CHAP. 3.—THE CORINTHIAN BRASS.
The other kinds are made artificially, all of which will be
described in the appropriate places, the more celebrated kinds
first coming under our notice. Formerly a mixture was made
of copper fused with gold and silver, and the workmanship in
this metal was considered even more valuable than the material
itself; but, at the present day, it is difficult to say
whether the workmanship in it, or the material, is the worst.
Indeed, it is wonderful, that while the value of these works
1
has so infinitely increased, the reputation of the art itself
2 is
nearly extinct. But it would appear, that in this, as in every
thing else, what was formerly done for the sake of reputation,
is now undertaken for the mere purpose of gain. For
whereas this art was ascribed to the gods
3 themselves, and
men of rank in all countries endeavoured to acquire fame by
the practice of it, we have now so entirely lost the method of
making this valuable compound by fusion, that, for this long
time past, not even chance itself has assumed, in this department,
the privilege which formerly belonged to art.
4
Next after the above compound, so celebrated in antiquity,
the Corinthian metal has been the most highly esteemed. This
was a compound produced by accident, when Corinth was burnt
at the time of its capture.
5 There has been a wonderful mania
with many for gaining possession of this metal. It is even said,
that Verres, whom M. Cicero caused to be condemned, was
proscribed by Antonius, along with Cicero, for no other reason
than his refusal to give up some specimens of Corinthian metal,
which were in his possession. But most of these people seem
to me to make a pretence of their discernment in reference to
this metal, rather for the purpose of distinguishing themselves
from the multitude, than from any real knowledge which they
possess; and this I will briefly show.
Corinth was captured in the third year of the 158th
Olympiad, being the year of the City, 608,
6 some ages after the
period when those artists flourished, who produced all the
specimens of what these persons now call Corinthian metal.
It is in order, therefore, to refute this opinion, that I shall
state the age when these different artists lived; for, if we
reckon according to the above-mentioned era of the Olympiads,
it will be easy to compare their dates with the corresponding
years of our City. The only genuine Corinthian vessels, then,
are those which these men of taste metamorphose, sometimes
into dishes, sometimes into lamps, or even into washing-basins,
7
without any regard to decency. They are of three
kinds; the white variety, approaching very nearly to the
splendour of silver, and in which that metal forms a large
proportion of the compound; a second kind, in which the
yellow colour of gold predominates; and a third, in which all
the metals are mixed in equal proportions. Besides these,
there is another mixture, the composition of which it is impossible
to describe, for although it has been formed into
images and statues by the hand of man, it is chance that rules
in the formation of the compound. This last is highly prized
for its colour, which approaches to that of liver, and it is
on this account that it is called "hepatizon:"
8 it is far inferior
to the Corinthian metal, but much superior to the
Æginetan and Delian, which long held the first rank.