Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1881-06-08
3aiseellanu.
Wealthy Folks in Ancient Times::a ::and Now.


counts of the wealth and extravagant ex-
peuditures of our railway kings, bonanz
kings and other financial kings. There is
a certain fascination in these descriptions
of immense possessions and the personal
characteristics and habits of those who
control them. That Vanderbilt pays a
small fortune for picture, that Mrs
Astor wears diamonds worth $200, 900 and
that Mrs. Mackey gives dinner at cost
of $4,000, are facts which to the popular
mind have a peculiar charm. And un
doubtedly, there is an impression in some
quarters that the amassing of enormous
wealth and the attendant extravaganza
are things of comparatively modern
growth
How far this impression is from the
truth may be seen by a glance at history,
which in this respect is really comforting
to US poor devils of the present day.
Pythes, or Pythius, the Lydian Lord of
Ce@n@, was worth Sl6,000,000. Cyrus
returned from the conquest of Asia with
S5O0,000,000. Darius, during his reign,
had an income of $1,000 900 a year. The
votive offering of Cresus to the DeIphian
god amounted to 81 000,000. Alexander's
daily meal cost Sl,700 He paid the debts
of his soldiers, amounting to ut least $40,
100000, and made Il present of 81, 100000
to the Thessalians. rhe obseques OF
Hephaestian are said to have cost 81, 800,
900. Aristotles Investigations in natural
history involved an expense of 81 100000
He left behind him treasure of S50,0O0,-
900. The wealth of his satraps was ex-
traordnary. One of them, Harpalus, ac-
cumuated S5,000,000.
festival of PIolemy Philadephus cost
not less than S2239,000. The treasure
of this king amounted toWB75, 900 000
There was immense wealth among the
Romans. The landed estate of Cresus
was valued at SS O00,0 900, and his house at
100000. Caecilius Isidorus lost much
but still left $j235, 900. Demetrius,
freedman of Pompey, was worth $1,000
900. Lentulus, the augur, possessed no
less than $l7 100000 Clodius paid $780,
900 for his house, and he once swallowed
pearl worth $4,000. Antony squander.
ed altogether 735,000,0O0. Tiberus left
at his death S1lS,l20,000 and Caigula
spent it all in less than Il year The ex
travagant Caligula paid $3.50 900 for one
supper. Speaking of suppers, one meal
cost 1eliogahalus 100000, and the sup.
per of Lucullus at the Apollo cost $3.50.
Pegelius, singer, could and did spend
$4,000 in five days.
Senaca had fortune of 81 800 900.
Apicus was worth about S5,000,000, and
after he had spent in his kitchen and other
wise squandered sums TO the amount of
$4,l66,00O he pois oned himself leaving Il
few numbered thousand. That Cesar was
very comfortably fixed, at least, is indi.
Gated by the fact that he presented Servil-
liza, the mother of Brutus, a pearl worth
100000 another bit of evidence is the
large sum given to Paulus by Cesar as a
bribe-292, 900; and another is the fact
that he gave for a single pearl $4,000.
Curio must have been at one time pretty
sound financially, as he was able to con-
tract debts to the amount of $2,500,000.
Tucius informs US that Nero gave away
in presents to his friends S97, 100000.
The dresses of Lolita Paulina the rival OF
Agrippna were valued at Sl,664 48O.
This did not include her Jewels. She wore
at one supper 81 ,562, 500 worth of Jewels,
and it was plain citizen s supper. She
was worth altogether $200,000,000. The
luxury of Pappae, beloved by Nero, was
at least equal to that of Lolita. Pallas, the
lover of Agrippina left an estate in lands
valued at Sl5,000,000. NJ. Scarus had a
villa worth 100000, and this was only
small part OF his immense fortune. The
villa was burnt by his slaves out of revenge
for some injury received.
The sums paid by the old Greeks and
Romans for works of art make the pre-
sent price appear somewhat shabby
Nicias, an artist, refused TO sell one ol
his pictures to King Attaus for $4,000
choosing rather to present it to his cOun
try as a gift. Nicias was millionaire.
For Il single figure by Aristides, King At
talus gave $125,0O0. Muason, the tyrani
of Elates, paid $4,000 for a small picture
by Aristides, representing Il battle of the
Persians. Cesar was generous patron
Of art. He bought of Timomachus, 4
painter of Athens, two figures, one repre-
senting Ajax and the other Medea, fol
which he paid 100000.
Apelles received $4,000 for portrait
of Alexander, which he painted on the
walls of the Temple of Diana, at Ephesus
Ptolemy paid Aratus 100000 for some
old pictures by Melanthus and Pamphilus
M. Agrippa paid to the people of Cyzicu'
$4,000 for two small paintings, and il
was he who built and bequeathed to hi
countryman the magnificent Therm@ il
the Campus Martius, with their gardens
libraries and portcoes-one portion o
which, the Pantheon, still remains. Luci
us Mummius got q picture in Greece, re
presenting Father Bacchus, which King
Attalus valued ut $3.50, 900, but Mummiu'
said that the price was TOO small and re
fused to sell.
The picture of Venus Anadyomene. by
Apeles, was sold for Sl25,000 Isocrate.
for his lines ON Marcellus, was rewarded
by a gift of about 100000. For a singl,
dish of pottery the tragic actor of Esophu
paid $1,000, The Emperor Vitellius or
dered dish to be made for him for whicl
furnace was erected in the fields outsid,
the city, for $45 O00 The colossal statu
of Mercury, made for the city of tn
Averni in Gaul. by Zenodorus, cost 81, ,675,
900.
Nero paid Sl61,0 900 for a carpet. Fo
the famons statue of the Diademenos
which was bronze figure of life size re
presenting youth tying tillet round hi
head Polycleitus received $l25,000 Ant
again dlopping art 'or literature, Il is re
lated that Tiberius presented TO Aselliu
Sabinus $4,000 for a dialogue he wrot
between u mushroom, II cabbage, an oys
Ter ana tDTuSn. neSdTulnS tue I'LL
mense wealth possessed by fortunes favor
ties in ancient days, the mystery is. wha
has become of all this gold and silverP-
for the possessions OF these rich men an
women consisted chiefly of the clea
metal and precious stones.
There is no accounting for Its disappear
ance except on the theory that it passe
from sight as vessels laden with preciou
cargoes sink to the bottom of the sea an
are lost forever
The fact remains that in riches, extray
agance and luxury the ancients excelle
railroad kings, bonanza kings and mel
chant princes of the present day. 1t
fortunate, indeed that wealth is NOR
fairly divided than in olden times, an
there is reason to believe that as the worl
grows older, and the political rights {
men are more freely acknowledged, an
restraints upon personal action are throw
off the accumulation OF immense fortune
will become less and less possible.-Chl
cdgo Times.