Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1859-09-24

accurate conception of what this splendid strnc
turc cost The amount of gold consumed in its
erection was enough to have enriched nation
at the present time
Tnoitus gives us an account of the Inagnif-
cont feast presented TO Nero, upon Lake Aprip-
pima by Tigillinus. a platform of great di
mensions was erected upon the water. large
number of boats, adorned with ivory and gold
were present to move this splendid floating nal.
nee. Upon the tables were every dainty-fsh
from every sea, and game from every forest.
The banks were crowded with eager spectators,
and bands of naked barlots sportcd in iasciyous
Iances for the graiication OF the wicked cnipe-
ror As the shades of night gathered over this
scene of luxury and wantonness from the adin-
cent groves and houses most brilliant ilun,i-
nation appeared. Noluptuous music swellcd
ppon the pir, and every sacred duty was forgot.
ten in this hour of snm rcvclry
Nero was so cX;ravag0nt that he never wore
'he same garments twice. He fshed with n
golden not and when hc travelled. n thousand
carts were necessary to transport his effects.
His mtlcs were shod all round with silvcr and
the drivers wore clad in the richest scarlet
Liyia Augusta bcqucathcd to Galba ST. .75O. 600.
In about four mopths Nitcllius expended OH the
mere iuxurcs OF, the table sum equal to seven
million pounds sterling. Nothing could appcase
his voracious appetite. and nothing was too
delicate or too coarse for his vitated taste He
had acquired the fluy practice Of vomiting
whenever it suited his convenience hence
having eaten TO safety, lie could Instantly dis
gorge what lie the previous moment had swal-
lowed. most extraordinary supper was given
INN by his brother. Attbis feast two thousand
choice dishes were served up, as well MS seven
thousand fowls Vitellius was unwilling that
his brother should outdo him; lie therefore gave
n supper, which surpassed the other One dish
alone was go extensive that he called it the
"Shleld OF Minerva" 1t contained the livcrs
tot scarcs, the brains of pheasans and acocks
intcrminglcd with tongues of flanringocs To
/ this banquet and for This feast ships of war
were filed with the entrails of lampreys. Oh
tanned from the Carpaihan Sea and from, the
Spanish Straits.
Vespasian snid that Sl,dO0O00, 900 were
necessary TO carry on government lie paid
the Latin and Greek Professors of Rhetoric a
fycary stipend of three thousand five hundred
dollars. He also gave to Il. tragedian, Apolli-
nafls' the sum of fourteen thousand dollars to
Lepnus and Diodonis, the harpcl's, ten thousand
hyo hundred dollars; and the least he presented
TO any performer was forty scsterces besides
great many golucn crowns. BY means of war
ana hres Marcus Crassus nmasscd vast fortune.
lie began life comparatively poor man. but in
short time he owned n considerable portion of
Rome. After lie had conseeratcd tho tenth
part oil au estate to Hercules had given nm enter
ta'nmcnt TO the people, and supply of corn to
! cach chizen, he was then worth 81, 500, 600 -
| lie had hvc hundred slaves, who were mcchan-
les, and hc also worked several silver mines.
| One OF the most magnificent triumphal ionors
| OF which we lave any mention, was that given
| by the Romans to Paulus .Euilius, who con
! qncfcd rcrscus. The temples in the city were
decorated with beautiful gHrlands; incense
smoked upon thousand altars; in evcry place
scattolds we're erected for the convenience of the
people; and officers of every rank md dignity
hurried to and fro in busy preparation The
/ eye OF the spectator was dazzled by the burn
| lshed brass and .glttcring steol helmets.
shields, and grenvcs were beautifully arranged :
and The clnngor that arose from tile Thracian
DucRlers, targets, quvers, naked swords, and
long Keen pixies fastened to the horses bits.
and continually striking together, was fearful
to hear. For three days this gorgeous process
sion marched through the streets of Rome
Three thousand men bore vessels filled with
silver money, to the amount of 81 ,03T, ,26Q
and seventy seven other vessels were borne
laden with golden coin to the amount of 1897 :.
| W.. In this procession was also carried an
an immense consccrated bowl. wrought of gold
and adorned with precious stones. it weighed
six hundred pounds!
1T VIII be seen that the ancicnts placed n
very high valnc upon golden and silver vcs.
sells In the first ages of the Christian era. n
Koman Emperor purchased two, for which he
| paid ten thousand dolars-a cup, capable oi
hotdihgthree sextarii. (fourand-ahalf rints. J
Tor SOO,27O. and n dish for S25S.300 Gems
/ were also held in high estimation have
aircady mentioned the pearl presented to Ser
| VIVA by julius Cesar, which cost him S2l0,-
0O0. N0nnius possessed an opal of such
great beauty and value. that rather than part
with 1T to Mark Anthony hc went into exile
We shall produce only one example to show
what value tho ancientsset upon painting
| Tho celebrated Venus Anadyomene was pur-
chased by augustus for one hundred thou.
sand dollars. This work was executed by
| Appelies. BucephNns cost Philip King OF
Macedon about $l3.777. Alexander made a
present to the ph h,loaophcr, Xcnocrates, OF
S43,0 ,055. AT Susa, in Persia, lie gave n feast
to those of tho Macedonians who had we'd
ded Persian ladies. at which were no less
than nine thousand persons seated at the tn.
bie' to each of whom he presented go.der
goblet. tn addition to this great muniBcence
no paid oft all their debts. insomuch that
tho whole expense amounted to SS,439, 1873
The funeral pageant of Alexander hasinev
or been surpassed. I'm many respects il
eqnalled the festive train of Ptoiemy Phila
delphns., The monarch died at Babylon, and
was buried in the mosque of St. Athanasius
The grandees and governors appointed Art
d@uS to prepare for this august funeral. Two
years were consumed in the prepartfon, and
every splendor that wealth could buy was
layished with profusion. At length tho day
arrived for this solemn and magnificent pro.
ceSsioii to begin its march, Hills were level
ed, all nrevenplaces were made smooth. and
every obstacle that could impede the funeral
train was.reHovod bya vast ppmber of work
mon. The chariot that contained the coffin
fthe monarch was adorned with such wealth
of jewels and dadems. that is Said to have
emitted brilliant nashns. like tlttfsn ,,f Enht-