Chapter II: Book XXXIII: The Natural History of Metals

1. Metals 68

2. Gold 69

3. What was the first recommendation of gold 71

4. The origin of gold rings _ib._

5. The quantity of gold possessed by the ancients 75

6. The right or wearing gold rings 76

7. The decuries of the judges 82

8. Particulars connected with the equestrian order 83

9. How often the name of the equestrian order has been changed 85

10. Gifts for military services, in gold and silver 86

11. At what period the first crown of gold was presented _ib._

12. Other uses made of gold, by females 87

13. Coins of gold. At what periods copper, gold, and silver,
were first impressed. How copper was used before gold
and silver were coined. What was the largest sum of money
possessed by any one at the time of our first census. How
often, and at what periods, the value of copper and of
coined money has been changed 88

14. Considerations on man’s cupidity for gold 91

15. The persons who have possessed the greatest quantity of gold
and silver 93

16. At what period silver first made its appearance upon the arena
and upon the stage 94

17. At what periods there was the greatest quantity of gold and
silver in the treasury of the Roman people 95

18. At what period ceilings were first gilded _ib._

19. For what reasons the highest value is set upon gold 96

20. The method of gilding 98

21. How gold is found 99

22. Orpiment 104

23. Electrum 105

24. The first statues of gold _ib._

25. Eight remedies derived from gold 106

26. Chrysocolla 107

27. The use made of chrysocolla in painting 108

28. Seven remedies derived from chrysocolla 110

29. The chrysocolla of the goldsmiths, known also as
santerna _ib._

30. The marvellous operations of nature in soldering metallic
substances, and bringing them to a state of perfection 111

31. Silver _ib._

32. Quicksilver 113

33. Stimmi, stibi, alabastrum, larbasis, or platy-ophthalmon 115

34. Seven remedies derived from stimmi _ib._

35. The scoria of silver. Six remedies derived from it 116

36. Minium: for what religious purposes it was used by the
ancients 119

37. The discovery and origin of minium 120

38. Cinnabaris _ib._

39. The employment of cinnabaris in painting 121

40. The various kinds of minium. The use made of it in
painting _ib._

41. Hydrargyros. Remedies derived from minium 124

42. The method of gilding silver _ib._

43. Touchstones for testing gold 125

44. The different kinds of silver, and the modes of testing
it _ib._

45. Mirrors 126

46. Egyptian silver 128

47. Instances of immense wealth. Persons who have possessed
the greatest sums of money 129

48. At what period the Roman people first made voluntary
contributions 131

49. Instances of luxury in silver plate _ib._

50. Instances of the frugality of the ancients in reference
to silver plate 132

51. At what period silver was first used as an ornament for
couches 134

52. At what period silver chargers of enormous size were first
made. When silver was first used as a material for
sideboards. When the sideboards called tympana were first
introduced _ib._

53. The enormous price of silver plate 135

54. Statues of silver 136

55. The most remarkable works in silver, and the names of the
most famous artists in silver 138

56. Sil: The persons who first used it in painting and the
method they adopted 140

57. Cæruleum 141

58. Two remedies derived from cæruleum 143