On the Luxury in Dress ^ Furniture^ ^c, 53 



Lake had for a long time the character of producing the best 

 oysters. Next to them were those of Brundusium. At last re- 

 finement was carried farther ; and the oysters of Brundusium 

 were taken to be parked in the Lucrine Lake. 



Fruits. — It appears that fruits were less sought after then 

 than they have been since. The only new fruit introduced at 

 this time was the cherry, which Lucullus brought from Cera- 

 sus, a town in Asia Minor, sixty-nine years before Christ. 



Perfumes and Dress. — The luxury in perfumes was beyond 

 measure, and drew to Rome the most costly aromatics of the 

 East. The luxury of dress was equally great, and made known 

 purple, pearls, and precious stones. At one time there was 

 quite a rage for opals ; and one individual, rather let himself 

 be prosecuted, than give up to Sylla a very fine one the dicta- 

 tor desired to have. 



Furniture. — The dominion of fashion extended equally to 

 furniture, and raised the value of certain kinds of wood to 

 an enormous amount. For a while the citrus was preferred. The 

 tree thus named was not the citrus of Theophrastus, the orange- 

 tree of our time; but seems to have been a species of Thuya, 

 brought from Cyrenaica. They made use not only of the trunk, 

 but of some knots that grew out near the root. When such pieces 

 could be got of a large size, they were sold excessively dear. Ce- 

 thegus paid for a table 1,400,000 sesterces, about dC^l 1,000. Even 

 Seneca, with all his outcry against luxury, had some tables that 

 cost a most exorbitant sum. These pieces were distinguished 

 by their colour, and by the way they were veined. Each va- 

 riety had a different name. Ebony also was employed, a kind 

 of wood first introduced into Italy by Pompey, after his victo- 

 ries over the pirates. 



Building. — A great deal of marble was used in building. It 

 was brought from the most distant countries, and there were 

 even several of which the quarries are now lost. Thus the 

 marbles denoted by the names of vert antique and rou^e an~ 

 tique, are so termed because they are found only in ancient 

 structures. It was in searching for such fragments among 

 some ruins that Pompeii was discovered. 



Luxwy of the Empire. — If from the luxury of individuals 

 we turn to the luxury displayed in public festivals, we find 



