De metallorum ortu & causis

lead are no less metal than gold and silver. To this, when it is asked what gold is, and what iron is, then to both indiscriminately it is answered: it is a mineral body, meltable, and extensible under the hammer. But if the "new-wise" καινοσοφοὶ those who think they are wise in new, false ways; innovators of wisdom object to us that gold and silver are purer and brighter than the other metals, and therefore conclude they are more perfect, then we freely grant them that gold and silver are more tempered and more splendid than the other metals. But we will deny they are more perfect than the others. Indeed, in the genus of animals, you will easily see some more tempered and more illustrious than others in their own species. Why then should the same not happen in the genus of metals? Furthermore, if certain metals are imperfect and certain ones are perfect, then surely the same definition does not apply to all. Because of this, one definition must be given to these, and another to those, so that they may be properly distinguished,