FISH-PRESERVES—ROMAN NEWSPAPER _ 167 
The seeming naiveté of Martial’s appeal to a buyer and of 
his recommendation that the book, which describes presents, 
would befor a man like himself not too flush of coin, an admirable 
present to send at the Saturnalia, incites me to give the whole, 
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 Cesar the debates and Acta of the Senate, and later 
the news collected and conveyed by constant couriers from all 
parts of the Empire.! 
1 Cf. Suetonius, Augustus, c. 83. 
