By Water & Blood

Of Capacity, Local Usages

54. The names of the measures ^[432] locally. The mares ^[433] is a measure among the people of Pontus consisting of 2 pots; but the pot among them consists of 10 xestai, so that the kupros ^[434] consists of 20 Alexandrian xestai. Among the people of Pontus the kupros is a measure of dry produce of 2 modii; but it (the modius) is said by them to consist of 5 choinikes, and the choinix of 2 xestai, among them, so that the kupros would consist of 20 xestai. For there is also a great modius among them of 24 xestai. The litra is translated by the Romans as libra, which among the Romans etymologically ^[435] means equality, that is to say, equality by measure. And there is in it 12 ounces. But from what language the name of the ounce has come we do not know with |64 certainty;^[436] but from what we conjecture the ounce is called by a Greek name, being named because of the many parts in the litra. However, the litra is also said to be perhaps from the Hebrew or Syriac language, as we have said above. For the li is, being translated, "to me," and the tra is "it is"; so that it will be: "Full weight belongs to him that receives." But the litra makes 288 grams, and every gram consists of 6 carats. But carats are the seeds that are found in the fruit of the carob tree. And this seed weight, if it is complete, equals the weight of 2 fat barley (corns), so that the litra consists of 3,456 ^[437] barleycorns, 1,728 carats, 288 grams, ^[438] 12 ounces. But the ounce consists of 24 grams. And again, divided differently, the ounce is put ^[439] in yet other terms. For the Hebrews, dividing the ounce into other parts, called it by other names.^[440] For they called half an ounce a stater from the circumstance that when the scale pans on both sides are equal in inclination, if half an ounce is put into each side of the balances and the equipoise of the beam is brought about in accordance with the pointer that is in the middle of the balances, it comes ^[441] to be called a stater.^[442] That is, the half of an ounce which was determined by the equality of inclination they called a stater, that which was called by them the double zuzå. And the stater with them is the half-ounce, 2 shekels as they are called in the Hebrew, as we have said above, while according to the etymology of the language they are interpreted through sekel ^[443] as a "taking up" ^[444] or a "weighing down," ^[445] as we say "it weighs down" or "it inclines." And, again, the shekel, which is half a stater, one-fourth of an ounce, has 2 lepta |65 in it. And the lepton is a weight which is one-eighth of an ounce, and by some it is also called the obelus.^[446] But some divide the ounce into 7 obeloi, while some change the name obelus. Since it is numbered among the weights they call it the obolus, because the ancients, consuming their lives in war, did their business by means of arrows, for the arrow was called the obelus. And a man would give 2 obeloi and get bread or anything else pertaining to food. Therefore in the temple in Jerusalem there sat the money-changers who were called trapezitai,^[447] whose tables the Lord overturned,^[448] which (tables) were for the coinage, which gets its name from this circumstance, that at royal courts by this means men think ^[449] that the world is controlled. But it was called silver (coinage) because at the time it was made of silver with the image of the king on it. There was a large one, (used) as a symbol and a weight, that was called a silver (talent), as I have already said, of 100 denaria.^[450] But every denarion was 60 assaria. The silver (coin), however, that is current is that which is called the mina, according to the Hebrew; therefore it was called the mina according to those things previously determined by me above. But since it was impossible, if the large silver (mina) was carried about, to buy bread or anything else of small value, it was necessary to give the large silver (minas) to the money-changers and to change (them) for small coins, that is to say, to change (the money), that is, to make exchange. Hence those called trapezitai are also called money-changers. Therefore also the Lord, overturning their tables there, scattered their silver (minas). For this reason also there came about the name of the obolus, because by means of such little arrows as these the business of the wars of mankind was carried on.

55. Concerning the xestes. But the name of the xestes is from the great measures divided into small parts. Because some have sought |66 to learn whence this measure is derived and have not found out, we have assented with some of the ancients as to whence this derived (term) is taken. Contrariwise it is Greek,^[451] from the circumstance that by means of it large measures are reduced ^[452] to smallness. The Romans, taking over its name, inasmuch as they had a measure of 6 xestai, which (number) is pronounced by them in the Roman language sex, say therefore not xestes but sextan, ^[453] that is, "six times," a multiple of the xestes.^[454] They also call the little xestes the sexton ^[455] for it is the sixth part of what is called among them the congiarium.

56. But the congiarium ^[456] is a liquid measure among the Romans also. For likewise the name is even pronounced in the Roman fashion. For this measure you have the further evidence of the Chronicle of Eusebius and the other chroniclers, (relating) that as each of the kings in (his) time (bestowed) gifts upon the Roman populace, they accordingly bestowed good cheer. It is to be interpreted "coiled up" ^[457] or "put together," for the Roman conge ^[458] means "assemble" or "put together."