Complete Works of Frontinus

by Frontinus

  [67] Marciae in commentariis adscriptus est modus quinariarum duum milium centum sexaginta duarum. Ad caput mensus inveni quinarias quattuor milia sexcentas nonaginta, amplius quam in commentariis est quinariis duobus milibus quingentis viginti octo. Erogabantur antequam ad piscinam perveniret quinariae nonaginta quinque, et dabantur in adiutorium Tepulae quinariae nonaginta duae, item in Anionem quinariae centum sexaginta quattuor. Summa quae erogabatur ante piscinam quinariae trecentae quinquaginta una. Modus qui in piscina mensuris positis initur cum eo quod circa piscinam ductum eodem canali in arcus excipitur, efficit quinarias duo milia nongentas quadraginta quattuor. Summa quae aut erogatur ante piscinam aut in arcus recipitur quinariarum tria milia ducentae nonaginta quinque; amplius quam in conceptis commentariorum positum est quinariis mille centum triginta tribus, minus, quam mensurae ad caput actae efficiunt quinariis mille trecentis nonaginta quinque. Erogabat post piscinam quinarias mille octingentas quadraginta; minus quam in commentariis conceptionis modum significari diximus quinariis ducentis viginti septem, minus quam ex piscina in arcus recipiuntur quinariis mille centum quattuor. Summa utraque quae intercidebat aut inter caput et piscinam aut post piscinam quinariarum duo milia ID, quas sicut in ceteris pluribus locis intercipi deprehendimus. Non enim eas cessare manifestum est et ex hoc quod ad caput praeter eam mensuram, quam comprehendisse nos capacitate ductus posuimus, effunduntur amplius trecentae quinariae.

  [67] In the records Marcia is credited with the quantity of 2,162 quinariae. Gauging it at the intake, I found 4,690 quinariae, — 2,528 quinariae more than appear in the records. There were delivered, before it reaches the settling-reservoir, 95 quinariae; and 92 quinariae were given to supplement Tepula; likewise 164 to Anio. The total delivered before the settling-reservoir is reached, was 351 quinariae. The quantity which is computed at the reservoir from the gauges set up there, along with what is carried around the reservoir and received in the same channel on arches, is 2,944 quinariae. The aggregate of what is delivered above the reservoir or is received on arches is 3,295 quinariae, — more than is set down in the scheduled capacity by 1,133 quinariae, and less than given by the gaugings made at the intake by 1,395 quinariae. After passing the reservoir, it delivered 1,840 quinariae, — 227 quinariae less than we said was set down in the scheduled capacity, and 1,104 quinariae less than is taken from the reservoir upon the arches. The aggregate of what was lost either between the intake and the reservoir or downstream from the reservoir, was 2,499 quinariae, the diversion of which, as in case of the other aqueducts, we discovered at several places. For that there is no lack of water is manifest also from the fact that at the intake, besides the volume which we noted that we found from the capacity of the conduit, over 300 quinariae are wasted.

  [68] Tepulae in commentariis adscriptus est modus quinariarum quadringentarum. Huius aquae fontes nulli sunt; venis quibusdam constabat, quae interceptae sunt in Iulia. Caput ergo eius observandum est a piscina Iuliae. Ex ea enim primum accipit quinarias centum nonaginta, deinde statim ex Marcia quinarias nonaginta duas, praeterea ex Anione Novo ad hortos Epaphroditianos quinarias centum sexaginta tres. Fiunt omnes quinariae quadringentae quadraginta quinque, amplius quam in commentariis quadraginta quinque, quae in erogatione comparent.

  [68] Tepula is credited in the records with 400 quinariae. This aqueduct has no springs; it consists only of some veins of water taken from Julia. Its intake is therefore to be set down as beginning with the Julian reservoir, for from this it first receives 190 quinariae; then immediately thereafter 92 quinariae from Marcia, and further from New Anio at the Epaphroditian Gardens 163 quinariae. This makes in all 445 quinariae, — more than the records show by 45 quinariae, — which appear in the delivery.

  [69] Iuliae in commentariis adscriptus est modus quinariarum sexcentarum quadraginta novem. Ad caput mensura iniri non potuit, quoniam ex pluribus adquisitionibus constat, sed ad sextum ab urbe miliarium universa in piscinam recipitur, ubi modus eius manifestis mensuris efficit quinarias mille ducentas sex, amplius quam in commentariis quinariis quingentis quinquaginta septem. Praeterea accipit prope urbem post hortos Pallantianos ex Claudia quinarias centum sexaginta duas. Est omne Iuliae in acceptis quinariae mille trecentae sexaginta octo. Ex eo dat in Tepulam quinarias centum nonaginta, erogat suo nomine octingentas tres. Fiunt quas erogat quinariae nongentae nonaginta tres; amplius quam in commentariis habet quinariis trecentis quadraginta quattuor; minus quam in piscina habere posuimus ducentis decem tribus, quas ipsas apud eos, qui sine beneficiis principis usurpabant, deprehendimus.

  [69] Julia is credited in the records with a measure of 649 quinariae. At the intake the gaugings could not be made, because the intake is composed of several tributaries. But at the sixth mile-stone from the City, Julia is wholly taken into the settling reservoir, at which place its volume, according to the plainly visible gauges, amounts to 1,206 quinariae, — more than set down in the records by 557 quinariae. Besides this, near the City, behind the Gardens of Pallas, it receives from Claudia 162 quinariae, making the whole number of quinariae received by Julia 1,368. Of this amount, it discharges 190 into Tepula, and delivers on its own account 803 quinariae; from this we get a total of 993 quinariae which it delivers, — more than the records credit by 344 quinariae; less than we set it down as having at the reservoir by 213, which is precisely the amount we found diverted by those who were taking water without a grant from the sovereign.

  [70] Virgini in commentariis adscriptus est modus quinariarum sexcentarum quinquaginta duarum. Huius mensuram ad caput invenire non potui, quoniam ex pluribus adquisitionibus constat et lenior rivum intrat. Prope urbem tamen ad miliarium septimum in agro qui nunc est Ceionii Commodi, ubi velociorem cursum habet, mensuram egi quae efficit quinariarum duo milia quingentas quattuor, amplius quam in commentariis quinariis mille octingentis quinquaginta duabus. Approbatio nostra expeditissima est; erogat enim omnes quas mensura deprendimus, id est duo milia quingentas quattuor.

  [70] Virgo is credited in the records with a measure of 652 quinariae. I could not take a gauging of this at the intake, because Virgo is made up of several tributaries, and enters its channels with too slow a current. Near the City, however, at the seventh mile-stone, on the land which now belongs to Cejonius Commodus, where Virgo has a greater velocity, I made a gauging, and it amounted to 2,504 quinariae, — 1,852 quinariae more than was set down in the records. The correctness of our gauging is very easily proved; for Virgo discharges all the quinariae which we found by gauging, that is, 2,504.

  [71] Alsietinae conceptionis modus nec in commentariis adscriptus est nec in re praesenti certus inveniri potuit, cum ex lacu Alsietino et deinde circa Careias ex Sabatino quantum aquarii temperaverunt. Alsietina erogat quinarias trecentas nonaginta duas.

  [71] The measure of the capacity of Alsietina is not set down in the records, nor could it be accurately arrived at under present conditions, because [it receives] from Lake Alsietinus, and afterwards in the vicinity of Careiae from Sabatinus as much water as the water-men arrange for. Alsietina delivers 392 quinariae.

  [72] Claudia abundantior aliis maxime iniuriae exposita est. In commentariis habet non plus quinariis duobus milibus octingentis quinquaginta quinque, cum ad caput invenerim quinariarum quattuor milia sexcentas septem; amplius quam in commentariis mille septingentis quinquaginta duabus. Adeo autem nostra certior est mensura, ut ad septimum ab urbe miliarium in piscina, ubi indubitatae mensurae sunt, inveniamus quinarias tria milia trecentas decem duas; plus quam in commentariis quadringentis quinquaginta septem, quamvis et ex beneficiis ante piscinam eroget et plurimum subtrahi deprehenderimus ideoque minus inveniatur, quam re vera esse debeat, quinariis mille ducentis nonaginta quinque. Et circa erogationem autem fraus apparet, quae neque ad commentariorum fidem neque ad eas quas ad caput egimus mensuras, neque ad illas saltem ad piscinam post tot iniurias sunt, convenit. Solae enim quinariae mille septingentae quinquaginta erogantur; minus quam commentariorum ratio dat quinariis mille centum quinque; minus autem quam mensurae ad caput factae demon
straverunt quinariis duobus milibus octingentis quinquaginta septem; minus etiam quam in piscina invenitur quinariis mille quingentis sexaginta duabus. Ideoque cum sincera in urbem proprio rivo perveniret, in urbe miscebatur cum Anione novo, ut confusione facta et conceptio earum et erogatio esset obscurior. Quod si qui forte me adquisitionum mensuris blandiri putant, admonendi sunt adeo Curtium et Caeruleum fontes aquae Claudiae sufficere ad praestandas ductui suo quinarias quas significavi quattuor milia sexcentas septem, ut praeterea mille sexcentae effundantur. Nec eo infitias quin ea quae superfluunt non sint proprie horum fontium; capiuntur enim ex Augusta, quae inventa in Marciae supplementum, dum illa non indiget, adicitur fontibus Claudiae, quamvis ne huius quidem ductus omnem aquam recipiat.

  [72] Claudia, flowing more abundantly than the others, is especially exposed to depredation. In the records it is credited with only 2,855 quinariae, although I found at the intake 4,607 quinariae, — 1,752 quinariae more than are recorded. Our gauging, however, is confirmed by the fact that at the seventh mile-stone from the City, at the settling reservoir, where the gauging is without question, we find 3,312 quinariae, — 457 more than are recorded, although, before reaching the reservoir, not only are deliveries made, to satisfy private grants, but also, as we detected, a great deal is taken secretly, and therefore 1,295 quinariae less are found than there really ought to be. Moreover, in the delivery of the water also it is manifest that there is fraud, since the amount actually delivered does not agree either with the statements of the records or with the gaugings made by us at the intake, or even with those made at the settling-basins, after so many depredations. For there are only 1,750 quinariae delivered, — less than the computation given in the records by 1,105 quinariae; also less than is shown by the gauging made at the intake by 2,857 quinariae, and less also than is found at the reservoir by 1,562 quinariae. For this reason, although it arrived in the City perfectly clear in its own conduit, it was mixed within the City with the New Anio, so that by creating confusion, the quantity as well as the distribution of the two might be obscured. But should any one think that I exaggerate the measure of the water received, such a person must be reminded that the Caerulean and Curtian sources of the Claudian aqueduct are so ample for supplying to their conduit the 4,607 quinariae which I have indicated, that 1,600 besides go to waste. But at the same time I do not deny that this superabundance does not really belong to these springs, for it comes from Augusta. This was devised to supplement Marcia, but is turned into the sources of Claudia, when Marcia does not need it, though not even the conduit of Claudia itself can carry all this water.

  [73] Anio Novus in commentariis habere ponebatur quinarias tria milia ducentas sexaginta tres. Mensus ad caput repperi quinarias quattuor milia septingentas triginta octo, amplius quam in conceptis commentariorum est, quinariis mille quadringentis septuaginta quinque. Quarum adquisitionem non avide me amplecti quo alio modo manifestius probem, quam quod in erogatione ipsorum commentariorum maior pars earum continetur? Erogantur enim quinariarum quattuor milia ducentae, cum alioquin in eisdem commentariis inveniatur conceptio non amplius quam trium milium ducentarum sexaginta trium. Praeterea intercipi non tantum quingentas XXXVIII, quae inter mensuras nostras et erogationem intersunt, sed longe ampliorem modum deprendi. Ex quo apparet etiam exuberare comprehensam a nobis mensuram. Cuius rei ratio est, quod vis aquae rapacior, ut ex largo et celeri flumine excepta, velocitate ipsa ampliat modum.

  [73] New Anio was put down in the records as having 3,263 quinariae. Gauging at the intake I found 4,738 quinariae, — more than the scheduled capacity by 1,475 quinariae. In what other way could I more clearly show that I do not exaggerate the number of quinariae at the intake than by the fact that in the records of delivery most of this water is actually accounted for? For it is stated that 4,200 quinariae are delivered, although elsewhere in the same records the amount taken in is put down as only 3,263. Besides this, I have discovered that not only 538 quinariae (the difference between our gauging and the recorded delivery) are stolen, but a far greater quantity. Whence it appears that the total found by me is none too large. The explanation of this is, that the swifter current of water, coming as it does from a large and rapidly flowing river, increases the volume by its very velocity.

  [74] Non dubito aliquos adnotaturos, quod longe maior copia actis mensuris inventa sit, quam erat in commentariis principum. Cuius rei causa est error eorum, qui ab initio parum diligenter uniuscuiusque aquae fecerunt aestimationem. Ac ne metu aestatis aut siccitatum in tantum a veritate eos recessisse credam, obstat quod ipse actis mensuris Iulio mense hanc uniuscuiusque copiam, quae supra scripta est, tota deinceps aestate durantem exploravi. Quaecumque tamen est causa quae praecedit, illud utique detegitur, decem milia quinariarum intercidisse, dum beneficia sua principes secundum modum in commentariis adscriptum temperant.

  [74] I do not doubt that many will be surprised that according to our gaugings, the quantity of water was found to be much greater than that given in the imperial records. The reason for this is to be found in the blunders of those who carelessly computed each of these waters at the outset. Moreover, I am prevented from believing that it was from fear of droughts in the summer that they deviated so far from the truth, for the reason that I myself made my gaugings in the month of July, and found the above-recorded supply of each one remaining constant throughout the entire remainder of the summer. But whatever the reason may be, it has any rate been discovered that 10,000 quinariae were intercepted, while the amounts granted by the sovereign are limited to the quantities set down in the records.

  [75] Sequens diversitas est quod alius modus concipitur ad capita, alius nec exiguo minor in piscinis, minimus deinde distributione continetur. Cuius rei causa est fraus aquariorum, quos aquas ex ductibus publicis in privatorum usus derivare deprehendimus. Sed et plerique possessorum, e quorum agris aqua circumducitur, formas rivorum perforant, unde fit ut ductus publici hominibus privatis vel ad hortorum usus itinera suspendant.

  [75] Another variance consists in this, that one measure is used at the intake, another, considerably smaller, at the settling-reservoir, and the smallest at the point of distribution. The cause of this is the dishonesty of the water-men, whom we have detected diverting water from the public conduits for private use. But a large number of landed proprietors also, past whose fields the aqueducts run, tap the conduits; whence it comes that the public water-courses are actually brought to a standstill by private citizens, just to water their gardens.

  [76] Ac de vitiis eiusmodi nec plura nec melius dici possunt, quam a Caelio Rufo dicta sunt in ea contione, cui titulus est “De Aquis”, quae nunc nos omnia simili licentia usurpata utinam non per offensas probaremus; inriguos agros, tabernas, cenacula etiam, corruptelas denique omnes perpetuis salientibus instructas invenimus. Nam quod falsis titulis aliae pro aliis aquae erogabantur, etiam sunt leviora ceteris vitia. Inter ea tamen quae emendationem videbantur exigere, numerandum est, quod fere circa montem Caelium et Aventinum accidit. Qui colles, priusquam Claudia perduceretur, utebantur Marcia et Iulia. Sed postquam Nero imperator Claudiam opere arcuato ad Spem exceptam usque ad templum Divi Claudii perduxit, ut inde distribueretur, priores non ampliatae sed omissae sunt; nulla enim castella adiecit, sed isdem usus est, quorum quamvis mutata aqua vetus appellatio mansit.

  [76] Concerning misdemeanours of this sort, nothing more nor better needs to be said than was said by Caelius Rufus, in his speech, which is entitled “Concerning Waters.” And would that we were not having daily experience by actual infringement of the law that all these misdemeanours are committed just as flagrantly now as then. We have found irrigated fields, shops, garrets even, and lastly all disorderly houses fitted up with fixtures through which a constant supply of flowing water might be assured. For that some waters should be delivered under a forged name in place of other waters belongs to the lesser misdemeanours. But among the frauds that seemed to demand correction, is to be mentioned what took place in the vicinity of the Caelian and Aventine Hills. These hills, before
the construction of Claudia, utilized the waters of Marcia and Julia; but after the Emperor Nero led Claudia over the arches at Spes Vetus up to the Temple of the Deified Claudius, in order to distribute it from there, the first named waters, instead of being augmented by this new supply, were themselves allowed to go unused; for he did not build new reservoirs for Claudia, but used those that already existed; and the old name of these remained, although the water had become a new one.

  [77] Satis iam de modo cuiusque et velut nova quadam adquisitione aquarum et fraudibus et vitiis quae circa ea erant dictum est. Superest ut erogationem, quam confertam et, ut sic dicam, in massa invenimus, immo etiam falsis nominibus positam, per nomina aquarum, uti quaeque se habet, et per regiones urbis digeramus. Cuius comprensionem scio non ieiunam tantum sed etiam perplexam videri posse, ponemus tamen quam brevissime, ne quid velut formulae officii desit. Eis quibus sufficiet cognovisse summa, licebit transire leviora.

  [77] With this, enough has been said about the volume of each aqueduct, and, if I may so express it, about a new way of acquiring water; about frauds and about offences committed in connection with all this. It remains to account in detail for the supply delivered (which we found given collectively and in a lump sum, so to speak, — and even set down under false entries), and to do this according to the several aqueducts and to the several wards of the City. I know very well that such an enumeration will appear not only dry but also complicated; nevertheless, I will make it — but as short as possible — that nothing may be lacking to the data of this office. Those who are satisfied with knowing the totals, may skip the details.