The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1909-06-20

LLd buOChcu W bC0 AliIlt oobN ooD "a
conventions, follow his momentary Inn
pulses into the wild follies and e1trava-
ganoes OF high life. Only the grave
shook their heads To all others Sterne
was a delightful ahsurdity-"
'"The High Roman Fashion,
There il no better comprehensive 40
count OF the intrinsic life and human
interests Of the Romans at the height OF
their power than FRIEDLxNDER's 'Sitten-
geschichte Roms,' erst published about
forty years ago, but since then revised
and enlarged several times. 1t is agreea-
bly, and picturesquely written despite
It's abundant learning, from which not
a few younger writer's have freely bor-
rowed, and we are glad to remind our
readers that this standard work Is at last
being Englished. The second volume
Of the translation, which Is from the
seventh German edition and bears the
title Roman Life and Manners Under the
Early Empire" tDutton 4 Co.., is nov
out, and two more are to follow.
The instalment before US discusses the
sports. amusements. table, dress. fashions
and arts OF the imperial democracy whose
marvellous many colored pageantry sur
vived in an afterglow across the night OF
mediBvai ignorance and still fascinates
the Imagination. Signor Ferrero's recent
lectures over here excited some popular
interest in a comparison between Roman
and American luxury and display. from
which it appeared that we need motor
need, according to the point Of view
feel ashamed Of ourselves; at all events.
that he Wanted extravaganza OF Rome
Is in many points surpassed by own.
Prof. Friedlander treats this question
very fully. He points ont that the ancient
world was not only small but in several
respects very poor compared with the
modern. The Roman Empire comprised
scarcely two-thirds OF Europe, and the
East yielded the West in those days but
little OF its valuable products. Inter
national m was in its infancy and
in many Roman provinces civilization
had scarcely begun. Moreover. the e <
p~loitation and artificial culture OF nature
were in a rudimentary stage. The earth
gave man comparatively meagre returns
What was huge to them is not huge to
U.S." Rome. which seemed 30 incredibly
VdSI, never udu u QudI III ttS poputu-
ton OF London. Life. too. even in the
capital was much nearer to nature. and
the Romans. like the Italians Of to-day
were naturally OF a frugal disposition in
some regards. They were sparing al
table for instance, and were therefore
shocked by an indulgence OF appetite
which to US would seem moderate enough,
The cuisine Of European courts from the
seventeenth century inward left the
Roman far behind in l%avishness and
variety. In dress again We Guido them
Clothing was far more alike for all ranks
at Rome. despite our present demo-
cratic advance on earlier fashions. The
same garb, the toga, was the ceremonial
dress OF the emperor and the poorest
plebeian, and Alexander Severus tried in
vain to introduce distinctive dignifed
robes for various officials. Similarly
democratic was the veto upon carriage
driving and even riding in most Of the
cities.
None the less the Roman civilization
beat ours in lavish splendor very notably
at one or two points. Prof. Friedlander
says that cleanliness was perhaps the
most developed luxury Of all Forty
or fifty years ago the contrast on this
score was much more marked than 1t is
to-day. though in many towns OF Italy
and some of France water was laid on"
in every house by the Romans where
no such convenience is yet TO be found,
Besides we must consider the much more
gigantic labors which the Romans under
took on behalf Of their religion OF water
labors amply attested by the many mag
nifcent baths and aqueducts, not all
even now in ruins, that ornament not
only Italy but emote parts Of the empire.
Sea bathing too was common all along
the coasts Of Italy. Greece and Egypt.
whereas the modern world was slow to
indulge in IT.; it only came into vogue In
Germany. and then after a hot medical
struggle. in 1898.
The real superiority, however. OF Roman
extravaganza and luxury is to be seen in
their city spectacles and amusements
The huge OUTLAWS on these had OF course
political eason They were compul-
sorry gifts from the higher officials and the
rich to the poor. a kind OF constitutional
hush money or blackmail. -The poor
SAYS Lucian, ~-tyrannized over the rich,
who had to build them baths, provide
prizefghts and shows at vast expense.
distribute largesse and yet live in dread
Of their ~displeasure.' The Carnegies
and Rockefellers Of those days had no
choice about being bountiful. A more
or less insignificant parsonage at Phila-
delphia in Lydia could not take the honor
airy dignity Of the priesthood without
feeding and amusing his t~ownspeople to
the tune OF $4,000. When we turn to the
big men at Rome-the Senators and the
Emperor himself. who was the prime
mark OF these e~Iactions-the gifts"
swell proportionately. Bread and races"
was a -damnosa hereditas' OF Cesarism
the people did not give away their old
rights for nothing. Augustus 'outdid
every one in the frequency. variety and
splendor Of his spectacles,' Even the
~asoetic Marcus Aurelius yielded perforce
to the demand and not only offered superb
entertainments TO the populaoe himself
but decreed that the richest Senators
should do likewise in his absence. One
day out Of every three during his reign
brought a state festival, open to all. In
the rest OF the empire-excluding the
capital. where the greatest contests were
held-32. SOC, 900 a year was then ex-
pended uDon gladiatDrs alone Tho ooat