The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1868-07-26
The Bed. or the Romans.

The beds of the Romans in the early days of the
republic were Of the same description as those
used in Greece; but toward the end Of IL, and
during the empire when Italy acquired a taste
for the luxures of Asia the richness and magnid-
cence of the beds Of wealthy Romans far ex-
ceeded those used by the Greeks, splendid though
they were. There was scarcely any difference be-
tween the sleeping beds OF the ancenis and their
eouches, except that the latter, being made for
appearance as well as for comfort, were more
beautiful and costly than the former. There were
usually three persons TO one bed or couch, the
middle place in which was considered TO be the
most honorable. These beds were unknown be-
fore the second Punic war. Until then the Romans
sat down to eat on plain wooden benches, after the
manner Of the heroes OF Homer, and, as Varro
says, the Laced@mOnians aud CretAns. Scipio
Airicarus Is said TO have first broughs from Car
thage some of the little beds called Punieani or
Alcbaa, which we're very low, made OF wood,
stuffed with straw or the like, and covered with
the sEins OF sheep or goats. The comfort OF
these beds differed little from that OF the wooden
benches which they supplanted; but with them
came the fashion among the men Of reclining IN
stead of sitting at meals. The Roman ladies
modes,ly adhered to the old custom during the
time o. the Commonwealth; but after the period
of the first Caesars they. too, ate on their beds.
Before the youth put on his togd Uiriiis he was
kept to the ancient rule as to seats; and
when he was admitted 10 table he sat
on the edge of the beds OF his relatives.
Suetonius tells us that the young Caesars, Caius
but they were IN ina loco, or, as Tacitus says,
dd lectUlcrd. From the simple pieces Of furni-
ture which we have above described, the dining
beds of the Romans were elaborated into most
magnificent articles of decoration. Pliney tells
us that they we're sometimes covered with plates
of silver aud adorned with the sOftest Of mats and
the Iichest Of counterpanes. Sampridius says
that-Asliogabulus had beds Of solid silver, and
Pompey on his third triumph introduced beds of
GOLD. The sleeping bed of the Romans was gen.
orally rather high, so that persons entered ii by
means Of steps. The bedstead was sometimes
made of metal, and at others Of valuable wood,
or veneeTed with ivory or tortoise shell and FREE
duenty ii rested on feet ofsilver or gold. In beds
intended to be used by two persons the sides were
distinguished by different names the side at which
| the sieepers entered was open, and was called
| spotdd; the other side was protected by board
| and was called plu,edS. The sides Of such be-
had two Dames-toTs exterior aud tOr7ts interior
or spondd exterior and spORda 6tertor-frO
which expressions we may infer that two beds OF
! mattresses were used, one for each person. Tit
| mattresses were in early times filed with dried
| herbs or straw but in later times the beds snC
| pillows Of the wealthy Romans were composed o.
WOOL and still later Of feathers. Those OF thu
inns were stuffed with the soft down Of reeds, az
! Pliny tells us. The blankets or cOunterpanes and
! pillow castings used by the upper classes were OF
the most rich description, and mostly OF a purple
color, and embroidered with gold. Bed coverings
| Of this kindawere called peTfpetdSn1dtd Analt0d
because they were first used at the court OF Attal
| lus. Ii seems doubtful whether curtains or cano
pies were used IN the lectus cubic udriS, but pro
badly they were occasionally employed
| [St james Magazine.