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 IL 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 a clear head is regarded by most OF
the Latin writer's land some modern Eng
lish onesl 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. Cailgula
thought il amusing TO compel a 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. 10 lie down beside
the guess and test their nerve. Some Of
his courtiers enjoyed the fun of sitting
parasite now and then under a mass Of
yiolets or other flowers, and this same
HelioEahalus once. when the people were
iockng to the games, let out lot of
venomous snakes in the streets, enjoying
much the scsmpering Of the terror-siricken
victims. who had 10 use the utmost
agility to avoid being bitten.
The road, the bath. and the theatre are
iufallihle 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. II viii 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 a motley as
semblage. We are told that poets went
there 10 recite their verses. and philoso-
pliers 20 have arguments. and-this is an
interesting touch Of human nature-the
hather who did not set a guard over his
clothes ran some risk OF not finding them.
The extraordinary mudernity Of life in
ancient Rome strikes the reader once more
ia the chapter on theatres. We are in
formed that the Roman public took parji
cular delight in topical songs. and If there
is anything which 10 the casual observer,
seems particularly modern il is this How
ever. il seems that in the days Of the
Caesars the gallery howled over some
satiri-al allusi0n to political affairs. pie
cistly as ID roars today over stab az Mir.
Hanna or a compliment 20 Schley. T. is
added that the Emperors were generally
interested in these demonstrations. and
that quaint situation occasionally oC- /
CURED. when the Emperor failed TO sec
the point and those abOu, him did not dare /
explain it.
But perhaps the custom which most Of
all makes The reader feel a community Of (
bought and feeling with the ancient !
Roman was that Of giving New Years ]
The Kalends Of January was F.
n important festival al Rome. Il was
holiday. and the Emperor held reception, .
81 which A deputation 81 knights and sena- /.
ors came 10 wish him happy New Year. /
md some Of the Emperors- received the /
whole Of the citizens as wen. Every body (
paid calls and wished good luck. and /
everybody gave presents The origin Of .
hese customs lay in The wish 10 make the .
rear fortunate hy ensurine happy begin .
hing gift of frui, or confectionery fore .
.hadowed a year fun of sweetness. gold o. .
silver coins a profitable year. Sometimes
small shield was attached to lamps and .
'audlesticls bearing the words "A happy /
md prosperous New Year Another Gus
ON in regard to gifts was this.
The Auophar,sa lgift-l were sorted .
uto rair> % became the practice iu distributing
hcm go ailor hr-t valuable present and then .
1rthoes one .u regular succession. tte zeal org,r
g things being here inverted. and iHt worthless 4.
resent being. moreover. generally sart Of parody
q tne valuable one. For instance. ONE present
night bc. say. au ivory purse allied With gold, tle
tNt au the Ii~t would be- wood. loo purse filled
ith caler a ,audeiallIl. sJltueitc or otuc,
hieot intended o. represent a rich mans UIi-
could rfra..s D.. li some precious metal. gold
O. tafiu.hau I.Hrze, while t-a same thing Of
r.L lv paHT uiau would Ne at some common
l.t.r5ai -.l.- as clay oI wood Naturally there
PIE. d ei.suea s--igued the same object Io tNo
meets iu -u,,s--iou the first alone would hc cf /
uy yalua. a-L tHe mlucbt recipient OF The latter
a.ui5 Doe greeted hy ID, ready ieer, ot his COM
4na's i'c,.'sr ,t ii~ sd Iu.t .H having bis name
rluu 600 Ltr-
d. dc case oi certain arti,r-. humorous oan-
.a.t- af t,i- kIud were Dot necessary the mere
Iet uf brrgaI.e wallet Hr pair of cor~cts
eng allotted 90 o man was iA itself sufficiently
lu .eIous.
Another chapter deals with funerals, and
b il q curious custom is mentioned. con
ected with cremation. Some small por-
ion OF the body. such as the little finger,
vas removed and buried In the earth.
he funerals of emperors were naturally
magnificent
funeral rlrc was erected iu the Campus
'aIrIu- In luC shape uf pyramid. and several
luss high. each one 0f tu,m being urnaneuted
rl gold cmlI.iatrlt-. lF0rt carvings. ana PIC
Il.- representing tHe leading iaclastt- 30 the life
tHr sovereign uhu was about o. undergo
po'he1si,. ON top 81 I'D ua~ placed the coffin,
rd al the critical moment WHEN the flames began
U.H-tIIUt a'l fi- nia14t. tlDO. Iu eagle. taxing
jug from fHD tabernacle which surrounded The
aIest STORY of Do. pyIs. IHs. into tbo ompyrllu.
ftslnl rFrs OF the usW god vino was now quit
ne rle earth ou bis Wsy BOO OLYMPUS az c1ur-t.
lsre Ua- ALWAYS ..ul. senator or other Who Ws-
repaired fa swear that De bad seen the dead
uu,rsH ascend to heaven and take his place
ruug the gad-: the person who volunteered This
atemeut C4- careful. Co. iuyok, curse OBJ the
sl. ai himself and 81 H'- Citiiar'n % He spoke
l-e in oath of tsi- Bind WIS generally worth
1m t0o EundI,d ta $3.50 auHarrd and fifty thou
ua dTsrams. go tle man Vao hardened bis con-
ieurc with b.
Another odd custom was the representa-
on Of the dead by masked actor, who
TODD upright on he funeral ear. Per
APPS the Romans were not the only peo-
e who found Dc necessary TO have a far
cal element iu their funerals. the same
linP appears in Flemish professions. but /
here was in Roman funeral professions I
ways a EOssipiug old woman known as
iteria who carried on q humorous dia-
que with the bystanders.
Other chapters deal with Roman liter
.ure, art. morals. military affairs and
iuntry life. ID would be possible 10 so on
noting indefinitely. but il is sufficient to
~ that the book cannot fail to be yalu-
bic 10 the teacher or student Of history.
Icw York. G. j. Putnams Sous)
Romc'S Last Days.
The Destruction Of Ancient Rome by
ofoldo Ianciaui, Professor Of Ancient {
typography in the University Of Rome. is q
valuable little work. fully Illustrated by
ans diagrams and reproducti0ns of