44 PEOSE HALIETJTICS. 



you could wish, slices of apples or dried figs may always 

 be given, especially those of the better kind, Bsetic or 

 Numidian. There are some who give nothing to their 

 watery live-stock, but let them fare as they may, and 

 fatten if they can. These persons are blind to their own 

 interest ; whenever such produce comes to market, all 

 the world despises its leanness, and nobody will buy this 

 skeleton or scavenger fish ofifered for sale — 'macies 

 enim indicat eum non esse libero mari captum, sed de 

 custodia elatum; propter quod plurimum pretio detra- 

 hetur.' 



Very different from this was the practice of C. Hirtius, 

 who, having made twelve thousand sestertia by his stews, 

 spent the whole sum in baits for a larger progeny offish; 

 and of Hortensius, too, of whom Varro relates ' that he 

 not only was never entertained by his fish at table, but 

 was scarcely ever easy unless engaged in entertaining 

 and fattening them. To find suitable fare for his mul- 

 let,' says the same author, ' gives him infinitely more 

 care and concern than me my mules and asses; for 

 whilst I with one lad supply aU my thrifty stud with a 

 little barley and common water, Hortensius's fish-ser- 

 vants are not to be counted. He has sailors in summer, 

 toiling to procure them bait; and when the weather is 

 too coarse for fishing, then a whole troop of butchers 

 and dealers in salt provisions send in estimates of terms 

 for keeping his alumni fat. Hortensius so looks to his 

 mullet as to forget his men, and a sick slave has less 

 chance of getting a draught of cold water in a fever, 

 than these favoured fish of being kept cool in their stew 

 at midsummer.' Besides feeding the fish, there was an 

 expensive functionary, the ' nomenclator,' or keeper, to 

 maintain, who, in consideration of very high wages, gave 

 his scaly charges their particular names, and taught all 

 to 'wag their tails, fawn like dogs, and permit them- 

 selves to be scratched and clawed,' as he exhibited their 



