Plutarch's essays and miscellanies, Vol. 2 (of 5) : $b Comprising all his works collected under the title of "Morals"Plutarch
Philosophy
Plutarch's essays and miscellanies, Vol. 2 (of 5) : $b Comprising all his works collected under the title of "Morals"
Plutarch
Classical literature; Essays; Ethics; Philosophy
_Solution._ What if it be (as they commonly say) in honor of
Saturn, that sailed over into Italy in a ship? Or, if this be no more
than what may be said of many others besides (for Janus, Evander, and
Aeneas all came by sea into Italy), a man may take this to be more
probable: whereas some things serve for the beauty of a city, some
things for necessary accommodation, the greatest part of the things
that beautify a city is a good constitution of government, and the
greatest part for necessary accommodation is good trading; whereas
now Janus had erected a good frame of government among them, reducing
them to a sober manner of life, and the river being navigable afforded
plenty of all necessary commodities, bringing them in partly from the
sea and partly from the out-borders of the country, their coin had a
significant stamp, on one side the double-faced head of the legislator
(as hath been said) by reason of the change made by him in their
affairs, and on the other a small ship because of the river. They used
also another sort of coin, having engraven on it an ox, a sheep, and a
sow, to show that they traded most in such cattle, and got their riches
from these; hence were many of the names among the ancients derived, as
Suillii, Bubulci, and Porcii, as Fenestella tells us.
_Question 42._ Why do they use the temple of Saturn for a chamber
of public treasury, as also an office of record for contracts?
_Solution._ Is not this the reason, because this saying hath
obtained credit, that there was no avarice or injustice among men while
Saturn ruled, but faith and righteousness? Or was it that this God
presided over the fruits of the field and husbandry? For the sickle
signified as much, and not, as Antimachus was persuaded and wrote with
Hesiod,—
With crooked falk Saturn ’gainst heavens fought,
Cut off his father’s privities, foul bout.
Money is produced from plenty of fruit and the vent of them, therefore
they make Saturn the author and preserver of their felicity. That
which confirms this is that the conventions assembled every ninth day
in the market-place (which they call Nundinae) they reckon sacred to
Saturn, because the abundance of fruit gave the first occasion of
buying and selling. Or are these things far-fetched, and was the first
that contrived this Saturnine chamber of bank Valerius Publicola, upon
the suppression of the kings, being persuaded it was a strong place,
conspicuous, and not easily undermined by treachery?
_Question 43._ Wherefore did ambassadors, from whencesoever
they came to Rome, go to Saturn’s temple, and there have their names
recorded before the treasurers?
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