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Plin. H 24.23.37: Spissarum utilissima medicinae Bruttia, quoniam pinguissima et
resinosissima.
Of the thick pitches the most useful in medicine is the Bruttian, because being both
very rich and very resinous. (W.H.S. Jones).
Plin. H 35.34: Lignea potius aut fictilia deorum simulacra in delubris dicata, usque
ad devictam Asia, unde luxuria.
The images of the gods placed in the temples were made preferably of wood or
terracotta until the conquest of Asia, from where all the extravagance came.
(D. Bartoli).
Plin. H 36.1.2-3.: Promunturia aperiuntur mari, et rerum natura agitur in planum;
evehimus ea quae separandis gentibus pro terminis constituta erant, navesque
marmorum causa fiunt, ac per fluctus, saevissimam rerum naturae partem, huc illuc
portantur iuga, maiore etiamnum venia quam cum ad frigidos potus vas petitur in
nubila caeloque proximae rupes cavantur, ut bibatur glacie.
Headlands are laid open to the sea, and nature is flattened. We remove the barriers
created to serve as the boundaries of nations, and ships are built especially for marble. And
so, over the waves of the sea, Nature’s wildest element, mountain ranges are transported to
and fro, and even then with the greater justification than we can find for climbing to the
clouds in search of vessels to keep our drinks cool, and for hollowing our rocks that almost
reach the heavens, so that we may drink from ice. (D.E. Eichholz).
Plin. H 36.2.6: Etiamne tacuerunt, maximas earum atque adeo duodequadragenum
pedum Lucullei marmoris in atrio Scauri conlocari?
Were not (the laws) silent also when the largest of those columns, which were
each fully 38 feet long and of Lucullean marble, were placed in the hall of Scaurus’
house? (D.E. Eichholz)
Plin. H 36.2.7: Iam L. Crassum oratorem illum, qui primus peregrini marmoris
columnas habuit in eodem Palatio, Hymettias tamen nec plures sex aut longiores
duodenum pedum, M. Brutus in iurgiis ob id Venerem Palatinam appellaverat.
The orator L. Crassus, having been the first to install, also on the Palatine,
columns of foreign marble, columns which were after all merely of Hymettus marble
and not more than six in number and more than 12 feet each in length, was in
consequence nicknamed by Marcus Brutus the Palatine Venus. (D.E. Eichholz)
Plin. H 36.5.46: Primum, ut arbitror, versicolores istas maculas Chiorum lapicidinae
ostenderunt, cum exstruerent muros, faceto in id M. Ciceronis sale –omnibus enim
ostentabant ut magnificum: -multo, inquit, magis mirarer, si Tiburtino lapide fecisset.
In my opinion, the first specimens of our favourite marbles with their parti-coloured
markings appeared from the quarries of Chios when the people of that island were
building their walls. Hence the witty remark made at the expense of this work by
Cicero. It was their practice to show it as a splendid structure to all their visitors; and