In the treaty which Porsena granted to the Roman people, after the expulsion of the kings, we find it expressly stipulated6, that iron shall be only employed for the cultivation7 of the 288 fields; and our oldest authors inform us, that in those days it was considered unsafe to write with an iron pen, or stylus.
Still human industry has not failed to employ iron for perpetuating8 the honors of more civilized9 life. The artist Aristonidas, wishing to express the fury of Athamas subsiding10 into repentance11, after he had thrown his son Learchus from the rock, blended copper and iron, in order that the blush of shame might be more exactly expressed, by the rust12 of the iron making its appearance through the shining substance of the copper; a statue which still exists at Rhodes. There is also, in the same city, a Hercules of iron, executed by Alcon, the endurance displayed by the god in his labors13 having suggested the idea. We see too, at Rome, cups of iron consecrated14 in the Temple of Mars the Avenger15. Nature, in conformity16 with her usual benevolence17, has limited the power of iron, by inflicting18 upon it the punishment of rust; and has thus displayed her usual foresight19 in rendering20 that substance the most perishable21, which brings the greatest dangers upon perishable mortality.
Iron ores are to be found almost everywhere. But of all the different kinds the palm of excellence22 is awarded to that which is made by the Seres, who send it to us with their tissues and skins; next to which, in quality, is the Parthian iron. None of the other kinds of iron are made of the pure hard metal, a softer alloy23 being welded with them all. In our part of the world, a vein24 of ore is occasionally found to yield a metal of this high quality, as in Noricum, but in other cases, it derives25 its value from the mode of working it.

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1
copper
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n.铜;铜币;铜器;adj.铜(制)的;(紫)铜色的 | |
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2
cleave
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v.(clave;cleaved)粘着,粘住;坚持;依恋 | |
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3
hurled
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v.猛投,用力掷( hurl的过去式和过去分词 );大声叫骂 | |
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4
artifice
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n.妙计,高明的手段;狡诈,诡计 | |
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5
acquit
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vt.宣判无罪;(oneself)使(自己)表现出 | |
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6
stipulated
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vt.& vi.规定;约定adj.[法]合同规定的 | |
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7
cultivation
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n.耕作,培养,栽培(法),养成 | |
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8
perpetuating
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perpetuate的现在进行式 | |
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9
civilized
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a.有教养的,文雅的 | |
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10
subsiding
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v.(土地)下陷(因在地下采矿)( subside的现在分词 );减弱;下降至较低或正常水平;一下子坐在椅子等上 | |
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11
repentance
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n.懊悔 | |
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12
rust
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n.锈;v.生锈;(脑子)衰退 | |
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13
labors
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v.努力争取(for)( labor的第三人称单数 );苦干;详细分析;(指引擎)缓慢而困难地运转 | |
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14
consecrated
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adj.神圣的,被视为神圣的v.把…奉为神圣,给…祝圣( consecrate的过去式和过去分词 );奉献 | |
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15
avenger
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n. 复仇者 | |
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16
conformity
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n.一致,遵从,顺从 | |
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17
benevolence
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n.慈悲,捐助 | |
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18
inflicting
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把…强加给,使承受,遭受( inflict的现在分词 ) | |
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19
foresight
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n.先见之明,深谋远虑 | |
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20
rendering
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n.表现,描写 | |
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21
perishable
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adj.(尤指食物)易腐的,易坏的 | |
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22
excellence
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n.优秀,杰出,(pl.)优点,美德 | |
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23
alloy
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n.合金,(金属的)成色 | |
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24
vein
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n.血管,静脉;叶脉,纹理;情绪;vt.使成脉络 | |
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25
derives
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v.得到( derive的第三人称单数 );(从…中)得到获得;源于;(从…中)提取 | |
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