The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-04-01
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drinker, so that after death his body was
that of an amphora rather than man,
hut it seems that Zenobia, though usually
temperate in her habits. could on occasion
drink her Persian and Armenian generals
under the table This ability to drink
with clear head is regarded by most OF
the Latin writer's tand some modern Eng
lish ones) with guileless admiration.
In the chapter on The Palatine' We
are told some characteristic stories of
Roman emperors. which show that their
ideas of humor were more or less burden
some to those in their vicinity. Caiisula
thought ii amusing TO compel number OF
senators who had filled high offices 20 run
for several miles alongside his chariot in
their togas. Heliogabalus used TO have
his tame lions and leopards brought in at
the end of a banquet, to lie down beside
the guesSs and test their nerve. Some of
his courtiers enjoyed the fun of sitting
a parasite now and then under a mass of
violets or other flowers, and this same
Heliogabalus once. when the people were
fiocking TO the games. let out lot of
venomous snakes in the streets, enjoying
much the scampering of the terror stricken
victims, who had to use the utmost
agility TO avoid being bitten.
The road, the bath, and the theatre are
infallible signs, in any land of Roman
occupation and at the bath or the thea
ire the well-to-do Roman generally was,
when he was not eating or sleeping. Some
people passed their days in alternate ban
quets and baths. in close succession, and
as one may imagine, their health was
not good. 1t will astonish many readers
TO learn that the Pompeiians had steam
heat and hot and cold water in their bath
rooms: but they did. The public baths
were heated. and the crowd which daily
repaired to them was truly motley as
semblage. We are told that poets went
there to recite their verses. and philoso-
pliers to have arguments and-this is an
interesting touch of human nature-the
bather who did not set a guard over his
clothes ran some risk of not finding them.
The extraordinary modernity of life in
ancient Rome strikes the reader once more
in the chapter on theatres. We are in
formed that the Roman public took parti-
eular delight in topical songs, and if there
is anything which to the casual observer
seems particularly modern ii is this. How
ever it seems hat in the days of the
Caesars the gallery howled over some
satirical allusion to political affairs, pre-
cisely as it roars today over stab at Mir
Hanna or compliment to Schley. Ii is
added that the Emperors were generally
interested in these demonstrations. and
that a quaint situation occasionally oc-
CURED. when the Emperor failed to see
the point and those about him did not dare
explain it.
But perhaps the custom which most of
all makes the reader feel a community OF
thought and feeling with the ancient
Roman was that of giving New Years
presents. The Kalends of January was
an important festival at Rome. II was n
and the Emperor held reception,
at which deputation Of knights and sena-
tors came TO wish him a happy New Year.
and some of the Emperors- received the
whole of the citizens as wen. Everybody
paid calls and wished good luck, and /
everybody gave presents. The origin Of
these customs lay in the wish TO make the
year fortunate by ensuring happy begin
ming gift of fruit or confectionery fore
Swallowed a year full of sweetness: gold o.
silver coins a profitable year. Sometimes
a small shield was attached 10 lamps and
bearing the words "A happy
and prosperous New Year" Another Gus
tom in regard TO gifts was this
The Aporhoreta tgift- were sorted
into pairs. 1t became the practice in distributing
hem 10 aiot first valuable present and then
worthless in regular succession. the real order
q things being here inverted and the worthless
present being generally 4 sort Of parody
Il the valuable one For instance. one present I
nigh; be, say. an ivory purse illed with gold; the
leNt on the list would be wooden purse filled |
with corpers. candelahtd, statuettc. or other |
,bject intended to represent a rich mans git: !
would prol.9tif be Of some precious metal, gold
IT CorinilIan bronze. while the same thing Of
cred by poor man would lee If some common |
material such, clay OF wood. Naturally. there
ore. If CEsHce assigned the SANE object 10 two !
suc>ts IN 'oessiou, the first alone would he Of
my value ard tie unlucky recipient Of The latter
would be greeted by the ready ieers of his com
lanions heta"sc 81 bis III luck in having his name
lrawn too late.
In the case Of certain articles, humorous con-
rasts OF tlis kind were not necessary; the mere |
act % b,sgais wallet or a pair of corsets |
,eing allotted 10 man IN itself sufficiently |
uu cIous.
p ANOTHER chapter deals with funerals, and |
II it a curious custom is mentioned, con- |
lected with cremation. Some small por- |
ion of the body, such as the little finger, |
vas removed and buried in the earth. |
rhe funerals of emperors were naturally |
magnificent
\ funeral pyre was erected in the Campus |
Martins in the shape OF d pyramid, and several |
tories high. each OF them being ornanented |
With gold ombr0iderieS ivory carvings. ami PIC /
urrs rrUresenfnE the leading incident. in the life
Il the sovereign who was about to undergo |
potheosis. On top Of all placed the coffin, |
md al the critical moment. when the flames began /
o consume ali THE mLgHiiilence. an eagle. taking
wing from the tabernacle which surrounded The (
highest story of the pyTc. lose into the cmpyTeau.
fitting type g: t3ie new god who quit
ing the earth on hi way 10 Olympus of course,
here was always sonIe senator other who
rrpared TO swear that he had the dead /
Emperor ascend 10 heaven and take hi place
mong the gods: the person who volunteered this
iatement was careful To invoke a cursc Oh the
Z ad. ni himself and OF biz children il he spoke
slse. An oath Of this kind WAS generally worth
rom two hundred 10 two hundred and fifty thou
and drschmae 10 the Who burdened his con-
-ienee with IT,
Another odd custom was the representa-
ion OF the dead by a masked actor. who
TODD upright on the funeral ear. Per
APPS the Romans were not the only peo-
lie who found il necessary to have a far /
ical element in their funerals; the same
hing appears in Flemish professions. but
here was in Roman funeral professions
lways a gOssiping old woman known as
'iteria. who carried on humorous dia-
ogue with the bystanders.
Other chapters deal with Roman liter
ture, art, morals, military affairs, and
ountry life. 1t would be possible 20 so on
noting Indefinitely. but ii is sufficient to
ay that the book cannot fail to be valu-
bic to the teacher or student of history.
New York: G. p. Putnam's Sons.)
ROmc's Inst Days
"The Destruction of Ancient Rome" by
sofoldo Lanciani, Professor Of Ancient
topography in the University of Rome, is
valuable little work fully illustrated by
maps, diagrams. and reproductions Of
It is stated that this is the
Drerunner of a much larger work, in sew
raj volumes, which will be published IN
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