Chap 11. ROMAN.

77
ON . rOMITIIIS . CS . T . MACNUS . IMP .
BKI.I.O . XXX . ANNOKir.M . CONKECTO .
t SIS . FirOATIS . OCCISIS . IN . DEDII'lONEM . ACCFITIS
HOUNUM . CENTIES . VICIES . SEMEL . CFNTENIS .
LXXXIII . M .
DEl'llKSSIS . AUT . CAPT . NAVIRUS . DCCCXLVI
Ol'l'iniS . CASTEI.I.IS . MDXXXVIII
IN . KIDEM . RECEPTIS .
TEKIIIS . A . MAEOrl . I.ACU . AD . UUBIUIM . JIAUE .
SIIBACTIS .
VOTUM . MEllITO . MINERV^E
IS4. 7 lie villas of the Romans at this period were of considerable extent; the sfatut-j
of Greece had been acquired fur their decoration, and every luxury in the way of decora-
tion that the age could alford had been poured into them from the ])lentifiil supjily that
(ireek art afforded. To such an extreme was carried the determination to possess everv
thing that talent could siqjply, tliat we find Cicero was in the habit of employing two
architects, Chrysippus and Cluatius (ad Atticum, lib. iii. c])ist. 29. and lib. xii. ejjist. 18.);
the first certainly, the last probably a Greek. Their extent would scarcely be crediteil but
for the corroboration we have of it in some of their ruins.
185. Until the time of Pompey no permanent theatre existed in Rome: the ancient dis-
cipline requiring that the theatre should continue no longer than the shows lasted, 'i'lie
most splendid temporary theatre was that of INI. TEmilius Scaurus, wlio, when aMlile, erected
one capable of containing 80,000 persons, which was decorated, from all accounts, with sin-
gular magnificence and at an amazing cost. History (Plhi. xxxvi. 15.) records an extra-
ordinary instance of mechanical skill, in the theatre erected by Curio, one of Caesar's jiar-
tisans, at the funeral exhibition in honour of his father. Two large theatres of timber
Were constructed back to back, and on one side so connected with hinges and machiriery
for the purpose, that when the tltealrical exhibitions had closed they were wheeled or
slung roimd so as to form an amphitheatre, wheicin, in tlie afternoon, shows of gladiators
were given. Returning, however, to the theatre erected by Pompey, which, to avoid
the animadversion of the censors, lie dedicated as a temple to Venus : the plan
(
I'/iin/,
vii. 3.)
was taken from that at iNIitylene, but so enlarged as to be ca})able of containing
40,000 persons. Round it was a portico for shelter in case of bad weather : a curia
or senate house was attached to it witli a basilica or hall for the administration of jus-
tice. The statues of male and female persons celebrated for their lives and characters
were selected and placed in it by Atticus, for his attention to which Cicero {E])ist. ad
yittic. iv. 9.)
was commissioned by Pompey to convey his thanks. 'I'lie tem])le of Venus,
which was attached to avoid the breach of the laws committed, was so contrived that the
scats of the theatre served as steps to the temjde ; a contrivance which also served to escape
the rejiroacli of encountering so va^t an exiiense for mere luxury, for the temple was so
jilaced that those wlio visited the theatre might seem at the same time to come for the
Ijurjiose of worshipping the goddess. At the solemnity of its dedication the peo])le were
entertained with the most magnificent shows that had ever been exhibited in Rome. Wc
cannot prolong the account of this edifice by detailing them, indeed that would be foreign
to our purpose ; but we may add, that such a building ])resents to us a genuine idea of the
vast grandeur and wealth of those principal subjects of Rome, who from their own jirivate
revenues could rear such magnificent buildings, and provide for the entertainment of the
people shows to which all the quarters of the globe contributed, and which no monarch
now on earth could afford to exhibit. This theatre was finished about 54 b. c.
186. In the year 45 b.c. Rome witnessed a triumph not less extraordinary than that wc
have just recorded, that of Julius C;csar on his return from Utica. Prom the commence-
ment of the civil war that had raged he had found no leisure for celebrating the trium])hs
which induced the people to create him dictator for ten years, and to place his statue in the
Cajiitol opposite to that of Jupiter, with the globe of the earth under his feet, and the in-
scription
"
To Ca;sar the Demi- God." We need scarcely remind our readers that his
first triumph was over the Gauls ;
that this was followed by that over Ptolemy and Egy))t
;
the third over Pharhaces and Pontus ; and the fourtli over Juba. The triumph recorded
these appropriately ; but we leave that merely observing, by the way, that the fruit of his
victories amounted to 65,000 talents and 2821.' crowns of gold, weighing together 20,414
Roman pounds,

to state that on this occasion the Circus was enlarged, a lake sunk for the
exhibition of Egyptian and Tyrian galleys, and that in the same year he dedicated a temple
to Venus Genetrix, and opened his new forum. Warriors are not often inclined to call in
tlie aid of the arts, except for commemorating their own actions. Not so with Ca?sar. In
the ye ir 44 b.c, after his triumph over the sons of Pompey, Ave once more find him engaged
in the arts of peace. A temple to Clemency was elected by him, in which his statue was
placed near to that of tlie goddess, and joining hands with her. In the next year he laid