r talents procuring their manumission, they became
the freedmen of their former masters. Vespasian, it appears from
Suetonius, purchased the freedom of some persons of ability belonging to
these classes.]

[Footnote 762: The Coan Venus was the chef-d'oeuvre of Apelles, a native
of the island of Cos, in the Archipelago, who flourished in the time of
Alexander the Great. If it was the original painting which was now
restored, it must have been well preserved.]

[Footnote 763: Probably the colossal statue of Nero (see his Life, c.
xxxi.), afterwards placed in Vespasian's amphitheatre, which derived its
name from it.]

[Footnote 764: The usual argument in all times against the introduction
of machinery.]

[Footnote 765: See AUGUSTUS, c. xxix.]

[Footnote 766: At the men's Saturnalia, a feast held in December attended
with much revelling, the masters waited upon their slaves; and at the
women's Saturnalia, held on the first of March, the women served their
female attendants, by whom also they sent presents to their friends.]

[Footnote 767: Notwithstanding the splendour, and even, in many respects,
the refinement of the imperial court, the language as well as the habits
of the highest classes in Rome seem to have been but too commonly of the
grossest description, and every scholar knows that many of their writers
are not very delicate in their allusions. Apropos of the ludicrous
account given in the text, Martial, on one occasion, uses still plainer
language.

Utere lactucis, et mollibus utere malvis:
Nam faciem durum Phoebe, cacantis habes.--iii. 89.]

[Footnote 768: See c. iii. and note.]

[Footnote 769: Probably the emperor had not entirely worn off, or might
even affect the rustic dialect of his Sabine countrymen; for among the
peasantry the au was still pronounced o, as in plostrum for plaustrum, a
waggon; and in orum for aurum, gold, etc. The emperor's retort was very
happy, Flaurus being derived from a Greek word, which signifies worthless,
while the consular critic's proper name, Florus, was connected with much
more agreeable associations.]

[Footnote 770: Some of the German critics think that the passage bears
the sense of the gratuity having beer given by the lady, and that so
parsimonious a prince as Vespasian was not likely to have paid such a sum
as is here stated for a lady's proffered favours.]

[Footnote 771: The Flavian family had their own tomb. See DOMITIAN, c.
v. The