216 PLINY'S NATUEAL HISTOEY. [Book VII 



Ap. Saufeius, while, on his return from the bath, after drinking 

 some honeyed wine and water, he was swallowing an egg : 

 P. Quinctius Scapula, while he was dining with Aquilius 

 Gallus : Decimus Saufeius, the scribe, while he was breakfast- 

 ing at his house. Corn. Gallus, 30 who had filled the office of 

 praetor, and Titus Haterius, 31 a man of equestrian rank, 

 died in the venereal act ; and, a thing that was especially re- 

 marked by those of our day, two members of the equestrian 

 order expired in the embraces of the same actor of pantomimes, 

 Mysticus by name, who was remarkable for his singular 

 beauty. 



But the most perfect state, to all appearance, of security 

 from death, was that of which we have an account given by 

 the ancients, in the case of M. Ofilius Hilarus. He was an 

 actor, and after having been very greatly applauded by the 

 people, was giving, on his birthday, an entertainment. During 

 dinner he called for a cup of warm drink ; at the same time, 

 looking at the masque which he had worn during the day, 

 he placed upon it the chaplet, 32 which he had taken from, his 

 own head; and in that position he remained rigidly fixed, 

 without moving, no one being aware of what had taken place, 

 until the person who was reclining next to him reminded him 

 that the drink was getting cold ; upon which he was found to 

 be dead. 



These are instances of persons dying a happy death ; 33 but, 



used among the Romans. It seems to have been of two kinds : in the 

 one case honey was mixed with wine, in the other with must. Massic or 

 Falernian wine was preferred for the purpose, and new Attic honey. The 

 proportions were four measures of wine to one of honey ; and various per- 

 fumes and spices were added. See B. xxii, c. 4. It was especially valued 

 as the most appropriate draught on an empty stomach. 



30 The Cornelius Gallus here mentioned could not have been the poet 

 of the same name, because, as we are informed, he died by his own hand. 

 The death of the poet Gallus is alluded to by Ovid, Amores, B. iii. Ei. 9, 

 1. 64. B. A similar fate is said, by Tertullian, to have overtaken Speu- 

 sippus, the Platonic philosopher. The same was also said by some of the 

 poet Pindar. 



31 Val. Maximus, B. ix. c. 12, gives the same account of the death of 

 Gallus and Haterius. B. 



12 Which was usually worn by the Romans at their entertainments. 



33 Considering some of the above cases, Pliny must have had a curious 

 notion of a happy death. Ovid would have agreed with him in one re- 

 spect ; for in his amatory poems, he expresses a wish that he may die of 

 a surfeit of sensual enjoyment, 



