216 
PLINl's NATUEAL HISTOET. 
[Book VII 
Ap. Saufeius, while, on his return from the bath, after drinking 
some honeyed wine and water, he was swallowing an egg : 
P. Quinctius Scapula, while he was dining with Aquilius 
Gallus : Decimus Saufeius, the scribe, while he was breakfast- 
ing at his house. Corn. Gallus,^^ who had filled the office of 
praetor, and Titus Haterius,^^ a man of equestrian rank, 
died in the venereal act ; and, a thing that was especially re- 
marked by those of our day, two members of the equestrian 
order expired in the embraces of the same actor of pantomimes, 
Mysticus by name, who was remarkable for his singular 
beauty. 
Eut the most perfect state, to all appearance, of security 
from death, was that of which we have an account given by 
the ancients, in the case of M. Ofilius Hilarus. He was an 
actor, and after having been very greatly applauded by the 
people, was giving, on his birthday, an entertainment. During 
dinner he called for a cup of warm drink ; at the same time, 
looking at the masque which he had worn during the day, 
he placed upon it the chaplet,^^ which he had taken from, his 
own head; and in that position he remained rigidly fixed, 
without moving, no one being aware of what had taken place, 
until the person who was reclining next to him reminded him 
that the drink was getting cold ; upon which he was found to 
be dead. 
These are instances of persons dying a happy death but, 
used among the Eomans. It seems to have been of two kinds : in the 
one case honey was mixed with wine, in the other with must. Massic or 
Falernian wine was preferred for the purpose, and new Attic honey. The 
proportions were four measures of wine to one of honey ; and various per- 
fumes and spices were added. See B. xxii, c. 4. It was especially valued 
as the most appropriate draught on an empty stomach. 
20 The Cornelius Gallus here mentioned could not have been the poet 
of the same name, because, as we are informed, he died by his own hand. 
The death of the poet Gallus is alluded to by Ovid, Amores, B. iii. Ei. 9, 
1. 64. — B. A similar fate is said, by Tertullian, to have overtaken Speu- 
sippus, the Platonic philosopher. The same was also said by some of the 
poet Pindar. 
31 Val. Maximus, B. ix. c. 12, gives the same account of the death of 
Gallus and Haterius. — B. 
^ Which was usually worn by the Eomans at their entertainments. ^ 
33 Considering some of the above cases, Pliny must have had a curious 
notion of a happy death. Ovid would have agreed with him in one re- 
spect ; for in his amatory poems, he expresses a wish that he may die of 
a surfeit of sensual enjoyment. 
