ROMAN MURiENA. 



27 



forming a kind of obscurely reticular pattern, as 

 expressed in the annexed engraving: the head is 

 rather small ; the mouth moderately wide, and the 

 teeth sharp : the dorsal and caudal fins, which are 

 shallow, and covered by the common skin, are 

 united, in the same manner as iu the eel, and are 

 of a dusky colour with whitish spots. The Muraena 

 is capable of living with equal facility both in fresh 

 and salt water, though principally found at sea. In 

 its manners it much resembles the eel and the 

 conger, being extremely voracious, and preying on 

 a variety of smaller animals. The ancients, who 

 kept it in reservoirs appropriated for the purpose* 

 are said to have sometimes tamed it to such a 

 degree as to come at the signal of its master in 

 order to receive its food. Pliny records a most dis- 

 gusting and barbarous instance of tyranny practised 

 by one Vedrus Pollio, who was in the habit of caus- 

 ing his offending slaves to be thrown into the re- 

 servoirs in which he kept his Muraenas ; expressing 

 a savage delight in thus being able to taste in an 

 improved state their altered remains. The emperor 

 Augustus, according to Seneca, honoured this man 

 with his presence at one of his entertainments; 

 when a slave happening to break a valuable chrystal 

 vase, was immediately ordered to be thrown to the 

 Muroenae; but the poor boy, flying to the feet of 

 Augustus, requested rather to die any death than 

 thus to be made the food of fishes. The emperor, 

 being informed of this extraordinary mode of punish^ 

 ment, immediately ordered all the chrystal vessels 

 in the house to be broken before his face, and the 



