Roman Antiquities, and Ancient Mythology | Page 6

all orders. The consuls themselves were
obliged to submit to them. They could be annulled or cancelled only by
the Senate itself. In the last ages of the republic, the authority of the
Senate was little regarded by the leading men and their creatures, who
by means of bribery obtained from a corrupted populace what they
desired, in spite of the Senate.
Augustus, when he became master of the empire, retained the forms of
the ancient republic, and the same names of the magistrates; but left
nothing of the ancient virtue and liberty. While he pretended always to
act by the authority of the Senate, he artfully drew everything to
himself.
The Senators were distinguished by an oblong stripe of purple sewed
on the forepart of their Senatorial gown, and black buskins reaching to
the middle of the leg, with the letter C in silver on the top of the foot.
The chief privilege of the Senators was their having a particular place
at the public spectacles, called orchestra. It was next the stage in the
theatre, or next the arena or open space in the amphitheatre.

The messages sent by the emperor to the Senate were called epistolæ or
libelli, because they were folded in the form of a letter or little book.
Cæsar was said to have first introduced these libelli, which afterwards
were used on almost every occasion.
CHAPTER III.
Other Divisions of the Roman People.
That the Patricians and Plebeians might be connected together by the
strictest bonds, Romulus ordained that every Plebeian should choose
from the Patricians any one he pleased, for his patron or protector,
whose client he was called.
It was the duty of the patron to advise and defend his client, and to
assist him with his interest and substance. The client was obliged to pay
the greatest respect to his patron, and to serve him with his life and
fortune in any extremity.
It was unlawful for patrons and clients to accuse or bear witness against
each other, and whoever was found to have done so, might be slain by
any one with impunity as a victim to Pluto, and the infernal gods.
It was esteemed highly honorable for a Patrician to have numerous
clients, both hereditary and acquired by his own merit. In after times,
even cities and whole nations were under the protection of illustrious
Roman families.
Those whose ancestors or themselves had borne any curule magistracy,
that is, had been Consul, Prætor, Censor or Curule Edile, were called
nobiles, and had the right of making images of themselves, which were
kept with great care by their posterity, and carried before them at
funerals.
These images were merely the busts of persons down to the shoulders,
made of wax, and painted, which they used to place in the courts of
their houses, enclosed in wooden cases, and seem not to have brought
out, except on solemn occasions. There were titles or inscriptions

written below them, pointing out the honors they had enjoyed, and the
exploits they had performed. Anciently, this right of images was
peculiar to the Patricians; but afterwards, the Plebeians also acquired it,
when admitted to curule offices.
Those who were the first of their family, that had raised themselves to
any curule office, were called homines novi, new men or upstarts.
Those who had no images of themselves, or of their ancestors, were
called ignobiles.
Those who favored the interests of the Senate were called optimates,
and sometimes proc{)}eres or principes. Those who studied to gain the
favor of the multitude, were called populares, of whatever order they
were. This was a division of factions, and not of rank or dignity. The
contests between these two parties, excited the greatest commotions in
the state, which finally terminated in the extinction of liberty.
CHAPTER IV.
Gentes and Familiæ; Names of the Romans, &c.
The Romans were divided into various clans, (gentes,) and each clan
into several families. Those of the same gens were called gentiles, and
those of the same family, agnati. But relations by the father's side were
also called agnati, to distinguish them from cognati, relations only by
the mother's side.
The Romans had three names, to mark the different clans and families,
and distinguish the individuals of the same family--the prænomen,
nomen and cognomen.
The prænomen was put first, and marked the individual. It was
commonly written with one letter; as A. for Aulus: C. for
Caius--sometimes with two; as Ap. for Appius.
The nomen was put after the prænomen, to mark the gens, and
commonly ended in ius; as Cornelius, Fabius. The cognomen was put
last, and marked the family; as Cicero, Cæsar.

Sometimes there was also a fourth name, called the agnomen, added
from some illustrious action, or remarkable event. Thus, Scipio was
called Africanus,