No. XIV. Strenua nos exercet inertia. HORAT. We're harassed and depriv'd of rest BOSCAWEN. . WHILE the day was all of a piece at Rome, the manners of the people were simple, and their occupations such only as necessity required. No sooner had they learnt to tell out their time into hours, than they contrived methods to multiply the business of the day; allotting to almost every hour a different care. If, then, we consider the Romans in this condition; they generally parceled out the day, in their ordinary course of living, in the following manner: They had their morning devotions, with which they usually began the day; going from temple to temple to recommend themselves, every man to as many gods as he thought he might stand in need of. Those who were not at leisure, or perhaps not disposed, to go abroad, acquitted themselves of this duty at home; the rich by sacrifices or offerings, and the poor only by vows and prayers. They had likewise their evening adorations; with this distinction, that their matins were for the celestial, and their vespers for the infernal deities. But the prime of the day was not wholly appropriated to the gods; they found it highly necessary not to be tardy in paying their respects to their own species: they were assiduous and early in their levee salutations: the inferior peoplę paid their morning court to the magistrates; and the magistrates went abroad betimes to worship the grandees of the city. Thus were the first and the second hours of the sun ordinarily employed by the Roman citizens; if we except the severe students, the men of business, the merchants, the tradesmen, and artificers, who preferred industry to servility, and were not at leisure to be fashionable. The third hour summoned the people to the courts of judicature, excepting on holidays, or when some more important affairs of government interrupted the business of the bar. Beside the judges, the lawyers, the solicitors, and the parties concerned, there was always a vast concourse in the Forum; who came thither, partly to inquire after news, and partly to hear the pleadings; and who, during the republic, took upon them to approve or to condemn the decisions that were made. For this reason it is, that Cicero, in the peroration of his accusation against Verres, threatens the judges with the censure of the Roman people, who heard him speak, if they should suffer the heinous crimes of Verres to escape the rigour of the law. This attention took up the generality of the citizens (who were not obliged to be absent upon other concerns) during the third, the fourth, and the fifth hours. In the mean time, the rest (who were engaged in more urgent business) employed these hours according to their different callings, their rank, and their separate views. The knights sat as judges, and registered treaties and legal contracts: and the candidates for employments, or honours, went about the city with their friends and relations, to procure votes. At last came the sixth hour of the day, the noon-tide; at which time every man retired to his home, made a slender dinner, and took a moderate refreshing nap. The first hours in the afternoon were usually allotted to bodily exercises; as walking, riding in a coach, or playing at mall: and the youth of fashion, whose ambition prompted them to improve their agility and strength, went into the field of Mars, to practise such feats of activity, as were most proper to fit them for the discipline and fatigues of war. As the riches, and consequently the luxury, of the Romans increased, they had their public walks, as likewise private gardens of great magnificence; and in time, marble cloisters and galleries of an incredible length. In these cool places did the persons, who loved sedate amusements, pass two or three hours of the afternoon, in discoursing gravely or pleasantly, according to their different humours. The poets took this favourable opportunity to come thither to recite their verses to such as were inclinable to hear them. From these several recreations, they flocked to the public baths, which were opened at a stated time; in the winter at the eighth, in the summer at the ninth hour of the day; which was signified by the sound of a bell. Those who had private baths, made use of them earlier, or later, as they pleased: but Alexander Severus first permitted the public baths to be kept open all the night, in the intense heats of the summer. The poets likewise came to the baths to repeat their compositions, where they never failed of a numerous audience. After bathing, was 'the time of using oils and sweet ointments, with which they suppled their limbs; and then succeeded the time of supper, which began the ninth or tenth hour of the day. This was their principal meal; and (in process of time), from a short, moderate repast, grew to the excess of being prolonged till after midnight. My readers will see by this account, that the Romans divided the actions of every day into two distinct scenes; the one for studies or business, the other for exercises and amusements; the proper means for preserving the mind and the body in full vigour. As it was not reputable to waste any portion of the forenoon in pleasures, so likewise it was not customary to let any affairs break in upon the leisure of the afternoon. Nevertheless, so severe was the application of some men of note, that they gave their minds no relaxation before the tenth hour. Thus Seneca says, "We remember the great orator, Asinius Pollio, who would not attend to the least business, nor so much as read a letter, after the tenth hour, lest the contents of it should oblige him to some new care; and in the two remaining hours, he refreshed himself, and threw off the fatigue of the whole day." But this severity was not required in a person |