624 THE OCEAN WORLD. 
various shades of purple, violet, and blue which succeed each other 
—from cinnabar red to the palest white—as the animal gradually loses 
its strength, and expires by a slow and cruel death. The great rival 
of Cicero, the advocate Hortensius, who attracted crowds of people 
to the Forum by his eloquent and elegant discourses, had an in- 
ordinate passion for this kind of enjoyment. These little inhabitants 
of the waters were led by a small canal, which was carried under the 
festive table, and his great enjoyment was to witness the agonies of 
Fig. 395.—Uranoscopus vulgaris. 
the unhappy fish just taken from its native element and carried to 
the table, palpitating with its dying convulsions, as it perished 
beneath his eyes, he in the meanwhile enjoying a sumptuous banquet 
(PtaTE XXVIII). The possession of these poor creatures had, 
in short, become the rage, a furious passion, and their price soon 
became excessive. A fish of three pounds produced a considerable 
sum to the fortunate fisherman, while one of four and a half pounds 
was simply ruinous, says Martial. Asinius Gelius purchased one for 
8,000 sesterces (upwards of sixty pounds). Under Caligula, accord- 
ing to Suetonius, three mullets cost 30,000 sesterces (about £240). 
Although it is no longer the object of ferocious enjoyment on the 
one hand, or prodigal expenditure on the other, it is still much 
