Quintus Claudius, Volume 1. Eckstein Ernst

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148

Julia. The daughter of the Emperor Titus, with whom Domitian for a long time had unlawful relations. Dio Cass. LXVII, 3. Suet Dom. 22.

149

A tumult. Many things are related about such tumults. They were partly impromptu, partly carefully prepared. A striking instance of the latter style is told by Dio Cassius (LXXII, 13) where a cunningly-planned circus-riot causes the fall of the hated lord high-chamberlain Cleander. This omnipotent favorite of the Emperor Commodus had enraged the people by a series of the boldest frauds, during a period of great scarcity. Just as the horses were starting for the seventh race a throng of boys, led by a tall, formidable looking woman, rushed into the arena. The children loaded Cleander with the fiercest curses, the people joined them, all rose and rushed furiously towards the emperor’s Quintilian villa. Commodus, a very cowardly man, was so terrified, that after a short struggle he commanded Cleander and his little son to be slain. The mob dragged the corpse of the chamberlain about in triumph, mutilated it, and stuck the head on a pole as a sign of victory.

150

Secretary. The modern equivalent for the office of “ab epistulis,” held under Domitian by the freedman Abascantus. (Stat. Silv. V, 1.) At a later period – under Hadrian and afterwards – such offices were held only by men of knightly rank.

151

Calling upon Domitia. We here follow a passage (somewhat doubtful, it is true) of Dio Cassius (LXVII, 3) which states that the emperor “at the entreaties of the people,” became reconciled to his wife. Suetonius (Dom. 3) says, he only alleged such a desire on the part of the people, but really received the empress again “because the separation from her became unendurable.” For special reasons our story fixes the time of this reconciliation in the year 95, while it actually occurred some time earlier.

152

With regard to Julia, Caesar made no promises. See Dio Cass. LXVII 3. He became reconciled, "but without giving up Julia.”

153

Vestal maiden. Priestess of Vesta, the goddess of the hearth. At first they were four, afterwards six. They were chosen between the ages of six and ten, and were obliged to remain in the service of the goddess thirty years, ten as novices, ten as acting priestesses, and ten to instruct novices. Their principal task was to keep the sacred fire alive. They were vowed to chastity, and if they broke their vows were buried alive in the campus sceleratus, while the seducer was publicly flogged to death.

154

Transparent gauze. The island of Cos (Κῶς) belonging to the Sporades, furnished garments made from a half-transparent silk gauze called coa. (See Hor. Sat. I. 2, 101.)

155

Gold plates. A room has been discovered on the Aventine, whose walls were concealed by gilded bronze plates encrusted with medals; on the Palatine there was an apartment lined with plates of silver, set with precious stones. The halls and chambers in Nero’s domus aurea were covered with golden plates.

156

Stephanus. I have taken considerable liberties in dealing with this personage in his relation to the Empress Domitia. He is, however, historical.

157

The oyster, (ostrea or ostreum) was considered a great dainty in ancient times. (See note, 42, Vol. 1, “lobster.”)

158

There is not in all Rome one faithful wife, or one innocent girl. See Martial Ep. IV, 71.

“Long have I search’d, my Soph, the town,

To find a damsel that would frown,

But not a damsel will deny,

As if a shame ’t were to be shy;

As if a sin, will no one dare:

I see not one denying fair.

‘Then of the fair is no one chaste?’

A thousand, Soph, you urge in haste.

‘What does the chaste? Enlarge my views.’

She does not grant, nor yet refuse.”

Elphinston.

In contrast to the hyperbolical expressions of the satirical writers, we are made acquainted in the letters of the younger Pliny, with a number of women of noble character; the historians too, especially Tacitus, as well as inscriptions on the monuments prove – if proof were required – that even in this corrupt age feminine virtue and loftiness of character were not rare. It is natural, that a satirical author should have special keenness of vision for errors and weaknesses.

159

What Ravidus?. The poem to which Martial here alludes is found Cat. Carm. XL.

“Quaenam te mala mens, miselle Ravide

Agit praecipitem in meos iambos?”

160

Tryphon, (Lupercus). The episode described here, which seems almost like a satirical allusion to the present time, is only one of Martial’s epigrams transposed into action. (Mart. Ep. I, 117.)

“As oft, Sir Tradewell, as we meet,

You’re sure to ask me in the street,

When you shall send your boy to me,

To fetch my book of poetry? etc.”

Oldham.

The bookseller Atrectus, who had a shop on the Argiletum, a public square not far from the Forum Caesaris, is also mentioned. – Traces of a well-organized book-trade are found towards the end of the republic. The first publisher on a larger scale is Pomponius Atticus, a friend of Cicero, who formally issued a series of Cicero’s works, for instance the Orator, Quaestiones Academicae, etc., and not only distributed them to the different bookstores in Rome, but supplied the numerous shops in Greece and Asia Minor. (See Cic. ad. Att. XII, 6, XV, 13, XVI, 5.) Yet Atticus was a patron of literature and an aesthetic, rather than a business man. The best-known booksellers and publishers under the emperors were: the Brothers Sosii, who issued the works of Horatius Flaccus (Hor. Ep. I, 20, 2, Ars. poet. 345); Dorus, the Phillip Reclam junior of ancient times, who in the reign of Nero introduced cheap popular editions of Livy and Cicero, (Sen. Benef. VII, 61) and Martial’s publisher, the Tryphon mentioned in this story. (Mart. Ep. IV, 72, XIII, 13.) The editions were provided by slaves, who wrote from dictation. The books were delivered in covers, the backs, glued together, being fastened in the hollow of a cylinder, through which ran a revolving stick. The volumes were cut, the edges were dyed sometimes black and sometimes purple. (See Göll: “Book-trade of the Greeks and Romans,” Schleiz., 1865.) Pollio Valerianus published Martial’s early poems. (Mart. Ep. I, 113, 5.)

161

Quirinal. Martial’s house was near the temple on the Quirinal. (Mart. Ep. X, 58.)

162

Denarii. At the time of Domitian, the denarius (10 as,) was worth about 15 cents.

163

Street-corners. Large square tablets, whitened, for the display of public notices, stood at the corners of the streets. A tablet of this description was called album, (albus-white).

164

Costermonger. Boiled chick-peas were publicly carried about for sale. (Martial Ep. I, 41, I, 103.)

165

Massive bowls. The crater (crater or cratera) was a large vase or bowl, in which strong wine was mixed with water. A ladle was used to fill the drinking-cups.

166

Murrhine vases, (murrhina vasa). Vases made of murrha, a material with a pale sheen in it, highly valued by the ancients; probably fluor-spar.

167

Guinea-fowls from Numidia, (aves Numidicae or merely Numidicae) were a favorite dish. (Plin., Hist. Nat. Mart. etc.)

168

The province of Thesprotis in Epirus, extended from Chaonia to the Ambracian Gulf. The goats raised there were considered exceptionally good.

169

Pheasants from the Caspian Sea. At the time of our story, these birds were a newly-introduced delicacy. Phasis was the name of the boundary river between Asia-Minor and Colchis; hence their name phasianus; (avis Phasiana, or merely Phasiana, or Phasianus– the pheasant.) Martial also calls them volucres Phasides.

170

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