Part 11 (1/2)

[Footnote 17: An elegant Attic orator, remarkable for the grace and lucidity of his style, also for his vivid and accurate delineations of character.]

[Footnote 18: A graceful and powerful orator, and friend of Densosthenes.]

[Footnote 19: A Roman orator of the Augustan age. He was a poet and historian as well, but gained most distinction as an orator.]

[Footnote 20: A man of considerable taste, talent, and eloquence, but profligate and extravagant. He was on terms of some intimacy with Cicero.]

[Footnote 21: The praetor was a.s.sisted by ten a.s.sessors, five of whom were senators, and the rest knights. With these he was obliged to consult before he p.r.o.nounced sentence. M.]

[Footnote 22: A contemporary and rival of Aristophanes.]

[Footnote 23: Aristophanes, Ach. 531]

[Footnote 24: Thersites. Iliad, II. V. 212.]

[Footnote 25: Ulysses. Iliad, III. V. 222.]

[Footnote 26: Menelaua. Iliad, III. V. 214.]

[Footnote 27: Great-grandfather of the Emperor M. Aurelius.]

[Footnote 28: An eminent lawyer of Trajan's reign.]

[Footnote 29: The philosophers used to hold their disputations in the gymnasia and porticoes, being places of the most public resort for walking, &c.

M.]

[Footnote 30: ”Verginius Rufus was governor of Upper Germany at the time of the revolt of Julius Vindex in Gaul. A.D. 68. The soldiers of Verginius wished to raise him to the empire, but he refused the honour, and marched against Vindex, who perished before Vesontio. After the death of Nero, Verginius supported the claims of Galba, and accompanied him to Rome. Upon Otho's death, the soldiers again attempted to proclaim Verginius emperor, and in consequence of his refusal of the honour, he narrowly escaped with his life.” (See Smith's Dict. of Greek and Rom.

Biog., &c.)]

[Footnote 31: Nerva.]

[Footnote 32: The historian,]

[Footnote 33: Namely, of augurs. ”This college, as regulated by Sylla, consisted of fifteen, who were all persons of the first distinction in Rome; it was a priesthood for life, of a character indelible, which no crime or forfeiture could efface; it was necessary that every candidate should be nominated to the people by two augurs, who gave a solemn testimony upon, oath of his dignity and fitness for that office.” Middleton's Life of Cicero, I. 547. M.]

[Footnote 34: The ancient Greeks and Romans did not sit up at the table as we do, but reclined round it on couches, three and sometimes even four occupying one conch, at least this latter was the custom among the Romans. Each guest lay flat upon his chest while eating, reaching out his hand from time to time to the table, for what he might require.

As soon as he had made a sufficient meal, he turned over upon his left side, leaning on the elbow.]

[Footnote 35: A people of Germany.]

[Footnote 36: ”Any Roman priest devoted to the service of one particular G.o.d was designated Flamen, receiving a distinguis.h.i.+ng epithet from the deity to whom he ministered. The office was understood to last for life; but a flamen might be compelled to resign for a breach of duty, or even on account of the occurrence of an ill-omened accident while discharging his functions.” Smith's Dictionary of Antiquities.]

[Footnote 37: Trajan.]

[Footnote 38: By a law pa.s.sed A. D. 762, it was enacted that every citizen of Rome who had three children should be excused from all troublesome offices where he lived. This privilege the emperors sometimes extended to those who were not legally ent.i.tled to it.]

[Footnote 39: About 54 cents.]

[Footnote 40: Avenue]