Bermannus.
"There is another species of pyrite found in silver mines. Our people
smelt copper from it and I believe that it occurs in this vicinity.
Naevius. "Will you please show it to us?
Bermannus. "You see this.
Naevius.
"It is similar in appearance to copper. Dioscorides recommends such a
mineral as better than all other for use by physicians.
Bermannus. "That is right.
Naevius. "But Pliny writes, 'They call it pyrite because there is so much fire in it.' Is not fire obtained from it?
Bermannus.
"It is easy to strike fire from it and I believe, as Pliny, that the
Greeks named it thus for this reason although it may have received this
name because very often it is the color of fire.
Naevius. "That is possible. . . .
Bermannus.
"This second species is almost the color of gold and occurs together
with the first in Cyprus, as Pliny has written, and in the mines near
Acarnania.
Naevius.
"I remember. But I recall that the pyrite he says is similar to copper
has distinctive colors and one may be silver-white, the other golden.
Bermannus. "You remember better than I and what he says is true. Copper is obtained from both.
Naevius. "Did you say a little while ago that silver was obtained from pyrite of a silver-white color?
Bermannus. "I did and this is true.
Naevius. "Then it contains both copper and silver?
Bermannus.
"Not only silver and copper but sometimes the two together, sometimes
silver and lead, sometimes even more metals, sometimes it is sterile
and no metal can be obtained from it. You will find that the other
species that is golden yellow is similar. Besides these two there is
another species that commonly occurs scattered through the golden
yellow pyrite.
Naevius. "Tell us about this latter species.
Bermannus.
"It is similar in color to galena so that one has difficulty in
determining whether it is pyrite or galena and for that reason our
miners have another name for this species.
Naevius. "What is it?
Bermannus. "Kisum.
Naevius. "That is neither a Greek nor Latin word.
Bermannus.
"It is our own word not taken from any other language. Perhaps it is
neither pyrite nor galena but a separate genus. It has neither the
color nor hardness of pyrite. It is almost the color of galena but has
an entirely different composition. Gold and silver are obtained from
it. Large qauntities are mined at Reichenstein in Silesia and recently
brought to me from there. Even larger quan-
