PLINY: NATURAL HISTORY

glory of luxury: to possess that which could be destroyed entirely in an instant. Nor was this enough. We drink from a crowd of gems and cover our cups with emeralds, and it pleases us to possess India for the sake of intoxication. Gold is now merely an accessory.

6 III. And would that it could be entirely banished from life, the text here includes a scholarly note regarding a lacuna: "accursed by hunger, as very famous writers have said", reviled by all the best people and found for the destruction of life. How much happier was the age when goods themselves were exchanged among one another, just as it is agreed it was done in Trojan times, if one is to believe Homer! For thus, in my opinion, commerce was discovered for the sake of survival.
7 He relates that some purchased goods with ox-hides, others with iron and captives. Wherefore, although he himself was already an admirer of gold, he made evaluations of things in cattle, such that he said Glaucus exchanged gold armour worth 100 oxen with the armour of Diomedes worth 9 oxen. From this custom, it is established that under ancient laws, even in Rome, fines were paid in cattle.

8 IV. The person who first put gold on their fingers committed the worst crime against life, nor is it recorded who did this. For I believe all stories about Prometheus are fabulous, although antiquity gave him an iron ring, and intended it to be understood as a chain, not an ornament. As for the ring of Midas, which when turned made the wearer invisible,

of wealth, the true glory of luxury, to possess something that might be absolutely destroyed in a moment. Nor was this enough: we drink out of a crowd of precious stones, and set our cups with emeralds, we take delight in holding India for the purpose of tippling, and gold is now a mere accessory. III. And would that it could be entirely banished from life, reviled and abused as it is by all the worthiest people, and only discovered for the ruin of human life—how far happier was the period when goods themselves were interchanged by barter, as it is agreed we must take it from Homer to have been the custom even in the days of Troy. That in my view was the way in which trade was discovered, to procure the necessities of life. Homer relates how some people used to make their purchases with ox-hides, others with iron and captives, and consequently, although even Homer himself was already an admirer of gold, he reckoned the value of goods in cattle, saying that Glaucus exchanged gold armour worth 100 beeves with that of Diomede worth 9 beeves. And as a result of this custom even at Rome a fine under the old laws is priced in cattle.

Gold ringsIV. The worst crime against man's life was committed by the person who first put gold on his fingers, though it is not recorded who did this, for I deem the whole story of Prometheus mythical, although antiquity assigned to him also an iron ring, and intended this to be understood as a fetter, not an ornament. As for the story of Midas's ring, which when turned round made its wearer invisible,