History of Rome and of the Roman people, from its origin to the Invasion of the Barbarians; . nd knightsto the palace. They areshown into a hall hungwith black ; by the light offuneral lamps they dis-tinguish biers, and at thehead of each a low column,as at a sepulchre, whereoneach reads his name. WHienthey have placed themselveson these couches a train ofunclad youths enter, repre-senting spectres; theyexecute a mysterious dance,then seat themselves in theattitude of the Genius ofDeath, one at each mansbier, and a funeral repast isj^iiifïif, served, amidst profoundsilence, only broken by thee
History of Rome and of the Roman people, from its origin to the Invasion of the Barbarians; . nd knightsto the palace. They areshown into a hall hungwith black ; by the light offuneral lamps they dis-tinguish biers, and at thehead of each a low column,as at a sepulchre, whereoneach reads his name. WHienthey have placed themselveson these couches a train ofunclad youths enter, repre-senting spectres; theyexecute a mysterious dance,then seat themselves in theattitude of the Genius ofDeath, one at each mansbier, and a funeral repast isj^iiifïif, served, amidst profoundsilence, only broken by theemperor, who recounts storiesof murders and massacres tohis guests. The latter feel that their last hour has come; butthe fearful entertainment is over at last, the gates are opened, andthey are at liberty to depart ; each man. however, is accompaniedby a slave. On reaching home a messenger from the emperorcomes to them. They believe it to be the lictor with a sentenceof death. But Domitian only sends to each man his funeralcolumn, which is of silver, and the dishes used in the repast, of. III511, A Fisherman. Bronze found at Pompeii, on the edge of a pond. (Museum of Naples.) TITUS AND DOMITIAN, 79 TO 96 725 great value and exquisite workmanship ; and lastly, the funeralGenius himself, who is only a handsome young slave.^ Another scene is more famous, that of Domitian causing tobe discussed by the senate the question what sauce was mostsuited to a turbot. The story is true, )es vera agitur^ saysJuvenal; but we must regard it in a different aspect from thatwhich the satirist takes. A fisherman has the good luck to findin his net a turbot of extraordinary size. In the hope of gettinga good price for it he carries it to the emperor at his villa. Atthe same moment eight or ten senators arrive at the imperialresidence, coming out from Eome, as was the custom daily, to paytheir respects to Domitian. The emperor, astonished at the greatsize of the fish, exhibits it to his gu
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Keywords: ., bookauthorduruyvic, bookcentury1800, bookdecade1880, bookyear1883
