i. Dust and dirt clods (De pulveribus et glebis terrae) 1. Dust (pulvis) is so named because it is driven (pellere) by the force (vis) of the wind, for it is carried on the breath of the wind, neither resisting nor able to stay put, as the Prophet says (Psalm 1:4): “Like the dust, which the wind driveth from the face of the earth.” 2. Mud (limus) is so named because it is soft (lenis). Mire (caenum) is a pit of filth. Cinders (cinis) are named from burning (incendium), for that is how they are made. Ashes (favilla), because they are made as a result of fire, for fire is Φῶς. 3. A clod (gleba) because it is a ball (globus), for it is compacted as a clump of dust, and unified into a single ball. Earth, then, that is joined together is a clod, and earth that is separated is dust. 4. Labina is named by derivation from ‘falling’ (labes) because it causes people to fall as they are walking. Some think that filth (lutum) is named using antiphrasis, because it is not clean, for everything that has been washed (lavare, ppl. lotus) is clean. 5. Wallowing-places (volutabrum) are named because swine wallow (volutare) there. ‘Marshy ground’ (uligo) is a muck consisting of mud and water. Sabulum (i.e. a small coarse sand) is the lightest type of earth.

6. ‘White clay’ (argilla) is named from the Argives, who were the first to make vases from it. ‘Cretan earth’ (Creta, i.e. white potter's clay) is named from Crete, where the better sort is found.