Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1888-10-27


and tho desire to sreMd it. They were
particularly lavish in their hospitality
Among the Romans, the most dis
tlngulshed for his habits of expense was
Luonllus. When on duty us a General
he cheerfully put up with camp fare
and camp privations, and was most
successful commander, Until he was
superseded by his rival, Pompev, on
which he retired to his villa near Rome,
where he lived in princely manner
mlngling authorship with epscurism
and alternately indulging in literature
and luxury. His gardens. near Neapo-
lis, were the wontler of his time. He
first introduced cherries into Europe
the fruit deriving its Latin name
tce'dS'tS) from Cerasus, town of Pom
tus. in Asia Minor.
1t is related that on one occasion
Pompey and Cicero met Lucullus in
one of the streets of Rome, and told
him that they proposed to accept an
invitation he had often given them, to
sup with him on that very evening.
But, wishing to see what sort of r..
past he would give them without prep.
aration-that is, to ascertain what his
.pot,luck" ws.s-they stipulated that
he shoul'. not prepare anything extra
ordIna.,y for them.
'Aucullus, who was extremely polite.
tourteously assented, declaring that he
wouldbe happy in entertaining such
valued guests on their own terms, pro
vided they would permit him to dis
patch messenger before them, merely
to inform his servants in which apart
ment the repast should be given.
They agreed to this, and the wori
was sont that he would sup that even
ing with some friends in the aparS-
ment called Apollo. In the interval,
Lucullus and his two friends took q
ride in the. county, returning in time
for the bath, after which-the SUPPER
When they arrived in the Arollc
apartment, and sat down to Tor rather
rerosed near) the table, the pair of &C
cldental guests We're astonishcd to see
feast which could not have cost less
than fifty thousand denarii
Ere they retired, Lucullus told then
That he had a number OF supper-rooms
each distinguish d by different name
n supper in peculiar style being ap.
propr,ated to each, and always kept ir
Il certain state of readiness.
Therefore, when he sent word that he
would sup in the Apollo, his servants
knew that the, were to prepare such a
banquet as his fri lends had then par.
taken of--which was the most sumptu.
GUS that his house could supply. That
supper for three cost IS, 800
There is n well-known anecdotc OF
Cleopatra and her pearl, which illus.
trat(s the lavish luxury of the time
when Lucullus lived. Cleopatra,
Queen of Egypt, was anxious to attacl
Mare Antony, then one of the triumvirs
to her interest, and gave series O.
daily feasts i'll Tarslls, where she wa.
then residing, to him and the principa
officers of his army.
Her wealth was immense and he:
ma2ni!icence unsurpassed. At one
these hanqrets, Antony wondered Il
the vast number of golden cups en-
richcd with Jewels, which were scat
tered over the table, whcreupon Cleo
patra answered that since he was Sc
kind as to admire Them he must con
fer unon her the further favor of &C
cepting them. Without waiting 70
his reply, she gave the signal, and al.
the pre- iDuS vessels were at once re
moved from the table and conveyed t,
Antony's ho-s,.
Next day there was another feast, al
which Antony and his officers wer.
present, as bcforr. When thcy were
retiring SIC pres, ntcd them with tn
gold and silver plate which had beer
used that evening.
On another o c1sion she wore car
rings, the p ndant5 OF which were tive
CT the finest and largest pc RS that hao
ever been sccn-cach valued at $3.50,
OOO of the money of that period
Tho alcclote abolt this pair OF
pearls, as related in history. runs thus
That during one of her feasts, Cleo
patra dropp,d one Ct these pearls int,
vessel containing vinegar, whereby il
was Immediately dissolved, and thel
drank off the con. ents, in n health tC
Antony; moreover, that sho was abou'
melting the other arl in like manner
but Plaucus Cthe Consul mentioned by
Horace took the pearl ont of hel
hand; that it was afterward carried t,
Rome by Augustus Cesar. by who's,
orders it was cIt into two pioc ,whicl
served as ear-pendants for the statue
of Venus, owned by the Julian family
and long to be seen in the Pantheon Il,
Rome.
The only objection to this story i,
that it cannot be tru,. 1t is declared
by chemists who have made expori
ments that even small secl pearl pu
INTO vinegar will not be dis. olved
though its smoothnes IS may be abradc6
and ITS color in jured by the aid. More
over, that, even if vinegar had sucl
power, one of Cleopatra's immens,
pearls, instead of being dissolve in
stantly, as If it We're salt or sugar, dlr
ing a feast, would require to be sub
jected to the acetic influence for year
Antony was himself decidedly GOO
liver A young Greek student, VIII,
visited Alexandria when Antony rc
sidel there, and was cur.oIs to lcarI
whether the reports of his luxury were
well founded, got admission INFO hi,
kitchen.
Among a vast variety of things le
noticed eight wild bolrs roasting
whole, at the same time. lie naturally
remarked that here was ample provis-
ion for a great many guests. Ole of
the officers of the kitchen laugh ut
this, saying that not more than ten
persons were to partake OF the banqua It