Footnotes

1.

Vicus sceleratus. So called because Tullia therein drove her chariot over her father's corpse.

2.

Τροιας αμακον αθιραβη κιονα.—Pindar

3.

That it was such, can scarce be doubted, from the line of Martial: "Myrrheaque in Parthis pocula cocta focis."

4.

It must not be imagined that this is fanciful. Rooms were fitted up in this manner, and termed camera vitræ, and the panels vitræ quadraturæ. But a few years later than the period of the text, B. C. 58, M. Æmilius Scaurus built a theatre capable of containing 80,000 persons, the scena of which, composed of three stories, had one, the central, made entirely of colored glass in this fashion.

5.

About £90 sterling. See Pliny Hist. Nat. 13, 16, for a notice of this very table, which was preserved to his time.

6.

By the Lex annalis, B. C. 180, passed at the instance of the tribune L. V. Tappulus.

7.

The Quinquertium, the same as the Greek Pentathlon, was a conflict in five successive exercises—leaping, the discus, the foot race, throwing the spear, and wrestling.

8.

The Aqua Crabra was a small stream flowing into the Tiber from the south-eastward, now called Maranna. It entered the walls near the Capuan gate, and passing through the vallis Murcia between the Aventine and Palatine hills, where it supplied the Circus Maximus with water for the naumachia, fell into the river above the Palatine bridge.

9.

The Muræna Helena, which we commonly translate Lamprey, was a sub-genus of the Conger; it was the most prized of all the Roman fish, and grew to the weight of twenty-five or thirty pounds. The value set upon them was enormous; and it is said that guilty slaves were occasionally thrown into their stews, to fatten these voracious dainties.

10.

The aureus was a gold coin, as the name implies, worth twenty-five denarii, or about seventeen shillings and nine pence sterling.

11.

The stylus was a pointed metallic pencil used for tracing letters on the waxen surface of the table.

12.

The cavalry attached to every legion, consisting of three hundred men, was divided into ten troops, turmæ of thirty each, which were subdivided into decuriæ of ten, commanded by a decurio, the first elected of whom was called dux turmæ, and led the troop.

13.

The guests at Roman banquets usually brought their own napkins, mappæ, and wore robes of bright colors, usually flowered, called cænateriæ or cubitoriæ.

14.

Pro certo creditur, necato filio, vacuam domum scelestis nuptiis fecisse.

15.

The Petasus was a broad brimmed hat of felt with a low round crown. It was originally an article of the Greek dress, but was adopted by the Romans.

16.

Seven thousand talents, about 7,500,000 dollars.

17.

The classical reader will perhaps object to the introduction of the Alcaic measure at this date, 62 B. C., it being generally believed that the Greek measures were first adapted to the Latin tongue by Horace, a few years later. The desire of giving a faint idea of the rhythm and style of Latin song, will, it is hoped, plead in mitigation of this very slight deviation from historical truth—the rather that, in spite of Horace's assertion,

Non ante vulgatas per artes

Verba loquor sociata chordis,

it is not certain, that no imitations of the Greek measures existed prior to his success.

18.

The senior consul, or he whose month it was to preside, had twelve lictors; the junior but one, while within the city.

19.

The Tribunes of the people were, at this period of the Republic, Senators; the Atinian law, the date of which is not exactly fixed, having undoubtedly come into operation soon after B. C. 130. I do not, however, find it mentioned, that their seats were thereupon transferred into the body of the Senate; and I presume that such was not the case; as they were not real senators, but had only the right of speaking without voting, as was the case with all who sat by the virtue of their offices, without regular election.

20.

The age of senatorial eligibility is nowhere distinctly named. But the quæstorship, the lowest office which gave admission to the Curia, required the age of thirty-one in its occupant.