BOOK IX. Lvii. 116-LVIH. 119 



more than one scruple. It is established that sniall 

 pearls of poor colour grow in Britain," since the late 

 lamented Julius desired it to be known that the 

 breastplate which he dedicated to Venus Genetrix 

 in her temple was made of British pearls. 



LVIII. I have seen Lollia PauHna, who became PearUof 

 the consort of Gaius, not at some considerable or ^^^^.'""^' 

 solemn ceremonial celebration but actually at an 

 ordinary betrothal banquet, covered with emeralds 

 and pearls interlaced alternately and shining all over 

 her head, hair, ears, neck and fingers, the sum total 

 amounting to the value of 40,000,000 sesterces,'' she 

 herself being ready at a moment's notice to give 

 documentary proof of her title to them ; nor had they 

 been presents from an extravagant emperor, but 

 ancestral possessions, acquired in fact with the spoil 

 of the provinces. This is the final outcome of 

 plunder, it was for this that Marcus LolHus disgraced 

 himself by taking gifts from kings in the whole of 

 the East, and was cut out of his list of friends 

 by Gaius Caesar son of Augustus and drank poison 

 — that his granddaughter should be on show in the 

 lamplight covered with 40,000,000 sesterces ! Now 

 let some one reckon up on one side of the account 

 how much Cin-ius or Fabricius carried in their 

 triumphs, and picture to himself the spoils they 

 displayed, and on the other side LolUa, a single Httle 

 lady recHning at the Emperor's side — and would he 

 not think it better that they should have been dragged 

 from their chariots than have won their victories with 

 this result ? Nor are these the topmost instances of 

 luxury. There have been two pearls that were the cieopatra^s 

 largest in the whole of history ; both were owned by ^""' 

 Cleopatra, the last of the Queens of Egypt — they 



243 



