domestic philosopher or savant—­commonly, of course, a Greek.  But upon politics in any real sense conversation will either not turn at all, or else very cautiously, at least until some one has drunk more than is good for him.  It is only too easy to drop some remark which may be construed into an offence to the emperor, and there are too many ears among the slaves, and perhaps too many among the guests, to permit of any risk in that direction.  In some rather serious companies a professional reader or reciter entertained the diners with interesting passages of poetry or prose; before others there might be a performance of scenes from a comedy.  At times vocal and instrumental music was discoursed by the domestic minstrels; or persons, generally women, were hired to play upon the harp, lyre, or double flageolet.  Such performances would also be carried on during the carousal which often followed deep into the night, and to these may be added posture-dances by girls from Cadiz, juggling and acrobatic feats, and other forms of “variety” entertainment.  Dicing in public, except at the chartered Saturnalian festival, was illegal—­a fact which did not, of course, prevent it from being practised—–­but it was permitted in private gatherings like this, provided that ostensibly no money was staked.  The dice are rattled in a tower-like box and are thrown upon a special board or tray.  You may play “for love,” or, as the Romans called it, “for the best man,” or you may play for forfeits.  Naturally the forfeits became in practice, in spite of the law, sums of money.  The best possible throw is called “Venus,” the worst possible “the dog.”  A sort of draughts or of backgammon may be preferred at more quiet times of social intercourse; but a game like “head or tail,” called in Latin “heads or ships,” was a game for the vulgar.

[Illustration:  FIG. 68.—­ACROBATS.]

If it was decided to indulge in a prolonged carousal in form, heads were wreathed with garlands of roses, violets, myrtle, or ivy; lots were cast for an “umpire of the drinking,” and he decided both how much wine—­Falernian, Setine, or Massic—­should be drunk, and in what degree it should be mixed with water.  A large and handsome mixing-bowl stands in the dining-hall.  From this the wine is drawn by a ladle holding about as much as a sherry-glass, and a certain number of such “glasses” are poured into each cup according to the bidding of the umpire.  While being poured into the “mixer” the wine is passed through a strainer and in the hot weather the strainer would be filled with snow brought down from the nearest mountains and artificially preserved.  Healths were drank in as many “glasses” as the name contained letters; absent ladies were toasted in a similar way; and at some hour or other guests asked their footmen for their shoes and cloaks, and departed to their homes under the escort of attendants, who carried the torches or lanterns and were ready to deal with possible footpads and garroters, if any were lurking in the unlighted streets for pedestrians less wary or less protected.  The “Mohawks” also will let them alone, and perhaps their homeward way may be entertained by the sounds of serenaders at the door of some beautiful Chloe or Lydia on the Upper Sacred Way or near the Subura.