FISH-PRESERVES— ROMAN NEWSPAPER 167 



The seeming naivete of Martial's appeal to a buyer and of 

 his recommendation that the book, which describes presents, 

 would be for a man hkc himself not too Hush of coin, an admirable 

 present to send at the Saturnalia, incites me to give the wliole, 

 if fishless, passage. 



The hint of how to get rid of their surplus stock or " re- 

 mainders " at Christmas may avail our present poetasters in 

 these days of economy and war taxes. " The whole collection 

 of Xenia " (distichs describing certain kinds of viands so-called) 

 " in this thin book will cost you four sesterces to buy. Is four 

 too much ? You may get it (in a cheaper form) for two, and 

 even that will leave a profit to the bookseller. This book 

 itself, which describes presents, may be sent as a present at 

 the Saturnalia, if you have not much money to spare, like 

 myself." 



Manuscript books at Rome cost even less than printed books 

 do now. This seeming inconsistency was effected by a large 

 number of slaves writing rapidly at the dictation of one person, 

 and so multiplying copies very cheaply and easily. 



By such means, no doubt, was published Acta Diurna, the fly 

 sheet or daily newspaper of Rome. Composed originally of 

 the reports of lawsuits, births, deaths, marriages, and the almost 

 equally numerous divorces, it came to contain in the time of 

 Julius Caesar the debates and Acta of the Senate, and later 

 the news collected and conveyed by constant couriers from all 

 parts of the Empire. ^ 



* Cf. Suetonius, Augustus, c. 83. 



