Thebeautifulfacesoftheyoungslaveswerecoveredwithamedicatedcrust，orointment，whichsecuredthemagainsttheeffectsofthesunandfrost。]
[Footnote44:Distributiosolemniumsportularum。Thesportuloe，orsportelloe，weresmallbaskets，supposedtocontainaquantityofhotprovisionsofthevalueof100quadrantes，ortwelvepencehalfpenny，whichwererangedinorderinthehall，andostentatiouslydistributedtothehungryorservilecrowdwhowaitedatthedoor。ThisindelicatecustomisveryfrequentlymentionedintheepigramsofMartial，andthesatiresofJuvenal。
SeelikewiseSuetonius，inClaud。c。21，inNeron。c。16，inDomitian，c。4，7。Thesebasketsofprovisionswereafterwardsconvertedintolargepiecesofgoldandsilvercoin，orplate，whichweremutuallygivenandacceptedevenbypersonsofthehighestrank，seeSymmach。epist。iv。55，ix。124，andMiscell。
p。256，onsolemnoccasions，ofconsulships，marriages，&c。]
[Footnote45:ThewantofanEnglishnameobligesmetorefertothecommongenusofsquirrels，theLatinglis，theFrenchloir；alittleanimal，whoinhabitsthewoods，andremainstorpidincoldweather，seePlin。Hist。Natur。viii。82。Buffon，Hist。
Naturelle，tom。viii。153。Pennant'sSynopsisofQuadrupeds，p。
289。TheartofrearingandfatteninggreatnumbersofglireswaspractisedinRomanvillasasaprofitablearticleofruraleconomy，Varro，deReRustica，iii。15。Theexcessivedemandofthemforluxurioustableswasincreasedbythefoolishprohibitionsofthecensors；anditisreportedthattheyarestillesteemedinmodernRome，andarefrequentlysentaspresentsbytheColonnaprinces，seeBrotier，thelasteditorofPlinytom。ii。p。453。epudBarbou，1779。
Note:Isitnotthedormouse?—M。]
[Footnote46:Thisgame，whichmightbetranslatedbythemorefamiliarnamesoftrictrac，orbackgammon，wasafavoriteamusementofthegravestRomans；andoldMuciusScaevola，thelawyer，hadthereputationofaveryskilfulplayer。Itwascalledludusduodecimscriptorum，fromthetwelvescripta，orlines，whichequallydividedthealvevolusortable。Onthese，thetwoarmies，thewhiteandtheblack，eachconsistingoffifteenmen，orcatculi，wereregularlyplaced，andalternatelymovedaccordingtothelawsofthegame，andthechancesofthetesseroe，ordice。Dr。Hyde，whodiligentlytracesthehistoryandvarietiesofthenerdiludiumanameofPersicetymology
fromIrelandtoJapan，poursforth，onthistriflingsubject，acopioustorrentofclassicandOrientallearning。SeeSyntagmaDissertat。tom。ii。p。217—405。]
[Footnote47:MariusMaximus，homoomniumverbosissimus，qui，etmythistoricissevoluminibusimplicavit。VopiscusinHist。
August。p。242。Hewrotethelivesoftheemperors，fromTrajantoAlexanderSeverus。SeeGerardVossiusdeHistoricisLatin。l。
ii。c。3，inhisworks，vol。iv。p。47。]
[Footnote48:Thissatireisprobablyexaggerated。TheSaturnaliaofMacrobius，andtheepistlesofJerom，affordsatisfactoryproofs，thatChristiantheologyandclassicliteraturewerestudiouslycultivatedbyseveralRomans，ofbothsexes，andofthehighestrank。]
[Footnote49:Macrobius，thefriendoftheseRomannobles，consideredthesiaraasthecause，oratleastthesigns，offutureevents，deSomn。Scipionl。i。c19。p。68。]
ChapterXXXI:InvasionOfItaly，OccupationOfTerritoriesByBarbarians。
PartII。
Inpopulouscities，whicharetheseatofcommerceandmanufactures，themiddleranksofinhabitants，whoderivetheirsubsistencefromthedexterityorlaboroftheirhands，arecommonlythemostprolific，themostuseful，and，inthatsense，themostrespectablepartofthecommunity。ButtheplebeiansofRome，whodisdainedsuchsedentaryandservilearts，hadbeenoppressedfromtheearliesttimesbytheweightofdebtandusury；andthehusbandman，duringthetermofhismilitaryservice，wasobligedtoabandonthecultivationofhisfarm。^50
ThelandsofItalywhichhadbeenoriginallydividedamongthefamiliesoffreeandindigentproprietors，wereinsensiblypurchasedorusurpedbytheavariceofthenobles；andintheagewhichprecededthefalloftherepublic，itwascomputedthatonlytwothousandcitizenswerepossessedofanindependentsubstance。^51Yetaslongasthepeoplebestowed，bytheirsuffrages，thehonorsofthestate，thecommandofthelegions，andtheadministrationofwealthyprovinces，theirconsciouspridealleviatedinsomemeasure，thehardshipsofpoverty；andtheirwantswereseasonablysuppliedbytheambitiousliberalityofthecandidates，whoaspiredtosecureavenalmajorityinthethirty—fivetribes，orthehundredandninety—threecenturies，ofRome。Butwhentheprodigalcommonshadnotonlyimprudentlyalienatedtheuse，buttheinheritanceofpower，theysunk，underthereignoftheCaesars，intoavileandwretchedpopulace，whichmust，inafewgenerations，havebeentotallyextinguished，ifithadnotbeencontinuallyrecruitedbythemanumissionofslaves，andtheinfluxofstrangers。AsearlyasthetimeofHadrian，itwasthejustcomplaintoftheingenuousnatives，thatthecapitalhadattractedthevicesoftheuniverse，andthemannersofthemostoppositenations。TheintemperanceoftheGauls，thecunningandlevityoftheGreeks，thesavageobstinacyoftheEgyptiansandJews，theserviletemperoftheAsiatics，andthedissolute，effeminateprostitutionoftheSyrians，weremingledinthevariousmultitude，which，undertheproudandfalsedenominationofRomans，presumedtodespisetheirfellow—
subjects，andeventheirsovereigns，whodweltbeyondtheprecinctsoftheEternalCity。^52
[Footnote50:ThehistoriesofLivyseeparticularlyvi。36arefulloftheextortionsoftherich，andthesufferingsofthepoordebtors。ThemelancholystoryofabraveoldsoldierDionys。Hal。l。vi。c。26，p。347，edit。Hudson，andLivy，ii。
23musthavebeenfrequentlyrepeatedinthoseprimitivetimes，whichhavebeensoundeservedlypraised。]
[Footnote51:Nonesseincivitateduomilliahominumquiremhabereni。Cicero。Offic。ii。21，andComment。Paul。Manut。inedit。Graev。ThisvaguecomputationwasmadeA。U。C。649，inaspeechofthetribunePhilippus，anditwashisobject，aswellasthatoftheGracchi，seePlutarch，todeplore，andperhapstoexaggerate，themiseryofthecommonpeople。]
[Footnote52:SeethethirdSatire60—125ofJuvenal，whoindignantlycomplains，QuamvisquotaportiofaecisAchaei!
JampridemSyrusinTiberemdefluxitOrontes；
Etlinguametmores，&c。
Seneca，whenheproposestocomforthismotherConsolat。adHelv。c。6bythereflection，thatagreatpartofmankindwereinastateofexile，remindsherhowfewoftheinhabitantsofRomewereborninthecity。]
Yetthenameofthatcitywasstillpronouncedwithrespect:
thefrequentandcapricioustumultsofitsinhabitantswereindulgedwithimpunity；andthesuccessorsofConstantine，insteadofcrushingthelastremainsofthedemocracybythestrongarmofmilitarypower，embracedthemildpolicyofAugustus，andstudiedtorelievethepoverty，andtoamusetheidleness，ofaninnumerablepeople。^53I。Fortheconvenienceofthelazyplebeians，themonthlydistributionsofcornwereconvertedintoadailyallowanceofbread；agreatnumberofovenswereconstructedandmaintainedatthepublicexpense；andattheappointedhour，eachcitizen，whowasfurnishedwithaticket，ascendedtheflightofsteps，whichhadbeenassignedtohispeculiarquarterordivision，andreceived，eitherasagift，orataverylowprice，aloafofbreadoftheweightofthreepounds，fortheuseofhisfamily。II。TheforestofLucania，whoseacornsfattenedlargedrovesofwildhogs，^54afforded，asaspeciesoftribute，aplentifulsupplyofcheapandwholesomemeat。Duringfivemonthsoftheyear，aregularallowanceofbaconwasdistributedtothepoorercitizens；andtheannualconsumptionofthecapital，atatimewhenitwasmuchdeclinedfromitsformerlustre，wasascertained，byanedictfromValentiniantheThird，atthreemillionssixhundredandtwenty—eightthousandpounds。^55III。Inthemannersofantiquity，theuseofoilwasindispensableforthelamp，aswellasforthebath；andtheannualtax，whichwasimposedonAfricaforthebenefitofRome，amountedtotheweightofthreemillionsofpounds，tothemeasure，perhaps，ofthreehundredthousandEnglishgallons。IV。TheanxietyofAugustustoprovidethemetropoliswithsufficientplentyofcorn，wasnotextendedbeyondthatnecessaryarticleofhumansubsistence；andwhenthepopularclamoraccusedthedearnessandscarcityofwine，aproclamationwasissued，bythegravereformer，toremindhissubjectsthatnomancouldreasonablycomplainofthirst，sincetheaqueductsofAgrippahadintroducedintothecitysomanycopiousstreamsofpureandsalubriouswater。^56Thisrigidsobrietywasinsensiblyrelaxed；and，althoughthegenerousdesignofAurelian^57doesnotappeartohavebeenexecutedinitsfullextent，theuseofwinewasallowedonveryeasyandliberalterms。Theadministrationofthepubliccellarswasdelegatedtoamagistrateofhonorablerank；andaconsiderablepartofthevintageofCampaniawasreservedforthefortunateinhabitantsofRome。
[Footnote53:Almostallthatissaidofthebread，bacon，oil，wine，&c。，maybefoundinthefourteenthbookoftheTheodosianCode；whichexpresslytreatsofthepoliceofthegreatcities。
Seeparticularlythetitlesiii。iv。xv。xvi。xvii。xxiv。ThecollateraltestimoniesareproducedinGodefroy'sCommentary，anditisneedlesstotranscribethem。AccordingtoalawofTheodosius，whichappreciatesinmoneythemilitaryallowance，apieceofgoldelevenshillingswasequivalenttoeightypoundsofbacon，ortoeightypoundsofoil，ortotwelvemodiiorpecksofsalt，Cod。Theod。l。viii。tit。iv。leg。17。Thisequation，comparedwithanotherofseventypoundsofbaconforanamphora，Cod。Theod。l。xiv。tit。iv。leg。4，fixesthepriceofwineataboutsixteenpencethegallon。]
[Footnote54:TheanonymousauthoroftheDescriptionoftheWorldp。14。intom。iii。Geograph。Minor。HudsonobservesofLucania，inhisbarbarousLatin，Regiooptima，etipsaomnibushabundans，etlardummultumforas。Proptorquodestinmontibus，cujusaescamanimaliumrariam，&c。]
[Footnote55:SeeNovell。adcalcemCod。Theod。D。Valent。l。i。
tit。xv。ThislawwaspublishedatRome，June29th，A。D。452。]
[Footnote56:Sueton。inAugust。c。42。Theutmostdebauchoftheemperorhimself，inhisfavoritewineofRhaetia，neverexceededasextarius，anEnglishpint。Id。c。77。Torrentiusadloc。andArbuthnot'sTables，p。86。]
[Footnote57:Hisdesignwastoplantvineyardsalongthesea—coastofHetruria，Vopiscus，inHist。August。p。225；thedreary，unwholesome，uncultivatedMaremmeofmodernTuscany]
Thestupendousaqueducts，sojustlycelebratedbythepraisesofAugustushimself，replenishedtheThermoe，orbaths，whichhadbeenconstructedineverypartofthecity，withImperialmagnificence。ThebathsofAntoninusCaracalla，whichwereopen，atstatedhours，fortheindiscriminateserviceofthesenatorsandthepeople，containedabovesixteenhundredseatsofmarble；andmorethanthreethousandwerereckonedinthebathsofDiocletian。^58Thewallsoftheloftyapartmentswerecoveredwithcuriousmosaics，thatimitatedtheartofthepencilintheeleganceofdesign，andthevarietyofcolors。TheEgyptiangranitewasbeautifullyencrustedwiththepreciousgreenmarbleofNumidia；theperpetualstreamofhotwaterwaspouredintothecapaciousbasins，throughsomanywidemouthsofbrightandmassysilver；andthemeanestRomancouldpurchase，withasmallcoppercoin，thedailyenjoymentofasceneofpompandluxury，whichmightexcitetheenvyofthekingsofAsia。^59Fromthesestatelypalacesissuedaswarmofdirtyandraggedplebeians，withoutshoesandwithoutamantle；wholoiteredawaywholedaysinthestreetofForum，tohearnewsandtoholddisputes；whodissipatedinextravagantgaming，themiserablepittanceoftheirwivesandchildren；andspentthehoursofthenightintheobscuretaverns，andbrothels，intheindulgenceofgrossandvulgarsensuality。^60
[Footnote58:Olympiodor。apudPhot。p。197。]
[Footnote59:Senecaepistol。lxxxvi。comparesthebathsofScipioAfricanus，athisvillaofLiternum，withthemagnificencewhichwascontinuallyincreasingofthepublicbathsofRome，longbeforethestatelyThermaeofAntoninusandDiocletianwereerected。Thequadranspaidforadmissionwasthequarteroftheas，aboutoneeighthofanEnglishpenny。]
[Footnote60:Ammianus，l。xiv。c。6，andl。xxviii。c。4，
afterdescribingtheluxuryandprideofthenoblesofRome，exposes，withequalindignation，thevicesandfolliesofthecommonpeople。]
Butthemostlivelyandsplendidamusementoftheidlemultitude，dependedonthefrequentexhibitionofpublicgamesandspectacles。ThepietyofChristianprinceshadsuppressedtheinhumancombatsofgladiators；buttheRomanpeoplestillconsideredtheCircusastheirhome，theirtemple，andtheseatoftherepublic。Theimpatientcrowdrushedatthedawnofdaytosecuretheirplaces，andthereweremanywhopassedasleeplessandanxiousnightintheadjacentporticos。Fromthemorningtotheevening，carelessofthesun，oroftherain，thespectators，whosometimesamountedtothenumberoffourhundredthousand，remainedineagerattention；theireyesfixedonthehorsesandcharioteers，theirmindsagitatedwithhopeandfear，forthesuccessofthecolorswhichtheyespoused:andthehappinessofRomeappearedtohangontheeventofarace。^61
Thesameimmoderateardorinspiredtheirclamorsandtheirapplause，asoftenastheywereentertainedwiththehuntingofwildbeasts，andthevariousmodesoftheatricalrepresentation。
Theserepresentationsinmoderncapitalsmaydeservetobeconsideredasapureandelegantschooloftaste，andperhapsofvirtue。ButtheTragicandComicMuseoftheRomans，whoseldomaspiredbeyondtheimitationofAtticgenius，^62hadbeenalmosttotallysilentsincethefalloftherepublic；^63andtheirplacewasunworthilyoccupiedbylicentiousfarce，effeminatemusic，andsplendidpageantry。Thepantomimes，^64whomaintainedtheirreputationfromtheageofAugustustothesixthcentury，expressed，withouttheuseofwords，thevariousfablesofthegodsandheroesofantiquity；andtheperfectionoftheirart，whichsometimesdisarmedthegravityofthephilosopher，alwaysexcitedtheapplauseandwonderofthepeople。ThevastandmagnificenttheatresofRomewerefilledbythreethousandfemaledancers，andbythreethousandsingers，withthemastersoftherespectivechoruses。Suchwasthepopularfavorwhichtheyenjoyed，that，inatimeofscarcity，whenallstrangerswerebanishedfromthecity，themeritofcontributingtothepublicpleasuresexemptedthemfromalaw，whichwasstrictlyexecutedagainsttheprofessorsoftheliberalarts。^65
[Footnote61:Juvenal。Satir。xi。191，&c。TheexpressionsofthehistorianAmmianusarenotlessstrongandanimatedthanthoseofthesatiristandboththeoneandtheotherpaintedfromthelife。ThenumberswhichthegreatCircuswascapableofreceivingaretakenfromtheoriginalNotitioeofthecity。Thedifferencesbetweenthemprovethattheydidnottranscribeeachother；butthesamemayappearincredible，thoughthecountryontheseoccasionsflockedtothecity。]
[Footnote62:Sometimesindeedtheycomposedoriginalpieces。
—VestigiaGraecaAusideserereetcelebraredomesticafacta。
Horat。Epistol。adPisones，285，andthelearned，thoughperplexednoteofDacier，whomighthaveallowedthenameoftragediestotheBrutusandtheDeciusofPacuvius，ortotheCatoofMaternus。TheOctavia，ascribedtooneoftheSenecas，stillremainsaveryunfavorablespecimenofRomantragedy。]
[Footnote63:InthetimeofQuintilianandPliny，atragicpoetwasreducedtotheimperfectmethodofhiringagreatroom，andreadinghisplaytothecompany，whomheinvitedforthatpurpose。SeeDialog。deOratoribus，c。9，11，andPlin。
Epistol。vii。17。]
[Footnote64:SeethedialogueofLucian，entitledtheSaltatione，tom。ii。p。265—317，edit。Reitz。Thepantomimesobtainedthehonorablename；anditwasrequired，thattheyshouldbeconversantwithalmosteveryartandscience。BuretteintheMemoiresdel'AcademiedesInscriptions，tom。i。p。127，&c。hasgivenashorthistoryoftheartofpantomimes。]
[Footnote65:Ammianus，l。xiv。c。6。Hecomplains，withdecentindignationthatthestreetsofRomewerefilledwithcrowdsoffemales，whomighthavegivenchildrentothestate，butwhoseonlyoccupationwastocurlanddresstheirhair，andjactarivolubilibusgyris，dumexperimuntinnumerasimulacra，quaefinxerefabulaetheatrales。]
Itissaid，thatthefoolishcuriosityofElagabalusattemptedtodiscover，fromthequantityofspiders'webs，thenumberoftheinhabitantsofRome。Amorerationalmethodofinquirymightnothavebeenundeservingoftheattentionofthewisestprinces，whocouldeasilyhaveresolvedaquestionsoimportantfortheRomangovernment，andsointerestingtosucceedingages。Thebirthsanddeathsofthecitizensweredulyregistered；andifanywriterofantiquityhadcondescendedtomentiontheannualamount，orthecommonaverage，wemightnowproducesomesatisfactorycalculation，whichwoulddestroytheextravagantassertionsofcritics，andperhapsconfirmthemodestandprobableconjecturesofphilosophers。^66Themostdiligentresearcheshavecollectedonlythefollowingcircumstances；
which，slightandimperfectastheyare，maytend，insomedegree，toillustratethequestionofthepopulousnessofancientRome。I。WhenthecapitaloftheempirewasbesiegedbytheGoths，thecircuitofthewallswasaccuratelymeasured，byAmmonius，themathematician，whofounditequaltotwenty—onemiles。^67Itshouldnotbeforgottenthattheformofthecitywasalmostthatofacircle；thegeometricalfigurewhichisknowntocontainthelargestspacewithinanygivencircumference。II。ThearchitectVitruvius，whoflourishedintheAugustanage，andwhoseevidence，onthisoccasion，haspeculiarweightandauthority，observes，thattheinnumerablehabitationsoftheRomanpeoplewouldhavespreadthemselvesfarbeyondthenarrowlimitsofthecity；andthatthewantofground，whichwasprobablycontractedoneverysidebygardensandvillas，suggestedthecommon，thoughinconvenient，practiceofraisingthehousestoaconsiderableheightintheair。^68