nanous]
(Dindorf)] and women against each other.

[Sidenote:--9--] So at this time he feasted the populace as described, but
on another occasion he entertained the foremost men of the senate and the
knights in the following fashion. He prepared a room that was pitch black
on every side, ceiling, walls and floor, and had ready bare couches, all
alike, resting on the uncovered ground; then he invited in his guests
alone, at night, without their attendants. And first he set beside each of
them a slab shaped like a gravestone, bearing a person's name and also a
small lamp, such as hangs in tombs. Next well-shaped, naked boys, likewise
painted black, entered after the manner of phantoms, and, after passing
around the guests in a kind of terrifying dance, took up their stations at
their feet. After that, whatever is commonly dedicated in the course of
offerings to departed spirits was set before them also, all black, and in
dishes of a similar hue. Consequently, every single one of the guests
feared and trembled and every moment felt certain that he was to be slain,
especially as on the part of everybody save Domitian there was dead
silence, as if they were already in the realms of the dead, and the
emperor himself limited his conversation to matters pertaining to death
and slaughter. Finally he dismissed them. But he had previously removed
their servants, who stood at the doorway, and gave them in charge of
other, unknown slaves, to convey either to carriages or litters, and by
this act he filled them with far greater fear. Scarcely had each one
reached home and was beginning to a certain extent to recover his spirits,
when a message was brought him that some one was there from the Augustus.
While they were expecting, as a result of this, that now at last they
should surely perish, one person brought in the slab, which was of silver,
then another something else, and another one of the dishes set before them
at the dinner, which proved to be made of some costly material. Finally
came [Footnote: Verb supplied by Xylander.] that particular boy who had
been each one's familiar spirit, now washed and decked out. Thus, while in
terror all night long, they received their gifts.

Such was the triumph or, as the crowd said, such was the expiatory service
that Domitian celebrated for those who had died in Dacia and in Rome. Even
at this time, too, he killed off some of the foremost men. And he took
away the property of whoever buried