By Water & Blood

Of Area and Length

57. No one of those who have met with these weights and measures which have been mentioned by us for the second time can find fault, as though the writing were without purpose instead of to teach accuracy; for although we spoke of them heretofore somewhat briefly, we have now set down for the sake of accuracy those things also that had been abbreviated. Hereafter we shall tell about land measures and the measurements upon the land, for they also are in the divine Scripture. |67 

58. Concerning the field. The field ^[459] is a land measure. Now roughly and generically the entire earth is called a field. For if we say, "The field offers pasturage," it means that the whole world together is green with vegetation. But again, the field is also a measure of land. And you ^[460] find in the divine Scripture, O lover of the good, about the field of Abiezer.^[461] And it consists of 5 or 6 seahs,^[462] so that it is either a fifth or a sixth of a jugon. But this is an Egyptian measure, for the Egyptians measure all their land in fields.

59. Concerning the jugum.^[463] And there are 6 fields in a jugon of land of the second class, but 5 (in land) of the first class. But among the Romans jugum means "pair" or "yoke," because it is the plowing of a yoke of oxen for a whole day; for the same reason also (we find) the decad ^[464] in the agriculture of the Palestinians and Arabians. But among the Cyprians they are called zyga,^[465] and among other peoples syntelesmata.^[466] There is in the field, according to the measure of the measuring rod of 6 2/3 cubits, called among surveyors the akaina, 20 by 20 (rods). For the field consists of 5 plethra of land of the first class, but of 6 plethra of the second class. [The measure of the field ^{[467]  |68} is not like ours, for it extends 20 (rods) by 20 according to the reckoning of 5 cubits (to the rod).] But the plethron is 20 ^[468] by 20 cubits, called the sataean ^[469] among the Palestinians and Arabians. For 30 sataeans constitute a jugon of land of the first class. Therefore, just as the quantity of 30 modii like that in the Gospel ^[470] is called a kor, so also here the 30 sataeans are called a koraean. But a koraean of land of the second class has 60 sataeans in [the measure. And, again, in measurements upon the land the sataean has 6 cabs ^[471] in] it. But these 30 ^[472] sataeans are 13 jugera----like the one-fifth of the measure among the Palestinians ^[473] ----that is, 13 yokes. For the Romans say junge for "yoke up," since a yoke of oxen will plow 2 1/3 sataeans in a day. You inquire as to the measure of the land, is it thus? ^[474] You inquire as to the measure of the seed, as it thus?⁴⁸⁸ For, the structure of the modius being enlarged, the overflow, that is, the overfulness of the modius, constituted a part ^[475] of the modius. Therefore when the modius is small ^[476] it consists of 5 cabs, but when it is spacious it consists of 6. Therefore also the sataean consists of 6 cabs in the measurement of land, and of 6 cabs (consists) the measure of seed. And we have told the things concerning the sataean, the plethron, the yoke, the jugon, the koraean, the field, and the jugera.

60. Concerning the cubit. And this also is in the divine Scriptures |69 in many places. For it is said that the specifications of the ark of Noah were given by means of cubits. For it was said: "Thou shalt make it 300 cubits long, 30 cubits high, and 50 cubits wide, and within a cubit thou shalt gather it together above." ^[477] The cubit then is a measure, but it is taken from the measure of the forearm.^[478] For the part from the elbow to the wrist and the palm of the hand is called the cubit, the middle finger of the cubit measure being also extended at the same time and there being added below (it) the span, that is, of the hand, taken all together.^[479] This cubit has 24 fingers ^[480] in the measure, if the cubit is a linear measure. If, however, it be τετράγωνος, which is measured along two sides, it is of 48 fingers.^[481] When employed in measuring a round piece of timber, when doubled four times it is called a solid cubit and is of 192 fingers.^[482] But in this usage the finger contains 8 lepta. The measure of a piece of timber, however, is taken from the circumference of the timber. For example, if you wind a cord about the piece of timber and it is found that there are in it 72 fingers, or as many as there may be, then you multiply the 72 fingers by 72 again, which makes 5,184 fingers. You divide these again by 12, and there are 432 fingers.^[483] You take the length of such a piece of timber, whether its length be 10 or 12, or whatever it may be. If it be 10 cubits, you multiply the 432 lepta by these 10, and there are 4,320 lepta. Then you divide these by 192, and they make 20 solid cubits, which are 3,840 lepta, that is to say, fingers. And there yet remain 480 lepta, of which the 1/192 part makes 2 cubits, which is 384 lepta, and there remain 96 lepta.^[484] Then, since it does not have |70 another measure of 192, so that it might be reckoned a solid cubit, we now divide the fingers which remain into lepta. Then since a finger contains 8 lepta,^[485] one-eighth of these 96 lepta that remain makes the number 12, which is 12 fingers, making half a cubit.^[486] So there are, in a piece of timber that is 72 fingers in circumference and 10 cubits long, 22 solid cubits and 12 fingers, that is, 22 1/2 (solid) cubits.^[487] But the simple cubit of linear measurement contains 3 spans,^[488] 6 hands,^[489] or 4 palms.^[490] And there are 8 fingers in the span and 4 fingers in the hand. But when it is closed it is called the fist. It is, however, often also called the gronthos,^[491] inasmuch as athletes use this form when engaging in a fight. Therefore the apostle says: "Thus I fight, not as if I beat the air." ^[492] For what is called the palm is employed as a measure by women in making fabrics for clothing. For they stretch out the fingers from the tip of the nail of the middle finger to the "breast" of the palm of the hand, that is, to the great joint, and there are six fingers in it. This is the account of the cubit, the span, the hand, the finger, and the palm. And to this point is concerning measurements on the earth by means of which land is measured which are employed in the Scriptures. But I have also told about the measurement of round timbers, although it is not employed in the divine Scripture. |71 

CONCERNING NAMES OF PLACES, IN PART ^[493]