similarly, in our day,
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Maximilian Cæsar would not have enrolled Conrad in the ranks of the nobles
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known as Counts; Conrad was really very poor when he served in the mines
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of Schneeberg, and for that reason he was nicknamed the “poor man”; but </
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