ROMAN FISH PONDS. 13$ 



Varro, a Roman writer, says: "A friend of mine, 

 Hortensius by name, had fish ponds at Bauli, con- 

 structed at great cost. I have often been with him at 

 his residence, and I know that, instead of eating his 

 own fish, he would send to Puteoli and buy fish. He 

 used to feed the fish with his own hands, and would 

 show a great deal more anxiety, if his mullets were 

 hungry, than I showed when my asses wanted feed- 

 ing. I am content with one slave to feed my asses. 

 Hortensius employs a host of fishermen who are con- 



common Eel. 



tinually sent out to catch heaps of little fish for big 

 ones to eat. He felt more anxiety about a sick fish 

 than about a sick slave." 



Hurries are the fish which, according to Pliny and 

 others, a certain Roman knight named Pollio kept. 

 Pollio was a friend of the Emperor Augustus. He 

 used to feed his fish with human flesh. One reason 

 for this terrible practice was that he was unfortunate 

 with his slaves. When they were waiting on his table 

 they were careless or clumsy, breaking dishes, or up- 

 setting decanters and other tableware. If a servant of 

 Pollio was so unfortunate as to break a valuable piece 

 of glass or crockery, he would have to pay the pen- 



