BOOK VII.] History of Nature. 195 



was already surnamed Strabo, because of his Squint Eyes : 

 imitating a defect that existed in his Servant. So was one 

 of the Scipios surnamed Serapio upon such an occasion, 

 after the name of one Serapio, who was a base Slave of his, 

 and the dealer in buying and selling his Swine. Another 

 Scipio after him, of the same House, was surnamed Salutio, 

 because of a certain Jester of that Name. After the same 

 manner one Spinter, a Player of the second Place, 1 arid 

 Pamphilus, a Player of the third Part, resembled Lentulus 

 and Metellus, who were Consuls together. And this fell 

 out very untowardly, that such resemblances of the two 

 Consuls should be seen together on the Stage. On the other 

 hand, Rubrius the Player was surnamed Plancus, because 

 he was so like Plancus the Orator. Again, Burbuleius and 

 Menogenes, both Players, gave name, the one to Curio the 

 Father, as did the other to Messala Censorius. There 

 was in Sicily a Fisherman who resembled Sura the Pro- 

 consul, not in general likeness only, but also in the grin 

 when he spoke, in drawing his Tongue short, and in his 

 thick Speech. Cassius Severus, the famous Orator, was 

 reproached for being like Mirmillo, a Keeper of Cattle. 

 Toranius sold to Marcus Antonius, at that time Triumvir, 

 two very beautiful Boys as Twins, so like they were one to 

 the other : although one was born in Asia, and the other 

 beyond the Alps. But when Antony afterwards came to 

 the knowledge of the fraud, which was detected by the Lan- 

 guage of the Boys, he threatened him in great Anger : 

 Among other things complaining of the high Price that he 

 had made him pay, for they cost him two hundred Sesterces. 

 But the cunning Merchant answered, That this was the very 

 cause why he bad sold them at so great a rate : for it would 

 not have been so wonderful if two Brothers of the same 

 Mother had resembled one another ; but that there should 

 be any found, who were born in different Countries, so like 

 in all respects, was above every thing deserving of a high 

 Price. This answer of his produced a well-timed admiration, 



1 That is, he who supported the second or the third rate of characters 

 on the ancient stage. Wern. Club. 



