Life in the Roman world of Nero and StPaul . earthin winter-time, where all the members of the home-stead gather round the fire. It is here that theythen all eat, and in it the women of the establishmentperform their work, spinning and weaving and mend-ing. Off from the court will be situated the wine-press, or the olive-press, the granaries, the fruitmellowing on mats, and the various rooms or binswhere wine is fermented and stored, or where theolive-oil is treated and stocked. Commonly a moreretired court will contain the private rooms of theowner, and somewhere in the homestead will befound
Life in the Roman world of Nero and StPaul . earthin winter-time, where all the members of the home-stead gather round the fire. It is here that theythen all eat, and in it the women of the establishmentperform their work, spinning and weaving and mend-ing. Off from the court will be situated the wine-press, or the olive-press, the granaries, the fruitmellowing on mats, and the various rooms or binswhere wine is fermented and stored, or where theolive-oil is treated and stocked. Commonly a moreretired court will contain the private rooms of theowner, and somewhere in the homestead will befound the fowl-yard, with its hens, ducks, geese, andguinea-fowl, the sties, and the preserves for varioustoothsome animals, including perhaps dormice andsnails. Frequently a Roman of the city affected a countryhouse of this character, to which he would flee duringthe tyrannous reign of the Dogstar or the Lion -— in THE COUNTRY HOMESTEAD 171 other words, during that hot season of the year whichrequires no description for those who have been so. ThreshingsFloor Fig. — Plan of Homestead at Boscoreale. ill-advised as to sojourn in Rome in July, August, = ^and early September. Many of his town slaves he 172 LIFE IN THE ROMAN WORLD chap. would take with him, and what was a holiday forhim was also a holiday for them. His rural home-stead would possess great charm for the quieter typeof man who had no real love for the pomps and shows,the rattle and tumult, of the city. The vision ofwholesome country-produce — of fresh milk and eggsand vegetables, and of tender poultry — is one whichstill attracts our city-folk. But the vision, then asnow, was often subject to disillusion. Complaintsare many that you had to feed the homesteadin place of it feeding you, and when Martial hasgiven a pleasant picture of a familj- reaching thegate of Rome with a coachful of the typical produceof the country, he ends by suddenly letting youknow that thej^ are not coming in from their countryhouse bu
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